SouL PurPosE

Chapter Five

It was impossible! At least one of us, most likely both of us, were too stubborn to coordinate our movements, and I warned Dorme I was stepping out and she was on her own. The effect of doing so was uncomfortable for me and it caused her to react with a full-body shiver, one which the Queen noticed.

"Are you cold? Would you care for a blanket?"

"I'm fine," Dorme replied. "Just not used to this weather."

Indeed, we had arrived during the coldest month in Aldera, and although the snowfall was lovely to look at, she wasn't dressed for it.

"Come stand by the fire then," Breha insisted, taking Dorme into a room with equally remarkable views of the mountains as Bail's office had, as well as a stone fireplace that took up most of one wall.

Breha Organa was a kind and gentle soul who had supported me during my reign on Naboo and although she had earned her position by inheritance, her people seemed to adore her. She was also intelligent, and I was worried about what she was going to be able to pry out of my former assistant.

Currently, Dorme was warming herself by the enormous fire, which I couldn't feel, even though I was standing right next to her. I needed to stay close just in case she needed help in answering any of the Queen's questions. This situation is what Dorme had been worried about, although I wasn't sure why. I was certain she was going to do just fine.

"Ask her about the Senate," I suggested. "Find out if they've been disbanded completely."

"I can't believe so much has happened," Dorme began quietly while staring into the flames.

"Yes, what is happening is indeed alarming. Surely, the governors will not stand for such a radical move by the Chancellor."

"They don't have much of a choice!" I angrily spoke to Dorme. "The man is pure evil!"

"How do you know that?" she asked me, momentarily forgetting about our situation.

"Pardon me?" the Queen questioned, her eyes glancing about the room probably to see if anyone else was here - and of course, there wasn't.

Dorme's eyes widened and she finally backed away from the fire, but not until her cheeks were rosy. "Oh, nothing. I argue with myself once in a while. That's just what I do."

"Smooth," I teased her. "Be careful. Queen Breha is as insightful as she is smart."

"What did you wish to talk about?" Dorme said in an obvious attempt to change the subject.

"Please take a seat. I'm curious about what happened to Senator Amidala. I held much respect for her and it saddened me to hear about her sudden demise."

Dorme and the Queen sat on a small couch nearby and I stood directly behind them, ready to intervene if I needed to.

"Bail has informed me the Senator was married to a Jedi. A young man by the name of Anakin Skywalker. He also informed me the young man apparently has joined forces with the Chancellor and turned evil. Is that so?"

"Don't tell her too much," I warned. Not that I didn't trust Breha, but my personal life was still, well...personal! I didn't want everyone to know every little dirty detail!

"You have no idea!" Dorme began, leaning forward. I realized a little too late that she was about to spill her guts. "I never liked the guy, I can tell you that! He was nothing but a spoiled brat! Arrogant and cocky. He never appreciated Padme or Master Kenobi for that matter! All he did was complain and whine. I heard him myself!"

"I had no idea!" Breha gushed in surprise although she was obviously eating it up.

"Nobody did! But I lived with them, you know, and I saw things. I heard things too. He's the one who killed her, by the way. Strangled her using the Force, or so I've heard."

"Is that so?" the Queen uttered with growing interest. "How did you come by this information, if I may be so bold to ask?"

"Senator Amidala told me."

I could tell by the look on Dorme's face that she hadn't meant to say what she did, although it was too late.

"Dorme!"

"I'm sorry!" she yelled back at me, which caused Breha's gaze to focus over the top of the sofa where she locked onto my face. Could she see me? The woman was observant, but I didn't think she was clairvoyant. A quick test would tell me for sure, and I stepped to the side, noticing her eyes didn't actually track me.

"She's with you now, isn't she? I thought I felt a presence," the Queen commented without revealing any sort of shock or disbelief.

"Don't tell her," I warned Dorme. "She's just going to think you're crazy and toss you out of the palace. Or maybe call security and have you committed."

"It's the wildest thing!" Dorme said instead, completely ignoring my advice. "I was walking along with the other mourners in Theed and suddenly, I hear her voice. At first, I thought someone was playing a cruel trick on me, but the sound followed me and she kept talking to me through the night. It's her! I swear it's her."

"How very interesting," Breha said, and for the first time, I noticed what was around the room. This was her private space. It was obvious to me now, and there were stacks and stacks of volumes in here; on the shelves, on the floor, on her desk. I strolled over to view some of the titles. "The Encyclopedia of Spirits," "The Parapsychologist's Handbook," "Morphic and Force Residuals," to name a few. She was a student of the occult! I had no idea!

"Has she taken the form of a spiritual being? Or possess a physical body? Is she confined to a specific time or area? I have so many questions!"

So did I! But this isn't what we were here for! We didn't have time to entertain the Queen of Alderaan! I told Dorme so, although she simply waved a dismissive hand toward me.

"Supposedly, she's trapped here in the medical gown she was wearing when she passed. She also believes she has a purpose – or at least thinks she does," Dorme explained and I wanted to pinch the most tender part of her arm; that flabby part beneath the bicep. If only I could!

"Get to the point!" I reminded my friend. "We need to know where Master Kenobi is!"

"Let me tell you," Dorme added somewhat conspiratorially, "she's gotten really cranky now that she's dead."

"You don't say," Breha commented as if she didn't realize I was standing right here listening! "In fact, that reminds me of something I just read."

The older woman walked over to her desk and retrieved an ancient book formed from actual parchment, and she carefully opened to a page marked with a string.

"Right here it says the Force may sometimes intervene by energizing a spirit to accomplish a task before allowing it to be released. Yes, right here it is. Apparently, there's something she needs to do first."

I may have spoken too soon. This was actually now getting interesting. "Ask her about returning a spirit to its body," I told Dorme. It was worth a shot.

"Can the Force return a spirit once it's left the body?" Dorme asked.

"Oh, yes. Reanimation is possible and has been recorded on multiple occasions. Only those sensitive to its calling seem to be given the opportunity, though. I never realized the Senator had Force abilities!"

"She didn't," Dorme noted sadly.

I didn't say anything because the answer was rather disappointing. "But what about space travel? When I was swept away to Naboo? How can she explain that?"

Dorme quickly informed the Queen of what had happened to me, and she closed the book she'd opened to pick up another. I just so happen to catch the title and couldn't help but cynically roll my eyes. "Adventures Through Time and Space?" This one sounded like a kid's weekend holovid!

"The ability to transport oneself has been suggested by the author; not only through existing systems but along parallel and independent timelines. It seems a dangerous course, but a very interesting read. I highly recommend it."

This was getting ridiculous! "Dorme! Get to the point!"

"Fine!" she shouted, which startled Breha. "Sorry. Not only is she cranky, but she's also gotten a lot bossier. She wants to know if you can tell us where Master Kenobi is. I think she wants to find out what happened to Anakin."

The Jedi were in such danger, I wasn't sure if she was going to reveal the information, even if she knew it. I supposed it all depended on how much Breha believed Dorme's story of my ghostly presence.

"He's back home on Stewjon," she told us without any hesitation.

"Is that where he's from? I had no idea," I said. I didn't know much about the planet except that it was far from Alderaan.

"How far is that from here?" Dorme asked. "I'm afraid our credits are running a little low and fuel costs have skyrocketed since the Chancellor took control."

"Don't worry about that, my dear," the Queen answered with a smile before carefully replacing her research material back into the neat pile on her desk. "I'll loan you one of my private ships. Just don't tell Bail. He doesn't quite understand my fascination with the afterlife."

"Not a word," Dorme vowed, pretending to lock her lips with an invisible key.

"Before you go, I should tell you that Master Kenobi did stop by on his way home. I've never seen a man so upset about the passing of a friend. If I didn't know any better, I would say he's been harboring feelings for Senator Amidala. Poor man."

After thanking her, Dorme walked out of the palace where we met a pilot who took us directly to the palace hangar.

"I thought you said she was insightful! What a bunch of garbage!" Dorme spouted once we were on board and out of hearing range of the palace employee.

"What do you mean?" I countered. "She was pretty much spot on. I'm here as proof, aren't I?"

I guess I'd confused Dorme, since her expression had turned rather idiotic. "What? That? No, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about Master Kenobi! He has feelings for you? Where did she get that idea? Just because he was sad? My guess is he was upset because of the loss of so many Jedi and the Temple! He's lost everything!"

Including me, I thought with a surprising amount of guilt. I hadn't mentioned to her the kiss he'd placed on my unresponsive lips on Polis Masa or the gently-spoken words that had accompanied it. Right now, I would keep those things hidden within my heart.