Title: "Duty"
Spoilers: All of Episode I
Rating: K+
Summary: What would have happened had Darth Maul captured who he thought was the Queen during the sandstorm on Tatooine? Takes place immediately after Anakin wins the hyperdrive for the gang and are on their way back to the ship with it.
Author's Notes: This story is an 'alternate detour' or alternate universe from the rest of the movie. Originally, I had planned to leave it as a one-shot, but in the six years since I posted I've had ideas bounce in my mind about giving it a proper ending. Not to mention, the story recently received a review from someone asking if I was going to continue. I know that the SW movies are done, but I wanted this story to be properly finished.
Enjoy!
Padme, Qui-Gon, Jar-Jar and Artoo were on their way back to their crippled Naboo ship. Riding on eopies, they pulled along a track in which the hard-earned hyperdrive rested. It was midday, so they were taking their time getting to their ship. Padme was the one who first noticed the smoke.
"Look!"
Straining his neck forward, Qui-Gon Jinn followed the direction of Padme's finger. The Jedi Master could just make out a thin curl of smoke rising into the sky, just beyond the last sand dune – the same direction where their ship was. He quickly detached his mount from the track.
"Everyone stay here and don't follow me. If I don't make it back, get back to Mos Espa," ordered Qui-Gon.
Snapping the reins hard, he raced forward heading toward the rising smoke.
Padme's face went rigid as she watched the Jedi Master race over the dunes. She considered for a moment and then also snapped her reins, racing after the Jedi.
Jar-Jar was frantic. "Wait, Wait! Where yousa goin?"
Padme, not even bothering to look over her shoulder, raced on.
oOoOo
Qui-Gon reigned in his eopie just short of the ship. He slid off and whipped out his lightsaber. First thing he noticed was that the smoke was coming out of the main hatch. The second thing was the bodies. Racing forward, he came to the first, a handmaiden. He touched her wrist. There was a definite pulse, if a weak one. He looked around some more. Panaka was there, as well as Obi-Wan. Turning over the Padawan, he was relieved that he also was alive, if out. He then noticed a massive welt over his forehead.
What happened…?
Qui-Gon leaned over and pressed his hand over his apprentices' eyes. He let the Force flow from him to his student. After a moment, Ob-Wan moaned softly. Obi-Wan's eyes fluttered open, looking very much dazed.
Qui-Gon looked up quickly at the excited form of Padme, breathing hard from the ride.
"I thought I told you to stay with the others – " began Qui-Gon but was cut off by a raised hand.
"My place is with my Queen." Padme's tone was one that brooked no argument.
Hardly behavior befitting a handmaiden, wondered Qui-Gon. At the moment, Obi-Wan slowly regained consciousness.
"Master…." began Obi-Wan, while at the same time trying to sit up. Qui-Gon immediately pushed him back.
"Rest easy, my boy. You're not going anywhere anytime soon."
Obi-Wan nodded, winced from even that small action, and lay back down. "The Queen…" he rasped.
Qui-Gon looked around and didn't see any sign of Her Majesty. He looked at Padme.
"Watch him, and check the others. I'm going inside." With that he came up to the entrance, took a deep breath, held it, and with lightsaber extended, walked in.
From the illumination given off by his weapon, Qui-Gon could see that very little damage, if any, was evident. Surprised, he noticed the smoke wasn't making his eyes tear. Not smoke, gas. Several of the pilots and crewmembers were slumped over there stations. Again, all knocked out.
Near the entrance, charred remains of what he guessed to be some form of canisters shown in the light. Qui-Gon wondered why anyone would go to this much trouble unless….there was a specific target in mind? Working fast, he activated the ship air recycling system. Air rushed in, taking the heady gas with it. Already people were starting to recover.
Satisfied, Qui-Gon headed towards the Queen's quarters. Searching quickly, he couldn't find any sign of the Queen. Several of her handmaidens were around, just now recovering. After checking them, he went outside.
Obi-wan, recovering somewhat, was now sitting up. He still seemed too wobbly to stand. Panaka, already up, seemed to be talking to Padme.
"The Queen's missing," Qui-Gon announced.
Both Panaka and Padme shared a look.
Qui-Gon looked down at his student. "What happened?"
Panaka answered for him. "It was just after the sandstorm. We were recalibrating the sensors since it seems that they don't have much of an affinity to sand. For a while we were blind. Things were going fine for a while until we heard a tapping on the main hatch. We couldn't see who it was, of course, so we thought it might've been someone who was caught in the storm. We opened the hatch, and this…this thing came in…small…black. It came in so quick, we didn't have time to do anything."
Obi-Wan continued, "It looked like some kind of recon droid. Anyway, it came in, scanned the area quickly and dropped two canisters."
"Yes, I've seen them" Qui-Gon added.
"Before we could do anything, the first canister exploded. It was some form of flash grenade, which stunned everyone for a few moments. The second also went off but it wasn't an explosive. The whole compartment filled with thick gas. Those that weren't prepared were out like a light."
Obi-Wan stared at the ground, shamefacedly. "I tried to hang on as best I could, but the combination of both grenades was almost too much. It was then I noticed someone coming through the hatch. I didn't see the person, but…I felt cold. He knew where to look because when I saw him heading back out to the hatch, he was carrying the Queen. I tried to follow, but he kicked me hard." He gingerly touched the welt on his forehead.
"It wasn't your fault, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon reassured. "There was no way you could've done anything." His apprentice's face pretty much said it would be a while before he forgave himself.
"If this happened recently he shouldn't have gone too far." Qui-Gon went to his eopie.
"Wait!" Panaka yelled.
Qui-Gon turned to him, a questioning look on his face. "The Queen's kidnapped and you're saying to wait?" Again, Qui-Gon caught an unspoken exchange between Panaka and Padme. Panaka glanced over to make sure no one else was within earshot besides the two Jedi.
'The Queen…is safe," the Captain said. With that he looked directly at Padme.
Both Jedi were stunned as realization dawned on them.
"I think an explanation in order," Qui-Gon said mildly.
oOoOo
Far above the orbit of Tatooine, a lone craft raced away at breakneck speed. Inside, a very determined pilot was finishing up the calculations for the jump to hyperspace. A few minutes to get out of the gravity well of the planet and they'd be on their way. Satisfied that the autopilot could take over, he turned and headed to the main hold to check on his 'guest.'
Queen Amidala slept deeply. Having been dumped into an acceleration chair hadn't even woken her. Apparently he'd caught her just as she and her handmaidens were getting up. She still had on the white face-paint and voluminous gown. The headpiece he'd thrown out due to its hindrance while he was carrying her back his speeder.
He looked at her for a moment, considered, and then produced a small vial. Coming right up to her, Maul snapped the vial and waved it in front of her nose. With a look of disgust, the Queen awoke. He stepped back and retreated further into the shadows. The Queen shook her head, groggily looking around.
"Wha…?" she began. A soft, menacing voice answered
"Welcome back to the living, Queen Amidala."
Amidala looked right at the man, and gasped. Two yellow on red eyes, peering through a black hood stared right at her. Even more frightening, a series of red tattoos crossed his ebony face.
Maul relished the fear pouring from her, but was surprised at how quickly the Queen reined it in and assumed a commanding air.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
"I am Darth Maul, you Highness," he said with a mocking bow, "and your rescuer."
She seemed to notice for the first time that she was in a ship of some kind. At the same moment, a loud whine, followed by a dimming of power, indicated that the ship entered hyperspace.
"Where are you taking me?" she demanded.
"Why, to your home world of Naboo, of course," he said with a vicious smile. "Where you will sign a treaty legitimizing the Trade Federation's Occupation."
"I will sign no treaty," the Queen retorted with a lift of her chin.
Maul cocked his head at her. Slowly he walked up to her and ran a single finger down a milky cheek. He smiled inwardly as she trembled.
"Oh, trust me my queen." His lips bare inches from her ear. "By the time I'm done with you, you will do anything I ask." And with a flurry of robes, Maul headed back to the bridge.
Sabé could only mutely watch as her kidnapper marched away. She had no idea as to who this person was, but, for now, her role as decoy still fooled him. For how long was the question.
oOoOo
"A decoy, then?" asked an incredulous Qui-Gon. Padme nodded.
"Yes, in times of crisis, Sabé takes over for me and assumes the role of Queen. My various costumes and regalia also help with the charade even more so. Trust me, I wasn't wearing those headpieces for my health." She rubbed her neck ruefully.
"With every Queen," Panaka added, "a group of handmaidens are also picked, mostly with the same build and characteristics. But the decoy is different. Given the nature of the work, we had to find someone who could handle all the rigors of being not just a decoy, but a bodyguard as well."
Obi-Wan shook his head in amazement.
"So, what now?" asked Qui-Gon.
"We have to get the hyper drive installed in the ship," Padme said. "The longer we stay here, the more time we give my 'kidnapper' time to discover his mistake."
"But," began Obi-Wan, "what about Sabé?" Panaka looked away. Amidala's face hardened.
"She swore an oath to protect me at all costs. The longer she can hold out, the quicker I can make my appeal to the Senate and hopefully end the occupation. Her first duty was to me, and mine are to my people, just as yours," she looked at the Jedi, "are to protect me."
Qui-Gon held her gaze for a moment. Very softly he said, "You realize you're condemning her to death."
For a second, the Queen's hardened exterior cracked.
"No, Master Jedi, I'm not just condemning a bodyguard, I'm condemning a friend." With that she turned and headed back to the ship.
oOoOo
Sabé looked up to see her abductor stride in.
"We're half-way there, you Highness," he hissed.
Here we go,she thought. She stood up and walked towards him, her finger jabbed in his direction.
"I demand that you take me ba – " She never finished. A vicious backhand made her crumple to the floor.
Maul grabbed her violently by her braided hair. His yellow-red eyes burned into hers, his breath hot on her face.
"Know this, Queen," he whispered. "You may be royalty, but on my ship no one makes demands of me!" He let her go and stood.
Slowly getting up, Sabé ran a hand across her mouth. Glaring at Maul, she felt a warm stickiness on her lips. He stared at her a moment and came closer to her. His sheer presence almost overwhelmed her.
Maul ran a finger across her lips. A tattooed finger came up, blood on the tip.
"Hurts?" he asked as he licked at the blood. Sabé said nothing.
"Good," he said with a snort. Before she could say anything, he grabbed her neck and kissed her roughly.
Maul broke the kiss and stared into her eyes.
"So, my Queen, how knowledgeable are you in that area?" He let his eyes roam up and down her body.
Disgusted, Sabé turned her gaze away from him.
Smirking, Maul stepped back and held a fist in front of her. Focusing on her dress, he opened up his hand in front of her. At that gesture, her dress fell down, leaving only a bare covering on her body. Gasping she tried to cover herself. Maul stepped forward and ran a finger down her neck. Keeping an eye on her, he kept his finger going down until it came to a barely covered breast. Slowly, he ran it over the nipple, enjoying the excited reaction as it slowly became erect.
Breathing hard, Sabé tried retreating further into the wall.
"You resist?" Maul whispered. Sabé only glared.
"Good," he said as his cloak fell to the ground.
Hours later, Sabé looked up as Maul pulled the rest of his clothes on. She stole a quick glance at a wall chronometer and sighed inwardly. The Queen had to be well on her way.
An insistent beeping came from a corner of the room. Maul came up to a small, raised platform and kneeled. Moments later, a hologram of a cloaked figure appeared.
"What is thy bidding, my – " The cloaked figure interrupted Maul abruptly.
"Maul, where are you?" Darth Sidious intoned chillingly. "I've just gotten word that Queen Amidala's ship has just entered the Coruscant system and that she herself has asked to talk to me as well as the Chancellor."
At the sound of that menacing, yet familiar voice, Sabé gazed up…and her heart went to her throat.
Senator Palpatine?
Maul was dumbfounded. "But…my master, that's not possible. She is here." He gestured, clearly forgetting the state that the 'Queen' was currently in. Sidious glanced at her and with a sneer he looked back at Maul.
"You fool," Sidious said softly. "This is not the Queen. This is her bodyguard - one of her own handmaidens used as a decoy."
Eyes bulging, Maul could do nothing except stare from his master to Sabé.
"You know how…forgiving I am in these matters, Maul?" Sidious said.
Maul, his face a mixture of shame and rage, could only stare straight down at his feet.
Sidious continued, "We will discuss this later. In the meantime, continue to Naboo and await instructions. As for the girl…"
Maul looked up and finally met his master's eye. Sidious crossed his arms and shrugged slightly.
"Find out what you can about the true Queen's" – Sidious emphasized the words slightly – "plans should she return to Naboo. Afterwards…dispose of her."
With that, the hologram fizzled and disappeared returning the room to semi-darkness.
Sabé, breathing hard, kept staring at the spot where the hologram of the senator from Naboo once stood. It was almost too fantastic to believe. Senator Palpatine was the kindest man she'd ever known, dedicated to helping Naboo or anyone else in the Senate. But the person she'd just witnessed was cruel, harsh…evil. And she knew that knowledge like this would never escape her lips. She glanced back warily at this 'Maul,' his muscles seemingly tight with tension.
For a long time, he stood there, just staring at the empty area where the hologram stood. Finally, he turned and looked at her. Without a second glance, he lightsaber flew out into his outstretched hand. Walking up to her, he stared at her coldly.
"You will tell me what you know," he said, his voice wintry calm.
All of Sabé's haughtiness was gone, replaced by a calm acceptance of what was to come. Clutching the remains of her robe to her chest, she stared right up at him, defiant to the last.
Maul looked down at her, his face half-hidden in shadow. He lowered himself to her level, face only inches from hers.
Snap-hiss!
Face bathed in crimson, Sabé's eyes widened a bit as Maul's lightsaber hummed right between them. Leaning closer, Maul ran the back of his hand down her cheek – almost tenderly.
Almost.
She turned her face away from his hand. Cheek to cheek, and in a lover's whisper he said:
"Then I hope pain is something you enjoy."
Yes, she had done her duty.
The ship sped on inexorably towards Naboo.
-Continued-
