Hey guys, it's Chaddy. So this one is different, mainly because I wanted to try something different. I am a big Star Wars fan, and I wanted to give this a shot. This one-shot originated as an idea after watching a video titled: Orchestra Darth Vader Sad Theme, a video that includes the cover image. When I looked through the comments, I found a comment by the user gearfox7, who made a small story of the events. So this was not an original idea, but his premise was something that couldn't be relegated to a comment section. I hope you enjoy and thanks to Carrot Cake, Resuom, and TheOneAndOnlyErik for beta reading and a especial thanks to Carrot in particular for helping me with the title.
Rain…
As I look up at the gloomy, dark sky, I feel the droplets cascading down my face.
It washed everything away, dirt, trash, people, but never the memories.
Nothing could ever wash those away.
Droplets drum against the top of my helmet. It didn't bother me; guard duty didn't exactly afford me the luxury of taking shelter inside.
My posting here was symbolic. But to the people of Theed, the capital city of Naboo, it was the resting ground of the late queen, Padme Amidala.
The posting was an honor, especially to someone as fresh out of the academy as myself.
I had been standing guard for almost three hours straight, watching as the citizens of Theed came to lay wreaths of flowers at the foot of the tomb.
Since the tomb was erected, it had become hallowed ground for the common people, as well the nobility. The tomb was grand in scale, with no expense spared.
The interior floor was entirely of marble, with grand arches and a beautiful stained-glass window overlooking the stone sarcophagus, donated by the newly declared Emperor Palpatine.
My thoughts drift to the person this tomb was dedicated to, the late Queen Amidala. Obviously, I never got to meet her, but I did see her during live transmissions of the Senate meetings during the old days of the Republic.
Snapping myself out of my reverie, I stand back at attention, eyes set squarely on the surrounding area. Once again, my eyes drift upwards towards the clouds.
It is still raining.
Something catches my eye, however. Small, black outlines of shapes streak across the clouds. That's when I hear it, a faint, lethargic scream.
It only gets louder and louder by the second.
Suddenly, one of the black outlines breaches through the clouds. It is metallic, sunlight glistening off something on the front... It almost looks like…
A Cockpit!
The screaming becomes louder, now able to be heard over the sound of the torrential downpour. Until it gets so loud, the knot that has formed at the base of my stomach only confirms my fears.
It's an Imperial TIE Fighter.
Why is an Imperial TIE fighter performing a flyover on an Imperial world?! During peacetime, no less!?
As I track its movements through squinted eyes, the rain still hammering my face, the knot of anxiety at the pit of my stomach explodes upwards towards my heart, as I see more and more fighters break the cloud front, and enter the cities air space.
My heart stops dead in my chest when they start to perform indiscriminate strafing runs on the city.
Years of wartime training kick in, and I instinctively crouch and run for cover, Turbolasers being fired into the city.
It's a short run back into the Tomb that I have been guarding, and I take shelter at the back, behind the sarcophagus. My heart is hammering in my chest. I can hear the air raid sirens blaring now.
The last time they were used was during the Separatist invasion, months ago.
We thought we would never hear them again! Why was the Empire here!?
Thunderous booms shake the city, as well as the sky. It's deafening, the screaming has started now, and people are being woken up to the sounds of impact detonations on buildings and the streets themselves.
As something smashes into the roof of the tomb, I look up through the crack in the masonry of the ceiling, and my eyes widen due to sheer disbelief.
It wasn't just the TIE fighters raining laser fire down onto the city.
4 dagger shape masses loomed just above the clouds, thunder casting their silhouette against the dark sky.
Imperial Star destroyers.
As I steadied myself against a stone pillar, resignation filled my chest. This was it, the last stand of Naboo. We had resisted the Trade Federation and the Separatist Alliance; only to be massacred for no apparent reason.
But what do we DO?! Resisting the invasion would only justify this madness! Do they think we intend to rebel!? Emperor Palpatine himself was from Naboo, surely, he would not doubt our loyalty?!
I check my holster. I verify my S-5 blaster, ready for any Imperial soldiers who would dare trespass on our lady's resting ground. Even if I was scared, I would give my life for Naboo.
Even from this position, I try to remain calm and remember my training.
I will not abandon my post.
Hours pass and the bombardments keep coming. TIE Fighters regularly pass by, on strafing runs. It felt like the day would never end.
Then suddenly, I hear something.
Radio chatter.
I peak out of cover and before me were two stormtroopers. They both wore red-accented armor, the markings of Imperial Shock troopers.
"You think will be able to blast some Gungans?" one of the troopers said, voice bellowing through his helmet's communicator.
"Quit fooling around, this is an invasion, not a carnival." The other one responded.
Their voices sound familiar and identical.
"What is this place anyway? Looks like a monument."
"It's a tomb, you idiot." I notice the second trooper, the one who responded to the first, sported a pauldron on his right shoulder, identifying him as an officer.
"Of whom?"
"Would you stop asking questions and keep your fracking guard up!?"
"Ok, ok, not much of a talkative type, I take."
"Lord Vader asked the two of us to remain here once we landed. Don't you think that warrants some type of responsibility?"
The curious trooper now looked down and put his hand behind his helmet. "You're right, my mistake, sir."
In the distance, only laser fire could be heard. The flyovers and orbital bombardments had lessened.
Flames and mournful wails rose from the city.
Their conversation was curious, they had made mention of a Lord Vader.
Was he some kind of Imperial commander?
I am ripped from my thoughts as I hear them approach the foot of the Tomb.
"Hey, what's this?" Peering around the corner, I notice that he has picked up my ceremonial staff.
'Frack! It must have fallen down the stairs after I dropped it!'
The other trooper approaches him and leans over to inspect it.
"Looks like a regular staff."
"You sure? What happened to the guy who was holding it?"
"Probably left there by the guard after he ran away."
"Maybe, but we should sweep the area, just to make sure"
My eyes widen, and my hand goes for my blaster.
My hand is shaking. And I can't stop it.
The curious trooper fixed his helmet. "Fine, whatever you say."
They eventually move off, towards the opposite end of the street.
If they heard me exhale and fall to my hands in relief, they don't make a show of it.
Theed was burning.
The sky had turned from a dull, murky grey, to a luminous, burning orange.
I remained hidden, even after the troopers left. I didn't dare leave the tomb. I had no idea what would happen if I was caught.
I had heard stories of Imperials gunning down civilians in the barracks. I thought they were fairytales, that the Empire wouldn't do something as barbaric as that.
Looking out over the horizon from the hill the Tomb was sat upon, it seemed there wasn't much the Empire wouldn't do.
All I had heard over my own comm unit was frantic chaos. The Naboo Royal Guard was in complete disarray.
Imperial orders for unconditional surrender were being played through all major public outlets, and now, even military channels. That meant only one thing.
The Empire most likely completely occupied Theed, maybe by now, even all Naboo.
I had to emerge from my hiding place and find a way off the planet, and soon. I weighed my options. The spaceport was nearly decimated, but maybe a personal shuttle had been spared during the initial bombardment... the thought of having the outrun an Imperial blockade did nothing to fill me with hope.
Also, I hated flying.
Flying was for droids.
I opened my communicator, to see if there was anything other than a scrambled transmission for help, orders to surrender, or even Imperial soldiers speaking on unencrypted channels.
All that met my ears was the sound of breathing, from the foot of the tomb.
Mechanical breathing.
Looking down at the base of the steps, an unusually tall thing, with the body of a man, clad in glossy, night-black armor stood still, helmeted head angled upwards, a cape bellowing at his back.
My heart stopped when I saw what it had attached to his belt.
A Lightsaber.
'Impossible... only Jedi used those things... and the Jedi were all dead! They were all labeled as traitors!'
Realization struck me.
'That's it! One of those Jedi must have led the attack on Naboo!'
Anger filled me. The Jedi were meant to be guardians of the Republic. But they were publicly disgraced, the result of a failed coup d'état to overthrow the Supreme Chancellor.
Weighing my options and noticing that the black cladding figure was now making his way up the stairs to the Tomb's entrance, I made a decision.
'For Naboo!'
Jumping out from my cover, I drew my blaster and aimed it dead center of the approaching mass of black armor.
My hands were trembling, and I was sweating profusely. Tears of pure terror made their way down my face. Yet the figure stood there, unfazed, the mechanical whir of his breathing being carried up the stairs.
Then I saw him reach out a black-gloved hand towards me.
I suddenly felt a sensation of elevation and was pushed aside with force. I lay on the floor, clutching my head. I open my eyes slowly and see the figure approaching the coffin, slowly, head lowered.
Its breathing stops and raises a hand and strokes the carved likeness of Queen Amidala, chiseled onto the top of the sarcophagus's lid.
The figure strokes it, slowly, as if caressing a loved one. It carried a sense of intimacy that made watching it uncomfortable.
It felt like I was intruding.
The armored figure raised its other hand and formed a fist. It clutched it to its chest, and dipped its head, almost as if in reverence.
Its head slowly turned towards me, blacked eyes of the helmet boring their way into my skull.
I stumble backward. I was still on the floor and my blaster was not insight.
Accepting the fact that I was unarmed, and helpless before the towering figure before me, I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable fate that awaited me.
And found me still waiting for the death blow, a few moments more.
Confused, and terrified beyond words, I slowly open my eyes and look up at the figure.
Eyes meet lenses, as it holds my gaze for what feels like an eternity.
Suddenly, it looks back towards the sarcophagus one last time, gently strokes the etching of the queen's face…
And turns to leave.
As the figure leaves, it stops, mid-stride, and turns around. Once again, I am staring into the red-black lenses of a helmet.
A moment passes. And then another.
Suddenly, I am reacquainted with the all too familiar feeling of impending doom, when a solemn, mechanical voice comes from the towering black figure in front of me.
"Guard her well."
The figure turns again, but this time...
It does not look back.
I sit there, unsure of what I must do next.
But for the life of me, I cannot shake a sense of morose pity towards this figure.
"What a sad day," I say as I take my staff and stand back in attention, respecting the wishes of that sad, lonely figure, dressed in black.