Chapter 70

For quite some time now Queen Mairayn and Padme had sat on that hard bench in this uncomfortable holding cell, which seemed to be so small that both women did kind of have the feeling that the walls would be moving in on them at any minute.

„Do you think that anybody has got our emergency call, before the communications system was too damaged to work?" The Queen of Naboo asked Padme, who might have not been worried as herself but she could imagine that the former Queen and Senator was also unsure how they could get out of this mess in one piece. Padme had to think about her reply for moment, as she was still so busy with taking in their surroundings and even if she hated to admit it at that point, it was obvious that their chances weren't that good to get help in this delicate situation:

„I don't know if the message has been sent before the communications system didn't work anymore, but I'm confident that we will find a way to get out of this mess in one piece, even if that is easier said than done."

The current Queen of Naboo wasn't so sure at this moment, if that would be able to keep her hope alive but she trusted Padme, like they had known each other for years even if she couldn't really explain why she had that much confidence into the words of a stranger. A few minutes later two of the Space Pirate, that had ambushed the Naboo Royal Cruiser entered the Holding Cell Area and judging from the looks on those two men faces they definitely meant business:

„Look who have here! It looks like we've got ourselves some high valvue prey this time around."

„Yes indeed, the current Queen of Naboo and one person that's supposed to dead as far as I remember." Of course Padme couldn't help but think if those people were really just your average Space Pirates, which she knew a lot about from her time as Queen and Senator in the Galactic Senate of the Old Republic or if maybe had a little bit more in mind than just making a lot of credits.

It didn't go by unnoticed the two heavily armed men that Padme was probably wondering where they got this personal information from and so the one, who was apparently higher ranked than the man that accompanied him:

„Yes, we know a lot about you Miss Naberrie or is it still Amidala? Let's just say that we did and still have good connections to some higher places, that can still deliver us some special information that some other people wanted to be burried away forever."

„So, I think it's safe to say that this isn't about credits or disassembeling high valvue ships like these and sell the parts to the highest bidder on the black market." Padme said after a while, trying her best to stall some time by getting some information out of their kidnappers instead of the other way around as their only was one other reason that made sense to hear right now: To get information out of them. The man, who seemed to be the leader of the Space Pirates now had an evil grin on his face and replied: „As expected you're a smart woman and yes we aren't the average Space Pirates, that you might have heard so much about in the past. We're not just some amateur smugglers, the whole thing we run here is an big business and unfortunately the New Republic has been really bad for business in the past but you're going to take a huge part in changing that Queen Mairayn, even if you like it or not and we're definitely going to keep you around Miss Naberrie as a little encouragement for your Royal Highness."

Then the other man began to speak into Queen Mairayn's direction: „The New Republic Military has a couple of bases around our main business routes and as far as our sources know, you can say us where they are located and their defense network can be deactivated." Queen Mairayn listened closely to every word that the man said, it felt so unreal that they had been able to aqquire all of this sensitive information and of course she couldn't help but ask herself who she would be able to trust in the future inside of the government of the New Republic, now being aware of the fact that someone was leaking inside information to the enemy. For Padme it was quite clear what her role in this thing was, as it didn't take long for her to realize to what lengths these men would go, if Queen Mairayn wasn't willing to cooperate with them.

Outer Rim, Base of the New Republic Military

It had been an normal day on the bridge of this Space Station right in the middle of this dangerous area of space that wasn't far away from the New Republic Territory. On Crewman on the Communications Station was interrupted in his routine by an incoming distress signal, which seemed to have a bad signal quality as he barely was able to make out the words that were spoken: „We are…. under…attack…please help us deflector shields are failing don't know …how…much

we can …this." Without hesitating any longer he notified his commanding officer of it by saying:

„Sir, we've received a distress signal from a Royal Naboo Cruiser being attacked."

Captain Plymouth stepped closer to the Crewman's station and after he had played the distress signal again he said: „How far away is the ship from our position?"

„ It's only five lightyears away from our current position Sir." The Crewman replied after checking quickly checking some data on his console.

„Get the Blue Squadron ready, as I don't want to take any unnessecary risks because of my experience in the past, it is a huge mistake if you take those Space Pirates not serious." The Captain replied with a grim expression on his face and just hoped that they wouldn't be too late in this case.

AN: Thanks to- Lady Swift Sword for adding this story to her Story Alert subscription, Thanks to- Silvey 777 for adding this story to her/his favorite stories list, Thanks to- afuller 077 for adding this story to her/his favorite stories list, Thanks to- Anna Florinda for adding this story to her favorite stories list, Thanks to- Haywire Eagle for reviewing this story, Thanks to- Mortiferus 93 for adding this story to her/his favorite stories list and adding it to her/his story alert subscription, Thanks to- David Davies 5851 for reviewing this story.