"Luke….M..move." Leia's firm gaze was dampened by the almost unnoticeable-nearly-minuscule waver in her voice. Count to four in. Six out.
Her brother stood firmly planted between her and the door. His arms and feet supplanted like a statue. "No." His eyes bore down at her with all the disapproval a brother could muster.
"I will go to the hearing." she strained. Four in- "There's too much at stake." Six out-t Fuck!
Luke looked beyond her, "Han, aren't you going to do anything about this? She's your wife!"
Leia mocked her husband's reply word for word-
"She's your sister!" He did, however, move from his sprawled position on the lounge sifting his hands through his hair. The bags under his eyes matched hers; exhaustion-done-over it. Han had already pleaded his argument and lost.
She found a moment of strength to press the door pad, revealing the waiting crowd in the hall.
C3PO pivoted, "Oh my! Master Luke, I just finished telling the Princess of Capua that Senator Organ-."
Leia pushed further forward, meeting eyes with the young Capuation Princess; her thin frame and her eyes weary beyond her years, "Senator Organa is ready to leave."
A shaking relief came from the girl, but she regained her composure in a blink, "Thank you Leia."
Luke scowled as she shuffled into the hallway and kept the same furrowed brow as they left for the Senate.
"We were worried you had already taken to...how do your people put it?" the Princess trailed off.
"Giving birth, Illithyia." Leia stifled. One...two..three…
"On Capua… we call it spectallco, giving a show." Illithyia's honey eyes flickered between hers and the royal guards escorting them, "As all the royal court is welcome to attend."
Isn't that basically what I'm doing? Four…. And out; one...two… three...
Once the doors to the Senate floor opened the show was to begin.
"The floor recognizes Princess Illithyia of Capua." Chancellor Mon Mothma silenced the previous motion and its ramblings.
Leia watched the girl stride forward to the podium with a singular purpose a flawless regality pulsating from her. Four… five...six …Keep it together just a bit longer.
"Fellow Senators," she began, "I wish to express my sincerest thanks. Over these past few months, you have debated whether to aid the civil unrest on my planet. Today that debate ends."
One ...two…
"Capua will no longer be a part of the Republic. My brother and I have come to an accord..."
A gush of fluid jettisoned between Leia's legs. It's time.
Senator Cerys was the first to recoil at the flow of waters pooling at Leia's feet. An orchestra of gasps and panic began around her.
Good… everyone get a good look.
Leia met eyes with Ilithyia. It would all work out in the end…
A long time ago in a galaxy far far away …
The climb was exhausting. She had shimmied and pulled herself up for the past hour. It better be worth it. After finally reaching the ledge the mechanic pulled down her bandana to take a conservative swig of the tart liquid inside. She smacked her lips fighting the bristling taste. Her rainwater canteen had run out on the ride.
"It will be worth it." The mechanic said, taking a sweeping glance at the engine room's wreckage. Luckily, this battleship had been taken down by a broadside and landed accordingly. Just because it looked intact, however, did not mean the parts were going to work. She had learned that in a very disappointing scavenge several years ago.
After disposing of the exterior panels the wiring and parts lay bare to her. She didn't let their pristine appearance get her too excited. The mechanic went along collecting bits and pieces until her bag began to bulge. Each piece was assigned to a project. This will go into Jocasta's sensitivity core. I can add this to the arcane blaster. Should I even take this?
She would have to take the risk of being over-encumbered; wrecks didn't stay well-stocked for long…
A metallic bang brought her attention to where she had just climbed. Fuck… She wouldn't be alone for long and the only other exits were blocked by debris. Two men pulled themselves onto the ledge. Unkar Plutt's men without a doubt. Both outfitted with long tipped spears.
"Looky here Belch, it's the Kelvin Ridge wrench." One said.
"Wench," Belch corrected, "and aye, it is."
Jocasta's never going to let this go. She shifted pushing her bag of parts to her side. "Gentleman, there's plenty of parts to go around."
Belch nodded slowly reaching for his bag and bringing out a wrinkled piece of paper, "Cept, the boss didn't send us out for parts."
A wanted poster. One she has seen many times posted throughout various systems. A girl of a decade past stared at her; full cheeks, optimistic curve to the smile, and a sea of mahogany hair barely kept by an Aldarinian style.
"You looking for her?" She asked. An inspecting glance of innocence. Those full cheeks, long gone. The smile more of a smirk now, and forget being able to braid in any fashion as her hair was scraps barely past her ears.
"You ain't fooling us wench," the other said, "the boss says it's you then it be you!" He yanked the spear from its holder.
Belch did the same, "Come with us and you can live a bit longer, Princess."
Jocasta is definitely going to be on my case. The mechanic squinted, "Well, I do believe that the poster says wanted alive. Wouldn't want you boys to upset the boss." Her hand twitched towards her holster which had been hidden by the bulk of her bag.
The scavenger turned the poster to investigate, and the other dropped his shoulders eager to look as well. Each shot was precise, through the hand that gripped their weapons. Their pained shock echoed.
"You, bitch!" Belch bellowed gripping his wounded hand, Miylt get her you useless lob!"
"She shot me!" Miylt cried rocking his hand, "You said she was unarmed!"
The mechanic rushed through them to the ledge dodging Belch's sluggish grab, shooting a blast and missing Miylt's foot. Warning shot. She jumped for the wire hanging. For a moment she thought she was going to miss the wire; just out of reach. A strong breeze blew it into her hand and she slid down until the wire ended. Shit.
"If you think we came here alone, you're stupider than Miylt looks!" Belch screamed.
She let go of the wire dropping at least ten feet to a metal ventilation pipe. Earlier she had told herself how easy the descent would be. Neither Belch or Miylt had taken the wire. It gave her the advantage to make sure her footing was safe.
Well, they weren't bluffing. Outside were four speeders, and another of Plutt's thugs rummaging through her speeder's engine. The thug wore a red waist sash.
"Kori." The mechanic stepped out, pointing her blaster to the sky.
The skeleton of a girl whirled around a small laser cutter still blasting, "P….padme." The girl scrambled for her spear slung across her back, "Where's Belch and Miylt?"
"You don't have to do this," She kept her blaster upward and made slow movements toward the speeders.
"The boss says I'll get all the portions I want for a fortnight." Kori spread her feet and locked her arms.
"And I told you if you moved to the village you'd be taken care of!" She snapped. I don't have time for this. Belch and Miylt would be down soon. She couldn't take all three of them.
"Yeah, so I could scrape the bottom of a barrel based on people's charity." The girl shot back in a sneer.
The mechanic raised arms dropped, "That's worse than working for a…" behind her she could her Belch tumble into something. "I don't have time for this!"
The shot grazed the girl's hand enough to drop the weapon but no more.
She made for the speeder closest to her taking up the dune before Belch could screech at Kori for letting her go.
The sun had utterly disappeared beyond the large peaks of Kelvin Ridge by the time she reached camp. Outside the overturned AT-AT a cloaked figure leaned over a workbench.
"You are late." The pearl white android turned with a torque laser. Since her face was made of Capuation starfighter paneling the heat of the laser trailed a blush across her face.
Padme avoided the mechanical piercing gaze of her companion Jocasta, "Yes, well, ahem, we need to pack up and head to see Tekka."
"What's going on Pads?" She asked.
"Nothing horrible, finish with that rifle trigger and we'll head out." Padme ducked into their makeshift home avoiding the trinkets they hung from the opening.
The laser torch turned off, "So you return late, on a speeder that is falling apart, and we must go see the old man."
Padme scooped some provisions into her bag after rearranging some of the least important pieces she had grabbed at the battleship. Where is it… She looked frantically through a small chest. Where is it!? Under some scraps of material was a small blinking bracelet.
"It's that bad is it?" Jocasta peered over her shoulder her voice a whisper.
She snapped her wrist shut embarrassed, "Grab your stuff. I want to get to the village before sun up."
Jocasta folded her arms, "Spit it out." A demand.
Padme let a long sigh exhale from her lungs buying her more time, cinching her bag shut, "Plutt somehow had an epiphany about my identity."
"Wonderful," the Android shifted past her, "I'll get my things."
The speeder was clunky and sputtered occasionally when she accelerated. Jocasta complained nearly the entire time until Padme commented about installing a mute button on her next update. To avoid the sinking sands, they had to go nearly three hours out of the Goazon badlands. After that, they had to stop before the speeder overheated.
"We should just walk," Jocasta suggested, "Looks like the sun's nearly up, and we have to be close by now."
Padme shifted against the dune she had been resting against enjoying the tickling sand scuff against her open skin, "Sun shouldn't be up for another few hours."
"Well, it looks awfully bright on the horizon to me." the android commented.
Padme squinted down her nose at the skyline, as her muscles protested against moving just yet. There was a light, orange in hue, skating over the ridge of the nearest dune. Padme scrambled to her feet.
"The sunrise doesn't cause pillars of smoke!" She said in alarm.
The pair ascended the dune in a rush. In the distance the village was ablaze. Raiders don't have the… It was then Padme's eyes had graced the upper atmosphere above her. First Order battle cruisers don't come to Jakku. It's where they lost the war. It's why she chose this place.
"Padme, we need to leave," Jocasta said.
A boiling rose from her stomach. "We have to get Tekka." She adjusted her holster before sliding down the dune to the speeder.
"Padme," the android stayed at the top of the dune, "we can't go."
She threw herself over the speeder trying the engine several times before it finally sputtered to life. "Get on the speeder or get left behind."
Jocasta remained unmoved. Electric blue orbs gazed down at her, "You plan to take on the deployed soldiers by yourself?" Before Padme could respond, "Even if the Old Man is still alive, he won't be there." Her arm extended to the transport departing the planet.
Padme threw the speeder forward up the dune and past her companion; only to come to a halt a few feet away. I hate it when she's right. She watched the transport ship enter the docking bay of the cruiser. I wish you a swift death.
Jocasta's heavy palm sat like a feather on her shoulder, "We need an alternative plan."
I wonder how the scavengers would react if they woke up to their leader beheaded. There's always the Fal—
Nearby desperate symphony of binary squeals hit them. Jocasta took off with her long legs towards the cries for help. Padme raced after her leaving the noisy speeder stalling behind. Her blaster at the ready. Racing in a serpentine pattern a BB8 unit was approaching them at top speed. Two First Order soldiers, struggling to chase after it; shooting sporadically with little success.
"Scoop up our friend, and get back to the speeder!" Padme yelled.
"You scoop him up!" Jocasta shouted back, "and get the hell out of here!"
Padme waved her blaster as the android had left the rifle back on the speeder.
Jocasta's facial cogs clenched and she brought her feet to a halt to grab the rolling droid.
"In the name of the First Order sto—."
That shot felt good. Right through the breastplate. The other soldier began shooting quick pulses. It wasn't hard to step to the side, but he also didn't keep still. The next shot grazed his shoulder. Fuck, get it together. The next went through the boot as he'd taken a giant leap to the side. Padme narrowly missed a bolt to the calf. They were closing in on each other gaining a bit better precision with each step. She brought up an aim for his helmet; as did he.
A red bolt burst through the trooper's neck. Jocasta had reached the speeder. The trooper grasped for its neck a waterfall of blood pouring over the white armor. The ragged rise and fall of its breath ended.
"Padme this is BB-8," Jocasta started.
"We'll have time for introductions later." She threw a leg over the speeder, "Let's get somewhere safe."
"He's with the Resistance."
Then nowhere is safe.
They stood in the shadow of Niima Outpost. It was nearly mid-day and many scavengers were filing in to clean and present their findings. Padme pulled the hood of her cloak closer as Belch and Miylt passed. Their hands wrapped tightly in scrap material. They deserved a lot more than that.
"Alright, BB-8 you're with me. J, when you get the distraction set meet up outside the shipyard."
"I still think we shouldn't split up," said Jocasta pocketing the small explosive, "You both have a price on your heads."
"We'll be fine, and the sooner we do this the sooner we'll be away from danger," Padme replied.
The android contemplated for a moment before resigning to the plan by trudging off to plant the bomb on the far side of the outpost.
"Follow me, BB-8." Padme motioned taking a quick pace through the stalls in the opposite direction of Jocasta, "So you're with the Resistance… like General Organa's Resistance?"
BB-8, at her heels, replied with an affirmative chirp.
"Have," Padme ducked under a support beam, "...have you seen the General, like in person?" She didn't wait for a reply, "How is she? Is she well?" No answer came. She turned a look over her shoulder.
The droid had frozen in place a few paces behind her.
"BB-8?" She stepped back to join him trying to sight-line what he was looking at.
Without a response yet again, the droid took off at an impressive speed down the main straight of stalls.
Shit, he's fast! Padme chased after him, hoping to catch up before they drew too much attention. As they ran, finally, the droid aggressively twittered fanatically. She snapped her eyes on the young man breathlessly leaning against a tent bearing. The droid slammed into the man's legs.
"Hey!-Hey!" He stumbled back.
BB-8's string of sound went unanswered, and so the handy droid extended his taser.
"He says your jacket belonged to his master." Padme translated. Maz always said Jakku was full of thieves who have no regard for the living… or the dead. "Where'd you get it?"
The man's eyes nearly fell from his skull, "Poe! Poe Dameron!" He spammed at the taser. BB-8's continual jabs stopped at the mention of his master. "We-we were on the battleship, but escaped…then we got shot down" his eyes sank, "Poe… didn't make it." The man didn't need to know binary to understand the droid's low beeping. "I tried to help him. I'm sorry."
She kneeled down giving BB-8 an empathetic hand, but he rolled away; dejected. "So, are you with the Resistance to?" Padme asked.
He scrambled, "O..obviously. Yes, I am." He said quicker in a hush, "I am with the Resistance."
Sure you are pal. Padme gave him an appraising glance. She decided not to push it as, perfectly timed, the explosive went off sending a pillar of flame into the air. Shouts arose on the far side of the OutPost and the people flocked to it.
BB-8's gave an alarm flurry of code to draw Padme's attention. Further, beyond the droid were two stormtroopers flanking a short cloaked Knight with a mace strapped to his back. It was a figure Padme had seen glimpses of before; constantly trailing her across the Galaxy.
"Time to go." She said.
"Wait!" the man called after her, "go where?"
Padme sprinted past Jocasta who quickly followed after shouting expletives. All that mattered was Unkar's shipyard was vacant. I waited too long to do this… She arrived at the Corellian freighter nearly forgetting the circumstances. Hello Beautiful.
"Everyone who wants to get off this hunk of junk on board!" Jocasta yelled.
She was the last onto the ship bashing the ramp pad with her knuckles. They all clustered into the cockpit.
"This thing is covered in dust," the man said panicked, "when's the last time it flew?"
"How long have we been here?" Padme asked bringing on the boards as if it were yesterday.
"Four years, eight months, give or take," Jocasta replied positioning herself in the pilot's seat presenting a hand to Padme with a snap in her fingers.
Padme presented the small bracelet, "Get her in the air."
The Falcon shook. A horrid screech wrought through the air. Above them, Ty-fighters flew by.
"Need time." the android's arm opened and inserted into the ship.
"We'll give it to you." Padme grabbed the man by the jacket with a hard yank, "Gunner's position this way." She slid down careful of the missing floor panel near the ladder.
The gunner's chair, clinging to life, gave a great clang. Damn, have to oil that later. She looked down the main drag of the shipyard. The Knight stood as if his mere presence would keep the ship there. The pivot of the gun faltered. Not going to get a good shot with this.
"Hey!" she yelled through the headset, "Shoot the knight." Nothing. Not even the whirl of the mechanism. A battalion of troopers was starting to gather near the Knight. Soon they would assemble an anti-aircraft gun. Soon there would be no escape. What the hell… "Hey! I said shoot!"
The upper gun gave a whine. His shot missed the troopers. It dispersed their ranks. The Falcon hovered. That's good enough. Padme pulled the trigger sending out a flurry of pulses. None of them accurate do to the lack of motion.
"What's going on up there?" Padme asked.
"Not so easy without my co-pilot!" Jocasta yelled back, "she's not ready for hyper-space yet!"
"Get us anywhere!" She said continuing to send a barrage of shots.
The ground drew further away and so did the OutPost. The Falcon shook as Ty-fighters overpassed them; circling around to flank them.
Line up you son of a bitch… Padme toggled and tracked the fighter to the left. The shot clipped the wing sending the fighter in a smoking spiral to the surface. "You doing alright up there?"
There was no vocal response, but after a moment blasts began in quick succession as the other fighter made its way closer. The Falcon's engine fluttered. Since Padme wasn't strapped into the gunner chair she began to rise out of the seat.
"JOCASTA!" her knuckles turned white holding on to the toggles to hold herself.
"I'M WORKING ON IT!" the android screeched.
The engines returned to life scooping the ship up back upward and slamming Padme back into her seat.
"You okay?" the man asked.
"I'll live!" Padme answered. Maybe.
The remaining Ty-fighter had overshot them. She followed it's intricate weaving on its reapproach. Waiting for the right moment. A cannon shot came out from the top gun colliding with the fighter's cockpit.
"We're getting out of here!" Jocasta relayed.
Padme relaxed back into the chair was the familiar pull of hyperspace. BB-8 was at the top of the ladder when she came back up to the main hall.
"You alright?" she asked.
He gave an affirmative whistle, making way for the man who was shimming down the ladder to them.
"Good shooting …" She held out a hand.
"Finn." He took it.
"Padme." she pointed to Jocasta, "and this is my friend Jocasta."
Finn's eyes gaped at the android who had joined them, "I'm Finn." He held out his hand.
Jocasta was momentarily taken aback by his offer, "Apologies, I don't have the best social programming."
"Your joints look incredible." He complimented, "So ..fluid. Like its almost real."
"It is real!" she snapped.
"J, you know what he meant," Padme said with a sigh. She leaned down to BB-8, "So, where do we need to get you to?"
Before the spherical droid could respond the Millenium Falcon lurched. What the hell… They booked it to the cockpit. A massive ship had taken the small freighter into its tractor beam.
"It's the First Order…" Finn said, "We're doomed…"
"Like hell we are," Padme said. "I know this ship like the back of my hand. Come on."
They sat in the dimness of the smuggler's hold; pressing on each other.
"What's the plan after this?" Finn asked. He was meant by a harsh hushing.
Above them the ramp came down and the ship was boarded. Padme gripped her blaster. Come...on… Come… on...
The grating was yanked from the floor, and it was a good thing her trigger finger failed. You've gotta be shitting me…
"Hi dad…" Padme managed.