A New King

The turbolift reached the flight deck, and the door opened. The newly promoted Lieutenant Commander Aldreaan Skye of the Royal Naboo Fleet stepped into the pilot's chair of his cruiser. The RNC Amidala was the newly created royal starship. It was the same as the J-type, but equipped with four engines instead of two. Skye was the hand-selected pilot for Queen Apailana

"Retract the ramp and prepare for departure," Ald said into the crew mic, running the preflight checks. "Set Hyperspace nav to Dantooine, avoid Imperial trade routes, alert Senator Organa of our departure."

The cruiser then departed Theed en route to the rebel base on Dantooine. Queen Apailana was on her way to express Naboo's support for the rebellion. Senator Organa was meeting them at the base, mainly to discuss the safety of the queen with the crew.

"N-Royal to Naboo System Traffic, Requesting radar cloak to undisclosed location." The Naboo queen was a prime imperial target.

"NST to N-Royal, cloak granted. Terminating Comlink. NST out."

It was procedure for a cloaked vessel not to respond. The empire had comlink interceptors everywhere.

The cruiser reached the halfway point without trouble. The engines were running at full capacity. It was here that Naboo could not longer protect the queen.

"Freighter 0R112, this is NST, comlink distance limit reached, terminating communication."

This was the code that the royal cruiser was vulnerable. It meant that speed was their only weapon against the imperial fleet.

"Commander, radar detects destroyer, less than a parsec away."

"Increasing throttle, 98, set nav to alternate route," responded Skye, fear growing in him. "We're going to outrun them."

"All Passengers, prepare for route change. Ready escape pods for immediate deployment if necessary."

This was standard procedure for the cruiser when uncloaked, but it still worried the passengers.

"Sir, Message from Destroyer 223, Rear Admiral Verion commanding," said the communications operator, "It's as following."

"By order of the Galactic Empire and the Emperor's Navy, surrender all political targets onboard, executive will board momentarily," said the admiral.

"Change nav settings to Courasaunt, exiting Hyperspace," Skye told the nav operator, Lieutenant Kenna. "Follow my lead with whoever comes aboard."

"Attention Passengers, Prepare for immediate boarding. Deactivate escape pods."

The stardestroyer enveloped the chrome vessel, and a boarding party was prepared. The crew hatch opened, and in stepped Rear Admiral Verion, and Darth Vadar himself.

"I want the queen, do not harm the others," Vadar commanded the party, "Let me speak to the Pilot."

"Sir," responded Commander Skye.

"Where was this vessel heading?" demanded Vadar.

"Courasaunt, to deliver the queen's apology to the senate."

"Why did the vessel not show on radar?"

"Standard Naboo procedure, my lord."

"What is your name?"

"Lt. Cmdr. Aldreaan Skye, RNF Active Duty, sir."

"Carry on, but the queen come with me." With that Vadar and the party departed, the stunned queen in handcuffs behind them. This was the last they saw of Queen Apailana.

"All Passengers prepare for departure," Skye told the remaining people onboard. "Long live the Queen."

The cruiser touched down in Dantooine, ready to deliver the news to Senator Organa. The party onboard, consisting now of Jar Jar Binks, Commander Skye, Lieutenant Kenna, and Captain Pananka, left, all in sorrow.

"Senator, Meesa regrets to be informing you that weesa was boarded hours ago and the queen isa in the hands of the Empire," Jar Jar said, sadness filling his voice.

"I know Jar Jar, I received a transmission on my way over that the queen of Naboo had been executed. I am sorry."

"Commander, This mandates that the highest ranked Military Official onboard take emergency power of the system. I am not military, but royal security. You are now king, your majesty," explained Pananka. This was what they had thought, but no one was yet willing to accept it.

"I don't feel qualified. I am only Lieutenant Commander, Captain Derion should have this position, He was supposed to be onboard," Skye argued.

"Derion wasn't onboard. Policy states you are now the king."

"Senator, what should we do? The Empire will see me as their prime target if they find out. I can't stay in an Imperial zone."

"Your Majesty, it is my advice that the royal transport not be used, it is targeted the entire imperial fleet. I would suggest that you use smaller vessels. There is an old Republican gunship in the hangar. It is too small for imperial forces to track," Bail Organa told them.

"Senator, tomorrow morning inform the rebellion commanders that Naboo has not lost its determination against the empire, and through the death of the queen, we shall be even more determined to stop the tyranny growing in the galaxy. I will meet with you the next opportunity I get, but now my duty is to Naboo. Ready the gunship for departure."

The group reached the hangar, and prepared to board the small craft. As Ald was preparing to close the crew hatch on the gunship, the hangar door opened and a short, fat man, whom Ald thought to be one of Bail Organa's aids, came running towards them with a comlink.

"Sir, the Naboo Council Chairman for you," the short fat man said to Ald.

Ald took the comlink, dreading the immanent conversation.

"Commander Skye, Royal in waiting, what's the matter?" he asked.

"Commander, The Empire has made an offer, if we stop the Imperial Trade Boycott, then they will surrender the queen's body for proper burial."

"Well, agree to their demands. I feel this boycott is harming the people, and the queen needs a proper funeral and the public needs a chance to mourn. Send the old royal cruiser to retrieve her. The coffin and royal standard are on board. I will arrive within a few hours; do not let the coffin leave the hangar before I arrive. Follow protocol for the funeral. The coffin is to be draped with the standard because she died in office. Also, inform her family of the empire's request and inform the military that she requested a military honor guard instead of handmaidens to bear the coffin. I will go over the details when I am back in Theed."

"Yes, Commander. See you in a couple of hours."

"Very well."

With that, the hatch to the gunship was closed, and the craft departed for Theed.