Mourning and Celebration

King-to-be Aldreaan Skye walked hesitantly into the medical suite of the Old Royal Cruiser. On the bed lay the limp form of Queen Apailana. She was clad in traditional clothes of the queen for sorrow. Her face was powdered, her dress was dark blues and gray, and her hair was without a headdress. It was Naboo tradition for hair to be left natural during burial.

He walked to the other side of the room. On the table, a white ornate hover-casket sat ready to receive the body. Next to the casket sat the folded royal standard and crown to be place atop the casket.

"Make sure that her body is still left peaceful looking in the casket, she will lie in state tonight with the casket half open. Place the crown on her head once it is open. The flowers will be moved the closed half of the lid over her feet. The standard should be place under her hands." Ald told the funeral director, as the queen was his first funeral of state to direct.

"Yes Sir, do I call you majesty or commander?"

"Commander until the coronation, which will immediately follow tomorrows funeral. It will take place at the end of the ceremony, with the burial following, then you can call me majesty."

"Then farewell, commander."

"Farewell."

It was the early morning of two days dedicated as time to mourn the fallen queen. Later, a procession of family, friends, politicians, and military officials would bring the body to lie in state in the throne room at the Theed Palace. The next morning, the casket will be closed and set in the royal courtyard for the state funeral, where the new king will be coroneted and the ceremony dubbed "The Abdication of the Dead" would take place, and Aldreaan Skye would be crowned the first un-elected King in Naboo's History.

As Aldreaan Skye entered the throne room, all conversation stopped. The council was seated in their seats, and two men were preparing the casket stand in front of the throne.

"Commander, we would like a word with you," the council chairman said .

"Of Course, what might it be about?"

"Commander, you are requested to make a statement today, ad we would like to inform you of what to say."

"With all due respect, I do not feel the need to have the council write my statement for me. I am a competent writer, remember I went to school to become a public servant."

"Yes, but we feel the public needs certain things said to them, and we feel that there is too great a margin for error if we let you write the statement."

"Too great a margin for error? I am not a buffoon, what do you think the public wants to hear that I won't say?"

"That the Council of Naboo is using all our powers to help the people of Naboo, and that we are trying our best to continue to resist the Empire."

"The council? I believe that I am also doing so. Keep in mind that it is in her majesty's name that you govern, and I may choose not to ask for your guidance once I take the throne. If you like your positions where they are, then I would suggest you not try to convince the public that you are in control. I will write my own statement, end of story."

With that, Ald left the chamber and went to his office. There, he changed into his dress uniform and sat behind the desk, which was now positioned in front of the royal crest, bearing the flags of the sovereignty and of the state. The Holonet Broadcaster then gave him the signal to begin.

"People of Naboo, I come to you now in a time of great mourning and a time of great confusion. Many members of the public did not know who I was a week ago. A week ago I was not in any position of government, I was not even a commanding officer, but by circumstance I come to you now as King-to-be of the system of Naboo."

"In this time of sorrow, many wonder what took place that has left us without our beloved queen. I shall now inform the people of what has past in the last day."

"Yesterday morning, I was merely a Lieutenant Commander, assigned as a replacement pilot for the royal starship, as Captain Derion was unable to make it to Theed. The mission of the cruiser, I cannot tell you, but was important for the people of Naboo. Halfway to the destination, the cruiser was intercepted by an Imperial Stardestroyer. The boarding party, led by Darth Vadar, got onboard and retrieved the queen."

"The Empire as left Naboo in a time of confusion. The Empire has forced us to lift the ban on trade, in exchange for the queen's body for burial. I tell you now, as your future royal, that this decision can help the people of Naboo. It was hard to find food to trade with outside of the Empire. Now, the famine is over and the people of Naboo can eat again."

"People of Naboo, I invite you to Theed this day to pay respects to the fallen queen. I invite you to the courtyard tomorrow to pay our final respects and to crown the new king. People of Naboo, in this time of need, I ask you not to loose faith in the Sovereignty, and not to loose faith in the ability of the system of Naboo. Thank You."

Aldreaan Skye then left the office to join the procession of the casket to the throne room. As he took his place behind the family of the queen, they moved forward. The group winded the streets of Theed, people bowing as the casket passed. Many stood in reverence as the flag draped casket was guided to the throne room. Many did not know the significance of the flag, though those that did bowed even lower.

As the casket was lowered to the stand, the crown and flowers were removed. The flag was folded by the honor guard, and the head half of the casket was opened. The flowers were then placed at the foot of the queen and the flag and crown given to her. She looked as regal in death as in life.

Then the public was allowed in. Hoards of people entered to pay respects to the queen, and this continued through the night.

The following morning, Aldreaan Skye again dressed in his full dress uniform. He left the royal bedchamber, and entered the throne room. There, the casket had been closed and the flag, flowers, and crown draped over it. Within a few minutes, the honor guard entered and mover the casket to the royal motorcade, where a hearse speeder sat waiting. Ald took is seat in the royal limousine speeder and they departed. It was tradition for the body to travel on a set route through the city before returning to the palace courtyard for the funeral.

When the motorcade arrived, the guests stood and the casket was placed at the base of the speaker's platform. Many people came and talked, and then The Abdication of the Dead began.

The chairman stood up and began, "I come with the consent of the fallen sovereign to release the throne to the next generation of rulers. The wishes of The Queen are to bear her flag and her crown to the military officer who was present with her at her death. Aldreaan Skye, with the power of the Queen, we the council hereby crown you King Aldreaan of the Naboo."

The crown was placed atop Ald's head and the flag was taken to the palace flagpole, where it was raised to full mast, signaling a royal in residence. The Honor Guard then bore the casket to the hearse speeder where the family would follow it to a private burial.

The council and royal handmaidens then escorted the new king to the throne, where he began his reign until the time Queen Apailana would have ended her term.