Chapter 1

Sabé hates Tatooine.

Okay, that is an exaggeration as she hasn't been here for long but things have been darker for her and the rest since they escaped from the Trade Federation.

It's been rough for them for two years. How can one recover from losing their entire planet? The Jedi refused to help them. When they tried to fight back, they were unable to win, as a Dark Warrior cut most of them all down. Sabé tried to escape from Naboo with Padmé but she had been captured and Sabé probably would never see her again.

At the very least she escaped with the rest of the Handmaidens and some Guards. Even though that didn't last long...

She walks onto the ship. Luckily, they still have some place they can all go back too, even though they may soon be out of fuel. They will not be able to live on a ship forever...

"Hey, Sabé," the voice of Eirtaé greets roughly. None of them have smiled for the past years. "Have you found any supplies?"

"I have found someone we... can possibly steal from," Sabé replies, still not liking going that low.

Rabé looks at her with a nod. "How late?"

"Soon, but for now, we cannot risk it. I don't know about stealing on this planet... This planet is heavily disturbing," Sabé replies, staring out at the sunset.

"Things was easier back on Naboo!" Yané shouts in grief, and Sabé cannot help but feel remorse for the girl. She has been homesick for the past years, and Sabé kind of have been left with the responsibility of raising the girl. It was difficult to curb her attitude at first but she doesn't regret none of it.

"I know," Sabé replies solemnly, placing a hand on Yané's back. "Calm down, Yané, we are already stressed out and we all miss Naboo."

Realizing what she has just said, Yané instantly apologizes. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, you are not the only one suffering from this," Saché replies.

"Do you think Padmé's still alive?" Yané asks innocently.

This is a conversation that the older ones all wanted to avoid. Padmé's loss is evident to the girls. She is the leader, the one who never give up in the face of death, reckless in every way...

But now she is gone...

And Sabé's been struggling with that for two years...

She can't continue to hide the truth from Yané though. The girl's getting older every passing day and she slowly have pierced together what happened and why they can't go back to Naboo.

"I don't know," Sabé admits, and she hates the gasp that escapes Yané as well as the tears finally going down her eyes. What can she say to comfort her?

Later, Sabé merely sits down at the ship's ramp. She has done this a lot. Reflecting on their current situation. They may as well be the last survivors of the Trade Federation occupation, given that the Guards they were with had left them a while ago and likely went back to Naboo, undoubtedly trying to save the Queen.

If that is the case which it likely is, Sabé knew what happen to them as regrettable as it is. All she has left is the former Handmaidens but nothing feels like home. Perhaps it ain't solely just Naboo but perhaps it's the lack of Padmé...

It should have been her who been captured instead but Padmé ushered her on board, telling them all to leave her behind. It took Rabé to hold her back from getting out of the ship and escape from Naboo for her not to go for her Queen...

Sabé finally stands and walks inside. "Okay, this is the plan. Rabé, Eirtaé, you will keep guard outside of the shop. Incapacitate anyone who you spot. Yané, Saché, you will help me load up the crates. Padmé-" she stops when she remembers and stares from the others... "I mean nothing. Let's go."

They walk into town, cloaked by long robes, not wanting anyone to spot them. Sabé looks at the place she had mapped earlier before motioning to Yané and Saché who step in behind her.

Sabé inspects each of the crates, knowing that carrying them out of town can be problematic. Fortunately, there is a cart and she instantly loads them one by one onto them, before leading them out. This should be enough fuel for when the time comes to leave this miserable planet. The idiot also has a T-14 hyperdrive generator, meaning if their hyperdrive ever disables as it nearly did back when they escaped the Trade Federation the first time, they would be able to amend the situation quite quickly.

Every little bit helps.

After loading them all on the carts, the ladies walk away from the shop. They make sure to sneak through alleyways, not wanting the few participants outside to see them, before making a mad dash to the ship, not knowing that someone did indeed spot them.

Sabé makes her way to the ship and orders for Rabé and Saché to place everything inside. Shortly afterwards, the ladies are satisfied with their work. Funny thing is nothing will lead back to them until they are long gone.

"Let's take a break. Eirtaé, tomorrow you can work on the ship so we don't have to stay here longer than necessary." Sabé commands, not smiling but feeling an emotion close to joy for the first time in a while. It is a feeling shared among the rest as they have enough of this planet.

The rest nod and head to bed but Sabé stays up. This is a gesture of good luck. Soon, they will be able to escape from this miserable planet. Who knows? Perhaps they can find enough people to fight to take Naboo back and fight the "legality" of the Trade Federation, and if Padmé is still alive, free her as well.

Sabé doesn't want to get her hopes up however...

She thinks she hears something briefly, and when she gets up to check on where thought she heard the disturbance, she sees nothing. She shrugs it off as imagination and walk to the Queen's chambers, prepared to have a much needed sleep.

Arthur's note: In this timeline, they never land on Tatooine meaning the Jedi never encounter Anakin and Maul and thus Nubians return to Naboo, a lot of them being killed, Padmé ending up captured, being forced to sign the treaty, and Sabé and the Handmaidens barely managing to escape. Instead of "Like oh no Nubian would want to raise a nine year old." It would be "We just ran into each other by accident and the bond established that way."

How is this Anakin different than Canon Anakin, you will find out the next chapter. I have some compelling plot points that will make the story flow more better. This story is going to be borderline Handmaidens and Anakin centered. There will be other characters along the way but they would be the main focus. Sabé already have some experience from Yané so she would know what to do in certain circumstances but trial and error is the way of life.

Oh yeah, Padmé is 12 this time when the Trade Federation attack and Anakin was 7. Now she's 14 and Anakin's 9. Sabé is also 19 instead of 14 or 16 this time around. Rabé is 18. Eirtaé is 16 now. Yané is 13 and Saché is 11.

May the Force be with you all always.