Chapter 5 : Dealings
Bright and early the next morning, as the sun just peaked over the bustling city horizon, two Jedi Masters and a senator quickly made their way to a hangar. Quietly, they made their way onto the ship, the personal Naboo skiff presented by Queen Jamilla to Senator Amidala as a gift. Deemed the fastest and sleekest of all their ships in the fleet, she had accepted it humbly and christened her Orpheus, named after a great painter that she had admired while on her stay in Dantooine. Now, even after having her all those years, Padmé was grateful to have speed on their side, even if it was the only thing left.
Padmé looked about, watching her husband and Obi-Wan deal with the dock master. She smirked, inwardly, watching Obi-Wan wave his hand in front of the dock master's face, causing a puzzled look to overcome him. Anakin turned around and motioned with his hand that they were ready. She ran over, her cloak whipping behind her and her blaster slung gracefully across her hips. Even for pushing forty-five standard life years, she still had a spunk and determination about her, her skills as a marksman and fighter had only grown exponentially over the years due to the many battles and skirmishes she had been involved with her husband. It was a rarity that she would accompany him on his missions, but once in a while, the battles would lead to Naboo and Padmé promised to protect and serve her world, no matter the cost.
And today was no different. Today she wasn't just fighting for peace and prosperity, but also for the very life of her daughter, to which she had made a vow to herself and to Anakin the night before that they would find Leia, capture the person who took her and find out some answers, even if it led to some aggressive tactics.
"I'm ready," she said, catching up with Anakin and Obi-Wan at the foot of Orpheus. The sound of the engine whirring to life told her that the ship was nearly ready. Time to start the search for Leia.
Anakin guided Padmé up the narrow landing platform, with Obi-Wan looking behind them as they traveled aboard. When they made it to the cockpit, Padmé settled herself behind Anakin, with the two men controlling the ship. "I'm so glad Bail volunteered to watch over Luke while we're gone," she said, breathing in deeply.
Anakin strapped himself in and turned to her after doing so. "I don't know who could have looked after him besides one of the Masters while we're gone. Did you alert him of the situation with Leia?"
Padmé's brow furrowed. "I told him that there were some complications with Leia's arrival and we were going to pick her up instead."
He looked at her incredulously. "Did you just speak an untruth, Senator?" he said with a twinkle in his eye.
Padmé shook her head and smirked. "No, I just told him exactly what he needed to know for now."
"We should arrive on Yavin by 0900, standard time," said Obi-Wan after checking various switches and controls on the ship. He then looked over at Padmé and then to Anakin. "I'm sure Leia is perfectly fine. We'll get to the bottom of this mystery and she'll soon be safe and sound once more."
Anakin stared out the cockpit window while beginning the launching sequence. So many stars and planets out there. He had once wanted to be the one to see them all, as he had told Master Qui-Gon years ago, but he wasn't sure if he wanted it like this. Please be safe, Leia. Daddy's coming.
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She was again back in the dark holding cell on the ship, she surmised. After that message sent to her parents, she knew that it wouldn't be long before her parents would receive it and would come for her. She knew that her parents were probably even on their way as she sat there. A loud noise disturbed her and Leia shimmied her way over the door. Low and deep, she heard whispering.
Oh, I wish I could hear it! What is she saying?
As if on cue, the whispering became louder, as if someone had turned up the volume. She placed her ear against the door and listened to the conversation. The deep voice sounded like the woman's voice she had heard before. She had never once seen the woman until today, and it boggled her mind as to how the woman knew she was a Skywalker. No one was privileged to that information except those inside the palace.
"I sent the message just as you requested, Master. Skywalker should be arriving here to meet us shortly," said the woman. "I took the liberty of keeping the girl in the holding cell." There was a pause, then a shift of weight on the durasteel floor.
"What if Skywalker brings reinforcements?"
A long pause followed, but then a deeper, more sinister voice came, as if being contacted by transmission. "I have not foreseen any help from Skywalker. He is still headstrong and will come alone."
The woman interjected the sinister voice. "Skywalker is much more different that what you last saw of him. What he does in battle is different than his home life, I can assure you that much, Master."
A throat cleared, of which one Leia didn't know, but she kept her ear dead against the door. "Then if you are so sure of the disposition upon his arrival, perhaps you should be the one teaching me," said the voice, with a menacing tone. The woman's breath drew in sharp and Leia thought she heard something said, but it was muffled.
"What did you say, Siv?" asked the sinister voice. "Nothing, my Master. You are great and powerful and were gracious and merciful enough to take me in as a weakling in the ways of the Force. I beg for your forgiveness."
Siv? Is that the name of the woman? That name sounds so familiar... Just then, Leia lost her balance and slid forward, pounding the cell door. The sound of silence followed, then by footsteps and the unlocking of the door.
Suddenly, Leia found herself staring at the boots of a petite, but maddeningly dark woman. She stole a glance at her eyes. They burned with hatred and the young princess let out a little scream. The woman picked Leia up by the elbow and threw her to the side. "Whatever you heard, Princess, it won't do you much good."
The light switch was thrown and it was as if everything was too bright. It was then she caught a real glimpse of the woman. Her long brown hair was tied back and she wore something like a traditional Jedi uniform, but much more tattered and of dark, black material. Her left ear, she could see plainly, however. She had a small cuff that enveloped the top of her ear lobe, like in itself was the symbol of rebellion. It was what the woman said next would scare her to her core.
"I am Siv Miraluka, your father's former apprentice. And I'm here to destroy you and your family," the woman said with a smile, deep and sadistic. She switched the light off again and shut the door, locking it once more and leaving a deeply distressed princess in the dark.
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Back at the palace, far on Naboo, another royalty was deeply distressed as well. Orlé let out a deep sigh standing next to her window. She wanted to help find Leia, but her whole cabinet of protection forced her to stay in hiding, thinking that whoever attacked her and the princess might come back. She begged and pleaded with her captain, but he refused. Her handmaidens had even refused to let her out of the throne room without supervision.
That son-of-a-Sith kidnapper isn't going to take Leia away, she thought to herself. I've got to find someway to track her down.
A knock at her door caused Orlé to jump from her reverie. "Your majesty? It's Jorné."
Orlé bid her entrance and the handmaiden came in, closing the door behind her. "I'm here to escort you to dinner this evening."
Orlé sighed again. "I'm not very hungry, Jorné. I don't think I'll be going this evening." She turned back to face to the window, watching the first stars appear in the night sky. She breathed, causing the heat to fog the window in front of her.
Jorné shifted her weight. "Your Highness, if I may be as so bold to speak freely?" Orlé nodded and turned to face the raven-haired handmaiden.
"Your Highness... Orlé," she began, stepping forward to the queen. "I know you miss her, but we will find her. The Force guides her and her parents. She will come back safe, I promise you." Jorné looked deep into Orlé's eyes. She had known Orlé since she was a young girl, just as she was being elected into the government at the frightening age of eight years, so she knew exactly what to say and when to say it.
Orlé sighed deeply and turned back to the window. I just hope the Force is guiding Master Skywalker and Senator Skywalker this evening...
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The lights dimmed as the cockpit of the Orpheus slid silently through hyperspace. The hum of the engines and a snore here and there were all that was heard aboard. Outside, stars streaked by in the endless black void of space, seemingly random, but still so complicatedly distinct. Anakin was sitting in the cockpit chair, checking over the controls when he heard a knock at the entrance. He pressed a button to the side and the entrance slid open, letting his wife come in an sit beside him.
"Anakin, you need to get some sleep, Baby. I know you're worried about her, but we can't have your brain turning to mush by the time we reach Yavin," she said gently, rubbing her hand back and forth across his back. He arched his back, trying to release tension, but felt no ease.
"I was just checking the controls," he replied, sheepishly yawning. He rubbed his eyes, near red with lack of sleep. Padmé smiled wistfully. "You know, Artoo can watch the controls. He IS a very good astromech droid, as I've heard."
Anakin smiled. "Oh really? Where have you heard this, dear madam?" he replied dramatically.
"Oh, some Jedi mechanic that I knew back on Coruscant said so," she smiled back, leaning closer in. Anakin placed his gloved hand on her face and stole a warm kiss. "I might know this mechanic you speak of..." he began and kissed her again. He broke it when an alarm sounded.
"What's that?" Padmé asked, searching the controls for the alert.
"I don't know. Artoo?" Anakin called and the droid came in. "Artoo, could you hook up to the mainframe of the ship and see what's going on?"
Artoo whistled in obedience and spun his wheels to the nearest outlet, plugging himself in and began furiously downloading the ship's status. A moment later, he whistled brightly. "Did you find something?"
He got up from his chair and bent down to the little droid's level. Anakin looked at the translator on his belt, reading the message. "He says that our hyperdrive has had a slow leak since we left and for some reason must have completely run dry. We'll need to stop somewhere and quickly."
Padmé instantly turned to the controls and brought up the ship's onboard map reader. She quickly picked out their coordinates as they dropped out of hyperspace and settled into the black unknown.
"Ani, I think we're here," she said, pointing to a cluster of stars on the map. "It's the Icarus sector, just a little over 50 parsecs from Yavin. There's a settlement on one of the moons in Icarus called... Lillith6. We could stop for repairs there."
"Good. I'll tell Obi-Wan while you steer us to Lillith6. We might need him for some negotiating there, if you know what I mean."
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More coming soon as our heroes take an unexpected turn on Lillith6. What will they find once they land? And what about the devious plot that Siv has been plotting all these years?