Author's note: This follows the beginning of Rogue One. You do not see Padmé in an obvious leadership role this chapter, but that will change come later chapters. I would recommend watching Rogue One before reading this, if you haven't seen it. I hope you enjoy!
THE QUEEN'S GAME
CHAPTER THE SECOND: THE JUDGMENT OF JYN ERSO
19 YEARS LATER
Ring of Kafrene
Trading Outpost
The streets were bustling, and Cassian Andor was looking for answers.
"I was about to leave," the man said, breathing heavily. The brown walls of the alley they had stumbled into around them were obviously old, and rusted. The air smelled of must and sweat, and of the man's horrid breath.
"I came as fast as I could," Cassian replied.
"I have to get back on board," the man said, quickly and desperately.
"To go back to Jedha?"
"They'll leave without me!" He sounded even more frightened and urgent now.
"Easy! You have news from Jedha."
The man sucked in deep breath, and began to speak at a rapid pace. "An imperial pilot…one of the cargo drivers, he defected yesterday! He's telling people they're making a weapon. The kyber crystals; that's what they're for."
"What kind of weapon?" Cassian asked, dangerously calm.
"Look, I have to go!"
"What. Kind. Of. Weapon?" Cassian hissed, grabbing the man by his jacket, pushing him into the wall.
"A planet killer!"
At this, Cassian stopped. The fear in the man's tone and eyes was enough to stall him for a moment. "That's what he told me!" The man tore Cassian's arm from his front. "Someone named Erso sent him—some old friend of Saw's—"
"Erso?"Cassian asked, more urgent now. "Who was it?"
"I don't know. They were looking for Saw when they left."
"Who else knows about this?"
"I have no idea!" The man's face twisted as he spoke, exaggerating his features "—There's spies everywhere."
Cassian's heart dropped slightly at the sound of someone behind him. He knew it was a stormtrooper before he even looked. He forced away the fear. It was nothing he hadn't handled before. "What's all this?" a distorted, deep voice asked.
Cassian pretended to kneel for his gloves after they asked for verification, then twisted around, shooting the tropper in the chest.
"NO! What have you done?"
Cassian looked around, completely ignoring the man panicking behind him.
"I will never find my way out on my own!" the man cried. Cassian approached him from behind.
"Come now, come now. You're alright," he said in a comforting tone. Then, he shot the man in the back. He fell to the ground with a thud. Cassian looked down at him, looked up, and then brought out the small, black voice transmitter from his jacket pocket.
"Did you get that, General?"
A woman's voice replied. "Every last word."
General Amidala was going undercover.
One would imagine a leader of the entire rebel alliance would go undercover on the daily. She did, but this time was different. She would be going undercover in her own rebellion. She placed the light brown hat on her head, ensuring her brown hair (now generously streaked with gray) was hidden, and pulled the cloth over her nose and mouth.
She would be going to an imperial prisoner camp. On the planet of Wobani.
The door to her chambers opened. Only one person was given clearance to ever enter her rooms.
"Captain Andor," she said, greeting him. He stood there, a man with brown skin and facial hair. Another sign of his adulthood. She would never admit it, but she longed for the days when Andor was young. Before he was so tall. Before his eyes were so haunted.
"Thank you," she went on. "Your mission was, yet again, a success." She praised him, but her voice was not happy. Nor pleased.
"Do you think this rumor has any merit to it?" he asked.
"It's a rumor, alright, but in this world rumors must be taken as truths if we are to stay vigilant."
"Would the empire have the power to create such a weapon? A "planet killer"?"
"Probably," was all the answer she supplied.
She took a closer look at him. He had that look in his eyes again.
"What is troubling you, Captain?" she inquired.
"Nothing, General Amidala."
She furrowed her brow. She stepped towards him, stopping just in front of him. She stood as tall as his chest, but the way she looked at him made clear who was in control. "All that you do is for the survival of this rebellion." Of my rebellion. "And for the good of the future of the galaxy, you know this." Her tone was firm, not allowing any room for a counter.
"Yes, General. I do."
"Good, now, I am going to Wobani. There is an imperial imprisonment camp set there. I was told we would be liberating the captives, and that there might be someone important among them. Would you like to accompany me?"
Cassian looked irritated. "You insist on putting yourself in danger." He then added a quick "General" to make sure she did not interpret it as disrespect.
"You do not have to come if you do not wish so," she said.
"I want to come," another voice said. A tall, skinny, black droid stood in the frame of the door. "It does get quite boring around here."
Wobani was a humid, foggy planet. Amidala surveyed the land, kneeling beside her rebels, looking outside their base. None of them, besides K-2SO, knew her true identity. She forged the name of a common rebel.
"Look!" one of them whispered.
A cargo container was approaching at a quick rate. It was hulking; grey-silver in color.
They moved out. After rolling a small detonator underneath the vehicle, they set it off. A small explosion disabled it.
A captain told her and others to stay outside, and beckoned three rebels to follow him. They forced open the doors and began to remove the chains off the prisoners. Amidala moved closer. A human woman was sitting, looking up at the captain. Then, she made eye contact with Amidala.
Amidala trained herself over the years to take in everything about a person. This woman's—no, girl's—hair was a scraggly brown, pulled into a bun in the back. Her nose was defined. She wore old, dirty clothes. What captured Amidala's attention the most were her eyes. They were a piercing hazel, but what was more notable about them was the barely concealed emotion behind them. A common person could not see this detail, but Amidala was very good at figuring people out at first glance. These were eyes that had seen things. These were eyes that held secrets.
One word crossed her mind. A name. Leia.
Suddenly, the girl swung her leg at the captain, kicking him in the chest. He was shocked, and fell backwards into the opposite wall. The girl fought her way out of the tank, kicking and punching. She ran, leapt from the back door, and was airborne for a brief second before K-2SO had her by the neck. He slammed her hard onto the ground. The girl gasped for air, pain on her face.
"Congratulations miss. You are being rescued."
The girl looked up at the droid.
"Please do not resist."
The girl stopped resisting.
She sat in a chair in the control room of the rebel alliance's headquarters. The room was dark, only lit slightly by the green lights of the maps. Amidala was sheathed in the shadows, never breaking eye contact with the girl, who never took her eyes off of her.
Jyn Erso.
Daughter of Galen Erso.
An imperial scientist.
"You are currently calling yourself Leanna Hallick. Is that correct?"
Silence.
"Possession of unsanctioned weapons. Forgery of imperial documents. Aggravated Assault. Escape from custody. Resisting arrest." The list was read casually, mocking her. "Imagine if the imperial authorities found out who you really are, Jyn Erso."
The girl finally tore her eyes from Amidala, and looked up at the man. Fear sparked in her eyes, and she obviously struggled to conceal it. "That is your given name, is it not?"
Still, silence.
"Jyn Erso, daughter of Galen Erso, a known imperial collaborator in weapons development."
The girl—Jyn—finally spoke. "What is this?" she demanded.
"It's a chance for you to get a fresh start." Mon Mothma had spoken. "We think you may be able to help us. This is Captain Cassian Andor. Rebel intelligence."
Andor stepped forward into the light.
"What was the last time you were in contact with your father?" he said, curtly.
Jyn answered, slowly and carefully, "Fifteen years ago."
"Any idea where he's been all that time?"
Jyn spoke once more, after a moment, sounding more confident. "I like to think he's dead," she confessed. "Makes things easier."
"Easier than what? That he's been a tool of an imperial war machine?"
"I've never had the luxury of political opinions."
"Really? Then when was your last contact with Saw Gerrera?"
She looked at him darkly, silent. Amidala could tell she was choosing the next words she would say very carefully. That was smart of her.
"It's been a long time."
"But he'll remember you, though. Wouldn't he? He might agree to meet you if you came as a friend."
A deeper voice sounded out. "We're up against the clock here, girl, so if you feel no need to talk about it, we'll just put you back where we found you."
This was the incentive that got Jyn to talk. She spoke faster, betraying her emotions.
"I was a child; Saw Gerrera saved my life. He raised me, but I have no idea where he is-I haven't seen him in years!"
"Oh, that's not our problem. We know how to find him-we just need someone to get us through the door without being killed," Andor said.
She appeared confused. "You are rebels, aren't you?"
Mon Mothma answered. "Yes, but Saw Gerrera is an extremist. He's been fighting on his own since he broke with the rebellion. His militancy has caused the alliance a great, many problems." She paused, looking down. "We have no choice but to mend that broken trust."
Jyn stared at Amidala again, and she knew the next question was for her. "What does this have to do with my father?"
A long silence followed. Jyn did not once look away from Amidala, defiance in those fiery eyes.
This girl was a true rebel.
Andor finally answered. "There is an imperial defector on Jedha: a pilot. He's been helped by Saw Gerrera."
Amidala could not stand it any longer. She stepped into the light, Mon Mothma moving to the side, and Jyn Erso's eyes following her every move. Amidala came to the other side of the table, across from Jyn. She looked at her, and noticed a string around her neck. The charm was hidden underneath her shirt. Amidala spoke.
"There are claims that the Emperor is building a weapon. With the power to destroy entire planets."
Jyn looked down.
"The pilot says he was sent by your father."
Jyn looked back up, disbelief in her eyes, and behind that disbelief: a glimmer of hope.
"We must destroy this weapon before it is finished."
"Captain Andor's mission is to confirm the pilot's story and then, if possible, find your father."
"It appears he is critical to the development of this super weapon," Mon Mothma added. "Given the gravity of the situation and your history with Saw, we hope he might help us locate your father and bring him to the senate for testimony."
Bail Organa stepped into the light. The room hushed, every single person's eyes (except her own) trained on him. Recognition flashed in Jyn's face, and then she turned back to Amidala.
"And if I do it?"
"I will personally see to it that you go free," Amidala said. Jyn slowly turned her head towards the general.
"And who are you?" she said, boldly, speaking to Amidala in a way that she had not been spoken to in years.
Amidala did not answer, merely searched Jyn's face.
"General Padmé Amidala."
Jyn looked up, wonder growing on her face.
"Like the queen."
"Something like that."
She paused.
"Jyn. I feel a major weapons test is imminent. We need to know what it is, and how to destroy it. Is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"So you will fight for us?"
Jyn smirked. "This is a rebellion, isn't it? I rebel."