Chapter 3 - First Experience
Sabé and I spend the rest of the day together, practicing our marksmanship and then moving on to walking.
Walking is hard. The instructor places a heavy oblong object on our heads, and we have to walk from one end of the room to the other as quickly and gracefully as possible, making little noise. The weight is made of glass, and if it drops, it shatters, spilling a brightly colored liquid all over the floor which we have to clean up.
I came from a peasant family, and what little etiquette i have is very basic, like eating with the knife in your dominant hand, and holding the cutlery with the index finger facing downwards.
Sabé is a bit more experienced, as her family is more wealthy than mine. Her father is the owner of a large law firm that works under the galactic senate, so she always had money growing up.
I realize, now that I think about it, that the reason that Sabé speaks so monotonously is because she was taught the proper Nabooian dialect, and only ever uses it.
I suppose I should learn that.
Sabé finishes her third run just as I'm finishing my first.
"Come on, Padmé, put some effort into it," she nags.
"Not everyone is as perfect at this as you, Sabé," I bark.
The instructor tuts and motions for us to be silent, and I stop talking immediately.
The instructor is an elderly woman, and in her left hand she holds a long, thin, whip-like object she calls the strap. She says she's never had to use it, at least not since fifty years ago, when she once beat a young girl she was teaching so hard that the strap broke. Her permanently downturned mouth and intense expression make it so we can't tell if she's joking, though we hope she is.
Dinner is just as awkward as it was yesterday, more small talk between us, but I'm beginning to learn all of the girl's names.
After dinner, Panaka stops me, and says he has to talk to me.
"Typho asked about you," he says, a suspicious look on his face.
I nod. "What did he say?"
He looks at me, perturbed. "Well, I thought you might be a bit more concerned."
"It's fine," I shrug. "What did he want to know?"
"Well, he wants to talk to you, privately, on Saturday."
"Is that all?"
"Yes," he says, and I turn to leave. "I still have some questions," he stops me.
"What's wrong?"
He folds his arms. "Something's different about you, and your relationship to Typho."
"How do you mean?"
"You are severely under qualified to be here, you're not scared in the slightest of me or Typho, though we both outrank you, and you're much too bold a person to be serving the queen."
"I'll take note of that," I reply, shrugging him off.
"I'm not finished with you!" He grabs me by the wrist.
"Yes, you are," I spit, and rip my arm back, breaking his grip. He looks at me, shocked.
I turn quickly, my hair whipping out and slapping him across the cheek, and keep walking.
oOo
The next morning, tensions are high, Panaka eyeing me with a clear discontent, his mouth pulled down into a grimacing frown. The other girls do their best to ignore it, but one of them just can't hold back.
"What's going on," asks Saché, a girl with dark brown hair.
I shake my head. "It's between him and I."
"No, you're going to tell me," she protests.
I sigh. It seems too similar to my conversation with Panaka last night.
"It's, it's not important. I was talking to him last night, and I ended up disrespecting him, now he's angry."
She looks at me, shocked. "I didn't think anyone would have the guts to stand up to a service officer, especially a captain."
"Well," I laugh, nervously, "I guess I do."
oOo
Typho meets me in the conference room that afternoon, while all the other girls are practicing combat.
"Padmé," he sighs, his shoulders visibly relaxing when he sees me. "How are things going?"
"Things are fine," I say.
"Really, because that's not what Panaka told me."
I gulp. "Yeah, I may have said a few too many things."
He shakes his head in dismay. "Remember, if you want to be successful here, you're going to keep your status a secret."
"I understand," I say, "but I don't think I can keep the secret from Panaka much longer."
He shakes his head. "If he's suspecting something, I'll have to talk to him. Just don't cause any more trouble. Until then, you're going to have to come back for a few days, there's an important debate taking place in a few days, and it's best if you're there."
"Why don't we take the girls with us," I ask.
"What?"
"It's good practice," I explain. "They could use the experience."
"How are we going to cover up your absence?"
"I'll pretend that I'm sick."
He purses his lips together in thought.
"I guess it's alright," he finally says.
I smile wide. "Great."
oOo
I return, a grin on my face, and join Sabé in the martial arts practice. She guides me through the steps, helping me kick higher, and helping me with stances.
When dinner is called, we are told to come first to the dining room for a special announcement.
"I wonder what's going on," Motée asks, her eyes bright with wonder.
Waiting in the dining room are Typho and Panaka, their hands clasped behind their backs, and serious expressions on their faces. We file in, one by one, and stand "at ease," our hands clasped together in front, and our legs straight together, spines lifted.
"We have an exciting opportunity," Panaka begins. "Typho is here to explain."
"Yes," Typho continues, "the Queen has presented us with an opportunity to experience the work you will be expected to do in only a few months."
I nod at him, as subtly as I can, as he continues.
"A meeting has been called to determine the identity of the new senator of the Naboo, and our new Queen is expected to be there. With the recent attempt on her life, she will require additional protection."
"Which is where we come in," Panaka adds. "You will be sent to the capital to act as extra protection for the queen." He smiles. "It's an excellent opportunity, really."
The girls around me all contain their excitement for now, but they'll surely burst forth into excited noises when they get back to their rooms.
"You'll be there for a few days," Typho continues. "Please pack up three dresses, as follows. The black hooded dress, the pale coral dress with extremely long sleeves, and the deep red velvet cloak, with the black strapless dress." He excuses us to grab our things, and informs us that we should return as soon as possible.
"Can you believe it," Ellé squeals. "We're actually going to work with the queen!"
I smile. "I'm excited, too."
oOo
The next morning, we're headed for the capital again, all of us loaded onto three speeders, Typho and Panaka leading the pack in the most intricate speeder. I stand in the second speeder with Sabé, Motée, Rabé and Yané. Everyone is silent, too anxious about the days to come. We all grip our bags with so much force our knuckles turn white.
As we near the capital, we slow down, and Typho motions for us to put our hoods on. We all wear thin brown traveling gowns, which are secured around the buns in our hair with elastics. The sleeves stay tight around our upper arms, but alongs our forearms it they flare out. This same effect is created around our waists with several elastic bands which ruche our midsections, letting the skirt flare out from that.
Typho holds his blaster in front of him, and keeps an eye out for attackers or protesters. Not that our girls need protection.
We arrive at the palace without trouble, and are escorted to our rooms immediately.
I'm just changing into my dinner clothes when Typho knocks on my door.
"Padmé?"
"Come in," I say, just pulling the thin underdress over my head and adjusting it over my body.
"You're going to have to be Amidala for dinner," he says, walking over the the small bookcase in the room. He selects a specific book, and gives it a yank. The bookcase disappears, and suddenly, it is replaced by a door.
"How did you-"
"Not important," he grunts, and takes my hand, opening the door with one hand.
On the other side of the door is the queen's quarters. The luxurious room looks just like I left it, neat and tidy.
"I'm sending a dressing maid in a few moments," Typho says. "Be ready for her."
He leaves, slamming the door behind himself.
I pull off the underdress, and loosen my hair, letting it drape over my shoulders, just in time for the dresser to come. She smiles, politely, and moves to the closet.
"What colour would her majesty like to wear tonight," she asks.
"I think violet would be divine," I say, as monotonously as possible.
She selects a purple full-length gown, and a silver sari, along with a silver head scarf and intricate silver and amethyst tiaras and necklaces.
When she finishes with me, she adds the final touch, the crown. My scar of remembrance.
"They're very excited to meet you," see says, showing me to the door.
"I'm very excited to meet them," I reply.
And then I march into the fray.