Chapter 1
Rumors of wars have been surrounding the city, and I feel the burdens of the people's minds as I pass them in the streets. When I walk around our beautiful city, I watch the people and see their faces. Some faces are merely concerned, but others are more fearful. The only faces that look happy are the children, and it makes me jealous. When did I become older than these children running in the streets? When did I start noticing other people's problems and feeling the weight of the war in the air? People have even been talking about moving to another system because of the looming danger.
And it is just getting nearer. When war is looming, it feels dreadful like an upcoming dream that may or may not be real. You would never have thought it would happen to you. But it is, and it is coming.
Our city is supposed to be safe, and as I look up to the sky above, I see the bright suns shining down on me and the people. The sky is clear, and the weather on the outside is not how the city feels on the inside. A speeder races above me and I feel the wind from it on my face when it goes by. We are very protected from the outside world, and unless the war comes from inside our borders, we should be safe. But the rumors still remain.
All around me buildings rise up and there are buildings built on top of buildings built on top of buildings, and they tower over us all. There are no trees or greenery in this city and instead of grass there is water. The skyscrapers look as if they are coming right out of the water. I have never been below the surface of the water, but I have heard all the strange rumors about that place, and sometimes at night I can hear the ocean sing. Maybe that's where the rumors of the war are starting.
After this thought, I look down, but I see nothing except the blue and green clear bridge I am walking on. Underneath are more buildings, more bridges, lots of platforms, lots more people, and then even more water. I step off the bridge and onto the next platform and almost run into someone because I am so lost in thought. I caught the face of this person. The person looked hesitant, like they were not ready to greet me. The face also looked nervous, and when I made eye-contact, they quickly looked away. Most everyone I see is acting just the same.
My father is included in the people who are nervous. Usually he is a calm and strong leader, but recently, I can feel his strong emotions turning in another direction– towards pain. I never see him anymore, because he is constantly with The Council. Fear has been surrounding the Council as well and has been for months. They try to hide it from me, but I can feel the dark and ominous cloud of death coming towards where I live.
In the Academy, we learn about the history of our planet and all the hardships and wars we have gone through. This seems like a distant memory, but truly it is not. Just reading about the consequences of war makes my stomach twist and my mind go blank. I can't imagine what death might be like in person.
Tal interrupted my thoughts with his smile.
"You're making that face again."
"What?"
"It looks like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders." I did not like that Tal could read me this easily, but since we walk to and from our houses after the Academy everyday, I guess I should accept it. As we walk onto another bridge to get to the Hover Speeder platform, I decide to be honest with Tal.
"I fear that I might actually have the world on my shoulders in a short amount of time."
"Satine, you do not have to worry about a war," it's as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. "We are safe where we are. Your father is a good ruler, and he will make sure we are all safe." We get close to the Hover Speeder, and one of the drivers named Del Miedo greets Tal and I as we step on board. We both greet him with a smile as he takes us to our destination. I turn back to Tal.
"Tal you are blind!" I said with a smirk but also with seriousness in my voice. "Violence is coming. Can't you feel it? Surely you are smart enough to sense this by now." I playfully shove Tal as if we were kids again.
"You are the blind one," Tal said as he winked at me.
I knew I could not win this conversation like the many we have had beforehand, so I decided to be the bigger person and drop the conversation. I was not blind. There was no possible way anyone could not feel the dark cloud surrounding our city. But I appreciate Tal trying to keep my spirits up. It is people like this that I need in my life– who will have my back and help me when I need it most.
As Del Miedo continues to guide the Hover Speeder towards where I live, I watch the scenery unveil before me. Our palace is tucked right in the center of all the buildings in Keldabe with a giant landing platform for ships, massive doors that open to greet people, and windows that are as tall as the building itself and they glowed with light. All around the palace there are other skyscrapers and buildings that were dangerously close together because of our growing population. Thousands of people live inside these buildings, and we have constant guards at our doorstep watching and protecting.
When we reached the landing platform to my giant house, Del Meido stopped the Hover Speeder, and Tal and I stepped off. Tal waved goodbye and started trotting down the street to his own house, which was relatively close to mine and considerably big. How he could stay so positive I do not know. As I walk across the landing platform and up the stairs, I am reminded of the responsibilities our family, my father, and I have and all the reasons I cannot stay as positive as the citizens of Mandalore. Sometimes I feel as if my father is more of a duke than a father, but I have to remember how he helped take a hostile, war-driven world and made it into the peaceful and prosperous city we live in today.
The guards at the door step aside to let me in after I reach the top of the stairs. Immediately, my sister greets me and bombards me with questions as soon as I walk in the door.
"Where have you been Sati?" my sister asked. She is younger than me, but in many ways she is much older.
"Just taking the long way back from school. Why? Were you waiting on me?"
"Yes, in fact I was. I want to tell you about my night last night."
"Oh the night where you decided to go out, get drunk, and sleep with yet another hopeless good for nothing?"
"If you must know… this one was lovely."
"That's nice Bo, but I would prefer not to hear about it..."
"Why? Don't you need a little action?"
"Shut up Bo! Just tell me about school."
She laughed. "It was school. I learned all about how there might be a war coming soon."
"I heard as well. It is laying heavy on the people's minds and on father's heart. I am worried for him."
"I am too. The people in the lower parts of town are just as worried. Let's go see him."
As we walk side by side down the long hallways I wonder what will become of this place after we are gone. I also wonder about the people who don't even have shelter above their heads and what they would do to live in a place like this. When I am ruler, I am going to try and make sure everyone has a place to live. And I will plant more trees.
When I see my father's face, my heart falls. He is not well. I rushed quickly up to him.
"Father, what has happened this time? I give him an embrace, but he barely returns it.
"The people are not happy."
"What people? Not all of them of course."
"The people who do not believe as we do."
"Father, please tell me. I no longer need to be protected."
"But it is my job to protect you child."
"Please allow me to carry this burden with you." He sighed, glanced at Bo, looked at me, gave me a forced smile and said,
"You know how we believe in nonviolent solutions?"
"Yes, you have taught me this for as long as I can remember."
"Well, some people do not believe in nonviolent solutions. Some people believe the only way to solve issues is through force. This is how Mandalore used to be. But your grandfather and I have worked hard to dismiss that past and strive for a better one. However, recently, there have been several rebellions against these peaceful ideas. The most recent rebellion was not too far from here. I sent some of my men to take care of it, but none of them returned."
I gasped, "I am so sorry father, I know how much your men mean to you. Is this why your heart looks so heavy?"
"Yes, and I am also trying to decide what my next move needs to be. I am trying to keep the peace, but it seems as if it is not possible."
Bo decided to chime in, "Well father, there is a time for war and a time for peace. I believe this might be the time for war. You have to be able to protect yourself, your family, and your people."
"Yes my Bo, but we must still stick to our beliefs and what the new Mandalore is founded upon."
"But when will it be enough? When will Pacifism be enough? Sometimes we have to fight."
When my sister gets like this, father usually just smiles and listens. However, this time, he did not.
"Bo," he said sternly, "We will not fight these people. Fighting leads to hate, and I will not stand for that. Death is not something you cannot come back from."
That made Bo shut up, but I could see the comebacks racing in her head, so I spoke up quickly.
"What can I do to help father?"
"Nothing, my child. I want you to stay safe. I feel as if violence is near. You two must keep one another safe– no matter what."
That was the end of the conversation. Father kissed us both on the forehead and walked away back into his meeting room where he continued to discuss with the counsel what they were going to do about the impending war.