CHAPTER TWO
NEGOTIATIONS
〚BRYN ORGANA〛
NABOO SLOWLY CAME INTO FOCUS as they came out of light speed, the lush planet far greener than Alderaan was this time of year.
Still, Bryn couldn't help but feel like she was coming home as Jacen smoothly moved through the Trade Federation's presence with little incident.
His companion droid–BD-7, she'd finally learned its name was–moved back and forth across the dash, pressing buttons and automating the landing process as Jacen slid out of the pilot's chair and double checked the gears as they began their descent.
Unfortunately, Bryn was sure that if she didn't follow this trip to the letter, her mother's voice would be haunting her.
And that meant she was forced to change from her comfortable clothes in the pilot's seat into something more 'acceptable' for the ambassador of Alderaan to meet the Queen of Naboo.
The blue coarseweave shirt became a white shimmersilk tunic and same color fiberweave cape she buckled around the waist to provide a more flattering silhouette than the boxy tunics Bail and Celly often wore.
She tried not to think about the fact that her mother wore similar ones.
The colors contrasted well against her black pants and boots, and she eyed the velvet box tucked away near the bottom of her luggage.
She could almost see the velvet pillow the bejeweled relic lay on, her mother's voice chiding her for thinking about leaving it behind.
She shoved her clothes over the box and reached for her blaster and vibroblades instead.
Bryn tucked the blades away in the compartments of her waistband, laying flat against her stomach and back while the blaster found a home in her holster.
She hoped she wouldn't have to use it, but with the Trade Federation growing closer and closer to Naboo, she wasn't quite sure.
Bryn sighed and smoothed down the wrinkles in her tunic, the door hissing as she stepped out.
Jacen stood there with a hand raised, eyebrows arched as he gave her a once over.
"Please remember you are technically speaking to royalty." Bryn crossed her arms and screwed her face into the best impression of her mother she possibly could.
It must have worked because the pilot lifted his hands up in surrender, "I didn't say anything–"
"You were thinking it–"
"Did I say anything?"
Bryn shook her head with a sigh, still brushing away that stubborn stray hair that refused to get back into place.
"Please tell me we're landing soon." She fidgeted, trying to fix problems with her clothes that didn't exist as if she could feel the targeted glare of mother at her back with every turn.
Jacen smirked and moved back to the pilot's chair with Bryn not far behind, "BD-7's been running everything, we should be there any second."
The shuttle broke through the atmosphere, turning to reveal the gorgeous waterfalls that filled the lakes of the planet.
Sprawling emerald fields met her vision and some part of Bryn's chest twisted.
A sharp pain hung in her chest cavity for a brief moment before it faded and she turned her gaze to the Royal Palace of Theed in the distance.
The capital city was beautiful, although it stuck out amongst the natural cliffsides and wonders of Naboo, built with marble and plasma on a planet that seemed to prize the natural beauty of itself.
The palace itself even dwarfed the mountains on the horizon, although Bryn would hardly call the range that. They were more like hills, at least compared to the ones back home, and most of Naboo seemed to be flatland with a few hills here and there.
Jacen steered the shuttle into the hangar with little help from the traffic controller, safely landing on the edge.
"There you are, Princess." Jacen smirked, spinning around to face her in his chair, "A happy landing."
"Thank you, Commander Andor," She emphasized his title before walking toward her travel companions. If he refused to use her name then she would refuse to use his.
HK-34 was already unloading the wines and paintings among other resources they came to trade, and Captain Tarrik was restrapping his blaster to his person.
"Surely you don't expect us to be accosted by Naboo as soon as we step foot off this ship Captain?"
Tarrik chuckled and shook his head, a rare smile stretching across his lips, "It is my job to remain vigilant, Your Highness," He spoke with confidence, "Not all planets in the galaxy share Alderaan's wish for peace."
Her chest twisted again but Bryn forced her mouth into a small smile, "I suppose you're right. However, if you're certain of our demise, perhaps you should give HacheKay a blaster as well."
The droid tilted its head at the sound of its name, almost as if in excitement.
Captain Tarrik immediately raised a finger and shook his head in protest, "Never in my life will I ever hand over a firearm to something that cannot think for itself."
HK-34 let out a disappointed whine as it continued to unpack the crates, "Statement: I would very much like to hold a gun one day, Master."
Bryn let out a chuckle as Tarrik's eyes grew even wider as if to say 'see'?
The door hissed as it opened, Jacen standing beside her with that same cocksure smile as his explorer droid sat perched on his shoulder.
"You're coming too." She practically ordered, having enjoyed the pilot's presence over the journey.
He arched an eyebrow, "Is that so?"
Bryn smirked, "We need a ride home don't we?"
The ramp descended onto the hangar and Bryn stood at the front of the door, Tarrik and Jacen on either side of her while HacheKay followed behind.
The first person to meet her wasn't the Queen, and Bryn's gut jerked. She wasn't used to being snubbed...or insulted.
Instead she met with a dark-skinned man dressed in brown and blue with his hand rested surely on the blaster beside his hip.
"Princess Organa," The man stepped forward, two other soldiers on either side of him. Bryn shared a look with Tarrik, who didn't seem surprised. "The Queen is eager to speak with you."
Bryn slowly moved down the ramp, making sure to take her time with each step.
If they were going to waste hers, she might as well waste theirs.
The dark-skinned man's jaw clenched, and Bryn almost smirked.
"A pity she couldn't meet with me in person then." Her words made the man tighten his fist, and Tarrik smiled out of the corner of her eye.
The man stepped forward, "The Queen rarely leaves the palace these days."
"On whose orders?"
The man looked at her sternly, "Mine."
Bryn's stomach turned but she didn't back down, instead she merely gestured toward the opposite entrance of the hangar, "Of course, please lead the way."
The two other soldiers moved to collect the crates and transport them further in, while the dark-skinned man led her party through a spiral staircase that connected from the hangar to the palace.
The Royal Palace of Theed held high walls and vaulted ceilings made of sandstone, the walls glittering as the light of their star shone against it.
Shadows danced across it, growing larger and smaller as their steps echoed through the halls.
The strangely empty halls.
Even in the most private areas of Aldera, the palace was never empty, bustling with servants and guards and patrols ensuring the safety of the royal family at every hour of every day.
To see such barren walls and floors, the only things passing her party being droids or the occasional guard, it made Bryn feel uneasy.
Tarrik's hand never left his blaster, and even Jacen's little explorer droid let out a series of whines and beeps every now and then.
"Opinion: I must concur with the tiny droid, an emptiness like this is most unusual."
"Hachekay..." Bryn scolded softly.
The droid simply tilted its head, "Question: have I done something to offend Master? I do not recall being programmed for protocol."
Their escort stopped before a set of double durasteel doors and turned.
"The Queen wishes it," was all the man said, "She believes on days like this when she's with her council all day, the palace patrols and servants should get the day off."
Bryn arched a brow and Tarrik scoffed.
The man narrowed his gaze, "The Queen keeps a small retinue of soldiers nearby along with her handmaidens. This way she never has to worry."
His tone was sharp and thin and Bryn resisted the urge to smirk.
Something told her he wasn't quite happy about that decision.
But this Queen seemed to hold a lot of ideas the galaxy would consider unusual, and that alone piqued Bryn's interest.
"And how long must we wait to meet this Queen of yours?" Bryn smirked, locking her hands in front of her.
The man still refused to smile, "Queen Amidala is holding a meeting with our Senator. He has only just made contact from Coruscant."
Bryn recalled seeing an older man greeting Bail as he walked into the Senate building.
"Senator Palpatine," She recalled, "I hear he wants to be Chancellor one day."
"He'd make a good one," the man turned back around as he spoke, "Excuse me."
The doors opened and Bryn was able to catch the barest glimpse of the chamber before it disappeared again.
Bryn sighed and faced the window just right of the door.
Jacen was already there, staring out at the skies with a creased brow and a confused look on his face.
"What is it?" She asked, moving closer to get a better view.
"I'm not sure, but..." a crease formed on the pilot's forehead, "Didn't you say the Trade Federation was making a deal with Naboo?"
Bryn nodded, twirling the signet ring around her finger at a faster speed while her gut churned, "Yes, why?"
Jacen shook his head and opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, the doors swung open and their escort returned.
"The Queen will see you now, Your Highness."
Bryn smiled gratefully and gestured for her entourage to follow, although Jacen's eyes kept wandering back to the window.
The throne room held the same vaulted ceilings and tall windows, a crescent table stood in the middle of an open round chamber with what Bryn assumed was the Queen's council.
A white haired man with a thinning beard sat closest to the Queen, and their escort from before stood by the throne.
The Queen herself was dressed in an elaborate set of bright red robes and a white painted face.
"Princess Organa," Amidala's voice was wooden and emotionless, and the makeup hid whatever emotions crossed her face from time to time.
But she couldn't hide her eyes.
Behind them was a scared fifteen year old girl who had no idea what she was doing.
And Bryn had been there before.
"Queen Amidala," Bryn plastered her best smile on her lips and straightened her posture, "It's an honor to meet you, I've heard such wonderful things about the young Queen from Naboo."
Once again, the woman shared no emotion, but something behind her eyes gleamed.
"Likewise, Your Highness." Amidala dipped her head in recognition, "Shall we begin?"
〚OBI-WAN KENOBI〛
OBI-WAN WASN'T SURE WHY HE FELT SO UNEASY as they approached the Federation station floating above the planet of Naboo.
There was something elsewhere that tested the boundaries of his mind, pressing against the barriers he'd spent hours of meditation protecting against the darker sides of the force.
It twisted in his stomach and caused it to turn, although that might have also been the force of the landing in the hangar.
"Is everything alright, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon's voice soothed him but only for a moment, the comforting presence of his Master by his shoulder enough to quell his thoughts long enough to bring his mind back to negotiations.
"Yes, Master, I just–" Obi-Wan hesitated. Master Jinn was kind enough when it came to spare moments of anxiety and frustration, but Obi-Wan was always careful when discussing what he felt outside of the current moment.
"Say nothing more of it now, " Qui-Gon warned, gesturing to the protocol droid walking toward their ship, "We'll discuss it later."
The two threw their hoods up to better disguise themselves from any unwanted visitors and followed the protocol droid further into the station.
Obi-Wan knew that there was nothing to be wary of.
The Trade Federation would bend to the whim of the Senate as they always did out of fear and the Naboo would be free of their grip yet again.
He despised these politics.
Endless debate with no end in sight, that was all Obi-Wan saw when he looked at the Galactic Senate.
Chancellor Valoroum was a good man who trusted the Jedi, which was more than Obi-Wan could say for most of the body of the Senate.
It was a shame most of the Senators were already discussing the next election cycle. Several were already starting to endorse different candidates.
Many of whom were wary of the Jedi at best and outright hostile at worst.
The droid lead them into a conference chamber just outside the bridge, and once it bowed and closed the doors behind it, both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon removed their hoods.
The lush planet of Naboo hung just outside the large port window, swirling in green and blue as they moved further in.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Qui-Gon sighed, "I don't sense anything."
Obi-Wan's brown furrowed, and that nagging sensation in the back of his head returned for a brief moment, "It's not about the mission, Master, it's something...elsewhere, elusive."
As Obi-Wan suspected, his master's disappointment rang through the force, "Don't center on your anxieties, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon's hands folded themselves into the sleeves of his robe, looking more serene than Obi-Wan felt, "Keep your concentration here and now where it belongs."
"But Master Yoda says I should be mindful of the future–"
"-But not at the expense of the moment." Qui-Gon stared at Obi-Wan with another comforting but disappointed look, "Be mindful of the living Force, my young padawan."
Obi-Wan's face dropped, "Yes, Master."
His gut twisted again, but not for the same reason as before.
Attachment was not the Jedi way, as he had been scolded for many times before.
But it was difficult to see Qui-Gon as anything other than the man who raised him after spending ten years with his Master.
The Jedi Order was home, his family.
Just as he'd once told the Princess Organa.
The thought ruminated in his mind, as it had every day since he'd stepped off that planet and said goodbye to the woman who'd questioned everything he'd ever known.
A pair of soft brown eyes flashed across his memory, followed by the sound of laughter he hadn't heard since those nights in the woods.
He wondered if he would be in the same position if the Federation had targeted Alderaan instead of Naboo, or if he'd have received a scolding instead.
A Jedi cannot form attachments.
That was why they never went to the same planet twice.
Obi-Wan could feel his Master's gaze.
"How do you think the Trade Viceroy will deal with the chancellor's demands?" The subject change appeared to be a welcome one, as the slow tension that had been building in the room disappeared.
Qui-Gon sat back in his chair, always completely serene, "These Federation types are cowards, the negotiations will be short."
Silence hung over the Master and Padawan once again, and Obi-Wan forced himself to sit and breathe in quiet meditation.
He refused to close his eyes until he returned on solid ground, but the deep breaths and quiet atmosphere were enough to calm the anxieties turning in his head.
Anxieties he was sure Qui-Gon had already sensed.
Several moments passed and the protocol droid returned with a tray of drinks and food.
"Is it in their nature to make us wait this long?" He asked, trying not to let his feelings bleed into the Force like they usually did.
Qui-Gon glanced at the corners around the room, "No, I sense an unusual amount of fear for something as trivial as this trade dispute.
The ship jostled beneath their feet and both Jedi shot up from their chairs, Obi-Wan drawing his saber on instinct, following Qui-Gon's gaze to the various areas of the room.
Cameras, he realized. His Master had been looking at cameras.
The droid jumped back in fear, rattling the drinks and spilling a clear liquid across the tray.
The force tugged on Obi-Wan's mind and his gut jolted, that eerie feeling that had followed him off their starship returning.
It pounded against his head, urging him to look close, examine the room with a keen eye, to listen for what wasn't there.
A faint hiss filled his ears.
Smoke invaded his vision.
"Dioxin!" his Master came to the conclusion much faster than Obi-Wan did, inhaling deeply as the green mist began to fill the room.
Obi-Wan followed suit, shutting off his lightsaber but refusing to sheathe it. The poison could only mean one thing.
There weren't going to be any negotiations.
The door opened and the hiss of a lightsaber cut through the air.
He deflected the blaster shots with ease, stepping forward only to shove a group of battle droids to the floor. He cut through two more droids with ease while his Master attempted to force a way through to the bridge.
The battle droids were easy enough, but Obi-Wan's stomach sank as he heard the sound of metal rolling on metal echoing off the walls.
"Master, destroyers!"
The droid's shields went up, and Qui-Gon returned to his side, "They have shield generators!"
"It's a stand-off, let's go!" His Master yelled over the barrage of blaster fire, both Master and Padawan barely able to move out of the way before sparks exploded against the blast doors.
They followed a hallway to a ventilation shaft, winding around the station by the will of the force until they ended up back at the hangar.
Thousands of battle droids were being prepped, manned, and sent into ships larger than any cruiser he'd ever seen.
This was not a negotiation, it was an invasion.
"This is an odd play for the Federation," Qui-Gon mused, "We've got to warn the Naboo and contact Chancellor Valorum," He nodded toward the ships before turning back to Obi-Wan, "Let's split up. Stow aboard separate ships and meet down on the planet."
An involuntary smirk crossed Obi-Wan's face as he turned to meet his Master's gaze, "You were right about one thing Master," Qui-Gon quirked a brow, "The negotiations were short."
〚JACEN ANDOR〛
JACEN REFUSED TO STAND STILL.
His mother always chided him for it back on Kenari and it had gotten him into more trouble with his superior officers when he joined the Republic Navy.
It was his greatest weakness as an officer, but one of his best strengths as a pilot.
Who needed a co-pilot when he could run the whole ship on his own without so much as a blink of an eye?
Pressure dipped into his shoulder and he stared at BD-7.
Well, having a droid certainly helped on some occasions.
Alright almost all of them.
But still, that didn't change the point he was always trying to make to himself. His inability to sit or stand still was a strength in some instances, like when Princess Organa was trying to negotiate with the Queen of Naboo, but Jacen's eyes kept drifting to the window.
Shadows came and went across the throne room in intervals.
Jacen counted the seconds between them, large enough to block out the star and darken the room for a brief moment.
The Queen and her council thought nothing of it, but Jacen knew better. He'd been trained to recognize shadows and signs and intervals like it was second nature.
He was trained to recognize when shadows looked like ships and skies grew dark.
It meant only one thing, invasion.
Jacen moved from the Princess's side toward the tall windows near the back of the throne room, staring upward into the clear blue skies as he watched a ship touch down near the edge of the forest.
He counted in his head and another ship followed suit.
It was made of an earthy color which allowed it to blend in with its surroundings, brown and dark like a stain.
He could see guns mounted on the front side but nowhere else, and any other details were too far away to make out.
"Is there a problem, Commander?" The Queen's lifeless voice brought him back to the present, and Jacen realized with embarrassment that everyone in the throne room was staring at him.
Including Bryn.
She crossed her arms and arched her brow, clearly looking for some kind of explanation.
"Forgive me, Your Highnesses, it's just..."
He trailed off as he caught sight of the Queen's glare, a lump forming in the back of his throat as it was clear this woman held no emotion except contempt.
"Just what, Commander?" Her voice was cold and intimidating, and if he were a lesser man he would have backed down.
Instead he cleared his throat and turned to face both of them, "You're under attack by the Trade Federation."
Bryn's face dropped immediately and she ran over to his side. At this point, the droids were already beginning to march on the palace, crossing through the plaza and forcing people out of the capital with threats of blaster fire.
The Queen stood up from her throne, "That's impossible, I have assurances from the Chancellor–"
"And yet here they stand, Your Highness," Jacen spat out the title, gesturing toward the window.
Bryn's hand went to her blaster and she turned back toward the throne, "He's right, droids are already marching on Theed."
The Captain who was with the Princess pulled out his blaster without hesitation, already prepared for a fight, and even the Princess herself looked ready to do battle.
Jacen, however, was simply a pilot. Barely passing his exam to make Commander.
He wasn't a soldier.
And until you were stationed, you weren't given a blaster.
It was peacetime, nobody needed one on themselves at all times anymore.
"Captain Panaka," The Queen turned toward the dark-skinned man who'd escorted them from the hangar, "What's our next move?"
Panaka glanced over at Jacen and Bryn, "The next move would be to find your handmaidens, Your Majesty."
"We're here, Captain." a girl dressed in orange robes spoke from the opposite side of the hangar.
Her face was obscured by a large hood, but her voice sounded unmistakably like the Queen's.
Panaka sighed and motioned toward the handmaidens, who marched in unison toward the throne.
The Queen nodded and turned toward Bryn, "I am sorry, Your Highness, but I must ask you and your retinue to vacate the room."
"Excuse me?"
The Alderaanian woman's face contorted in shocked anger, stunned by the Queen's words. Jacen stared at the Naboo woman as well, trying to decipher what lay behind the choice to throw potential allies into the jaws of her enemy.
"That isn't a request," Amidala's voice remained emotionless, "It's an order."
Panaka gestured and a group of soldiers moved forward.
Jacen could feel the pads of their fingers digging into his muscle as they began to pull Bryn, Captain Tarrik, himself, and even the droid toward the door to the hall.
"You can't do this!" Bryn yelled as the doors shut tight, leaving Jacen and the Alderaanians to face the ongoing droid army alone.
Tarrik was shaking his head, "I knew this was too risky, I should have trusted my gut," The man paced back and forth, staring between the door and the hall, "I should have known something was wrong the moment she refused to greet us."
"It's not your fault Tarrik," Bryn assured the guard, spinning back and forth on her heel while she played with the crystal around her neck, "We should have never tried to make our move while the Federation was still stationed here."
Jacen watched the princess move back and forth, pieces of dark hair falling from her braids into her face and curling against her cheek, dark eyes narrowed in thought.
Her olive skin stood out against the white of her tunic, and instead of remaining composed or calm, she was growing angry.
Her forehead creased, breathing heavy as her steps quickened and more time passed.
Jacen stared at Captain Tarrik and his arsenal of blasters he had strapped to his body.
As if sensing his thoughts, the guard handed him a small hand blaster from his side holster.
"Don't make me regret this," He warned.
Jacen quickly assembled the blaster like his Captain taught him to, "Believe me, I won't."
BeeDee beeped from his shoulder, a series of frantic noises that almost sounded like warning signals.
"Observation:" The HK droid spoke up, "The Viceroy of the Trade Federation has landed and a group of battle droids is headed our way."
"Got it, thanks for the tip," Jacen's sarcasm dripped from his mouth.
The droid cocked its head, but said nothing else.
Bryn now stood planted in front of the door, hand ready on her blaster.
Tarrik and Jacen stood side by side, a wall in front of the Princess while BeeDee leapt to her shoulder for cover.
It felt empty not having the familiar pressure of the droid's feet digging into his clothes, but if they made it out alive, he was sure BD would make it up to him.
The HK unit stood between the Princess and the two of them, an extra line of defense in case something went wrong.
He was a Guardian droid after all.
Jacen planted his feet and remembered his training, practically hearing his sergeant yell at him now.
"Plant your damn feet, Andor! You can't hold your ground if you're not even standing on it! You bounce once and it's twenty laps for all of you!"
His shoulder twitched.
Thump, thump, thump
The ball of his front foot began to bounce.
Thump, thump, thump
The hand by his side began to shake.
Thump, thump, thump
They were getting closer, and closer, and closer.
He could practically hear the mechanical whirring now.
Jacen tried to count the footfalls but there were too many.
Too fast of intervals to determine how far away they were.
"At the ready!" Captain Tarrik yelled.
Jacen brought up his other hand around the blaster.
Bryn's breathing had grown louder, but Jacen knew he couldn't look back or he'd see the wide eyes of a scared Princess who'd lost her only protection.
He inhaled sharply, shutting his eyes briefly.
When he opened them again, gunfire shattered the air.