Chapter 18 - Naboo
Author's Note: Plot twist! ;) How many of you saw this coming? xD
We love cameos and familiar faces. ^-^
~ Amina Gila
"I never realized the tensions were still this high," Leia says, unhappily, as she rides in the back of the underwater vehicle alongside Padme, with Han piloting.
"I didn't either," her mother admits, sighing, "Something about it isn't right."
"The Separatists are up to something," she replies, frustratedly. It's another Separatist trick against her planet, to turn the Gungans against them. She knows that much, even if she can't understand why they're falling for it, or what the interest in Naboo is in the first place.
Sometimes, she feels so young. She's glad Padme insisted that she wait until she was at least this old before she tried running for Queen. She can't imagine ever trying to handle this when she was any younger.
"Whatever it is, we should be able to figure out what," Padme soothes, "The Gungans should... react better if I'm the one talking to them."
"That's why I called you." Padme was the one who reunited them in the first place, after all. But it's been years without conflict. Leia can only hope this will be enough.
"How's your reelection campaign coming?" her mother asks, after a pause, "I haven't had much time to pay attention to it."
Leia just grins back. "That's okay. You already know who you're gonna vote for anyway, right?"
Padme smiles back at her, and a certain lightness she hasn't felt in a while spreads through her. She spends more time speaking with her mother than she does the others – thanks to their jobs – but that doesn't mean she doesn't occasionally miss being with her in person, too. "Of course, I do. You've been the best queen for Naboo in... some years now."
She won't take such compliments lightly. "I hope it stays that way. I don't want to war to break out."
"I know," Padme tells her, and Leia knows she does. She was the first and last queen to have a war on the planet in decades. "I... hope it can be avoided. The Gungans shouldn't be beyond reason. If nothing else, we can go to Boss Nass." He's very old now, and no longer the leader, but his opinion would still hold some weight.
Leia can only hope this is going to work, because... Neither of them wants to talk about what will happen otherwise.
"This is quite the place," she comments, glancing around as they dock inside the main Gungan city, heading for the assembly area. From the looks of it, there's quite a commotion going on.
"It is impressive down here. I can see why Eirtae liked studying the art of it," Padme replies, as they step inside.
Leia's never been down here before, but she almost wishes it was an appropriate time to take pictures to show Luke.
"Don't do anything rash, your Highness," cautions Han, clearly wary.
"Now what would I do that would classify as that?" Leia shoots back.
"I don't want to find out."
Padme looks amused. "You remind me of when I had to deal with Captain Panaka."
"So you've told me," Leia replies, dryly, even if she doesn't truly feel the lightness.
"I'll assume that is a compliment," Han huffs, under his breath, as they enter the room.
Boss Lyonie is speaking to the others, something about all the ways Naboo is treating them as second-class citizens.
"Young Queen Amakassu and Senator Amidala," the Gungan greets, gaze narrowing on them, "If yousa here to talk mesa out of marching on Theed, yousa wasting time."
Leia's eyes narrow. There's something not right about this. At all. Usually, she can pick up on the intentions and desires of the person she's speaking with, but right now, it's like everything is gray. It doesn't make sense.
"With all due respect, your course of action is based on lies," Padme objects. "You must make your warriors stand down."
"If you have complaints on how our societies are living together, we can resolve that here," Leia objects. She wasn't even aware there was a problem anymore, even if there's... sometimes an underlying racism against the Gungans. It's not common, and it doesn't actually affect how anyone lives, but it's still there. She hates it, especially with Jar Jar as her uncle, but there's nothing she can really do about it.
"Yousa bombad," Lyonie retorts, "Yousa resolve nothing."
The words shouldn't sting so much. "You're only going to lead both our societies to ruin. The galaxy is already at war. Why do we need to spread it here, too?"
"Mesa different now. Mesa enlightened," Lyonie replies, sharply.
Leia glances at her mother. "There's something wrong with him."
"That much was already apparent," Padme replies, flatly.
"No, I mean he seems... His mind is strange. I don't understand it." She really wishes Anakin or Luke were here. They would understand better.
"Stop whispering and go, begone!" he snaps, gesturing for the door.
And that's when Leia notices the... necklace he's wearing. It feels like it's pulsing with a strange energy, and every time Lyonie says something irrational, it feels extra strong. Is that thing controlling him?!
It's a risk, but one worth taking. Leia reaches out with the Force, yanking the necklace to her. She can feel the energy pulse through it again, but it's not on Lyonie anymore, who now looks... very confused.
"What... what yousa doing here?" he asks, frowning.
Leia exchanges a glance with Padme and Han.
"You don't remember?" Padme clarifies.
"Yousa weren't here before," he objects.
This... does not look good. At all. "Where did you get this?" Leia asks, holding up the necklace.
"Minister Rish Loo. Hesa given it to me," he replies.
"Then we need to talk to him," she answers, grimly.
**w**
She's on edge the moment they step into Rish Loo's office. There's something about him that's dark and brighter at once, in a way that... she's only felt on Force sensitives. And she can tell with one look at him that he's hiding something.
"Yousa manipulated mesa head-thoughts with lies and misinformation," accuses Lyonie, angrily.
"No, mesa didn't," he argues, no less irked, "Yousa not thinking clearly, bombad leader. Theysa the ones manipulating yousa head-thoughts."
"We've lived in peace for decades," Padme interrupts, "Why would that change now? I know we have not always agreed, even now, but if there are problems, we can work them out peacefully."
They're still arguing when Leia notices something shifting around Rish Loo. His hands are under the table, and there's a strange glowing yellow ball of... something next to him, a mist rising off of it. The room is strong in the Force, especially the objects. Suddenly, she has the distinct feeling he's trying to do something to Boss Lyonie because he's suddenly oddly quiet, an almost dazed look on his face, and –
"Stop it," Leia orders sharply, starting forwards.
"Stop whatsa?" Rish Loo snaps.
"What you're doing to him." She shoves him a step back with the Force to break the connection – another risk but she can't just stand back and do nothing while he's literally messing with the other's mind – and Lyonie stumbles forwards, dazed and confused.
Rish Loo's expression darkens, and he makes a motion. Something very bad is about to happen, and Leia scarcely has the chance to register that thought when droids drop from the ceiling all around them.
Han whips out his blaster, shooting. Leia reacts purely on instinct, throwing them back with the Force when they start shooting.
Lyonie lunges at Rish Loo when he tries to run for the door, and they wrestle with each other for a moment before she suddenly sees Rish Loo drawing a knife. She doesn't have the chance to yell a warning, not that it would've mattered anyway, because Lyonie isn't able to pull away before the blade sinks into his side.
Throwing him to the floor, Rish Loo runs from the room, as Leia and Padme scramble for cover, drawing blasters to shoot at the droids. It would be so much easier if Anakin or Luke were here with a lightsaber, but they'll have to make do. Somehow.
They manage to take down most of the droids quickly enough, and Han instantly darts to the Boss's side to check on him. "Are you alright, Your Highness?" he asks, even as he checks the other's injury.
"I'm fine. But what about him?"
"It's... not good."
"We have to get him treated immediately," Padme asserts.
Leia nods. "And find Rish Loo."
Except, they don't have to go further than the surface to see where the other Gungans disappeared to. In the grasses up ahead, a large group of Gungans are gathered and armed. They're preparing for the attack.
"I could speak to them now," Leia starts, peering between the blades of grass. Thankfully, it conceals them well enough that no one can see them here. Right now.
"No, that's far too dangerous. How do you know he's not controlling them, too? They'll kill you," argues Han.
"If I wait, it will endanger everyone."
"Naboo won't stand down either if they kill you and the Senator."
"He's right, Leia," Padme interjects, "We should get back to Theed and warn the others."
"Perhaps we can speak to the army by holo," Leia proposes, reluctantly giving in and following the others to their waiting speeder a distance away. Maybe it's safer if she leaves, but she still has to find some way of convincing the Gungans to stand down, before it escalates into full-scale violence.
She can only hope she'll think of something that will work.
**w**
"I don't know what we're going to do." Leia paces across the room again, over to the window. It feels like she's just waiting around while war's about to break out, and really, calling in the Republic is only going to worsen the situation. She hardly even has a plan to deal with it and doesn't know how to get one.
Going back out there to talk to the Gungans might be the only way. But her mother is right, too. Maybe by holo? But it's not like Rish Loo would answer. Right?
"I don't know what to say," Qi'ra admits, "We're mobilizing to defend, but that's only going to push the war along."
"We have to be ready, but I agree," Pooja seconds.
Jyn doesn't offer any advice. She's been pacing, too, and seems just as jittery as Leia. She pauses near the window, glancing at her almost nervously several times before turning stare outside again.
"I need to change," Leia mutters, coming to a stop and running a hand through her hair. It's a mess, too. "To my Queen's clothes, and then I'll call them." She'd been wearing something slightly less fancy and easier to move around in when she went to meet with Lyonie, and besides, those clothes were far from clean after all the fighting she was doing.
"I'll help you," Jyn volunteers immediately, "You two can monitor the situation from here."
"Sure," Qi'ra concedes, and Leia and Jyn head back for her quarters.
She has no idea why she suddenly has a very bad feeling about this. Something's wrong, and she can't figure out what.
They reach a room near her quarters when there's sudden movement in the room in front of her. Several figures suddenly emerge, drawing their blasters, keeping them leveled on her.
Leia sucks in a sharp breath, turning instinctively for the door, except Jyn is... What's she doing? She just pulled out a blaster, too, and she's pointing it at her.
Confusion and panic hits her instantly because what – "Jyn...?"
"I'm sorry," Jyn replies, quietly. Her hand is shaking slightly, and from that and the emotions Leia feels from her, she can't want to do this.
"What are you doing?" Leia demands, as just what's happening begins to actually sink in. Jyn is... how – what –
"You're coming with us," the dark-haired man says. He has an obvious accent; Basic must not be a language he learned early.
"Your Separatist operatives," she realizes. And that means... Jyn? Has she been a spy all along?!
"Come on," the dark-haired girl next to the man, who looks very much like him – are they siblings? – says, gesturing to the back entrance.
They're going to take her, to try to force Naboo to surrender. She can't let that happen. If Jyn is here, presumably they know she can use the Force and are prepared for it. But that doesn't mean she can't try... reasoning. How could Jyn do this? Doesn't she know what she's about to cause? She'll let herself think later, about the hurt of this betrayal. It's too cutting, and too distracting right now. "Jyn, have you considered what this is going to cause?"
She pauses, expression torn. "It will be better for Naboo," she argues, "The Republic is falling."
There's no doubt about that. The more the war goes on, the more frustrated Leia gets with how hard it is to do anything for the people anymore. Everything is a mess, and sometimes, she's... almost worried with how much she's losing faith in the system as it is now.
But that doesn't mean this is the answer, whatsoever. How could Jyn believe this? How did no one ever notice? She can't stop remembering all those times now, when Jyn had just... sometimes seemed strange or a little distant. How much did she overlook? "This is going to force another planet into war. A decision like this needs to be what the people want."
"The Republic never respects that," the man retorts, something hard in his gaze that she knows speaks of pain.
And at least they're temporarily stalled. She'll keep talking. Maybe she can... reason with them. "They hurt you... or your planet, didn't they?" Leia asks.
"They mined our planet, drove us off our land, and killed much of our tribe because we didn't want them there," the girl snaps.
That's – horrifying, is what it is. In many ways, they're no better if not worse than the Separatists, and what that'll mean for the future, she... doesn't know. "You're right that the Republic is falling," Leia answers, finally, "And I know the Separatists left because they wanted to make something better. But is spreading the war here by force making anything better? Why destroy another planet like yours was? If the people want to leave, they'll make that choice on their own."
The others are momentarily hesitant. They're not immediately telling her to be quiet, and that's a good start.
"If you believe that, why stay in a failing system?" the man challenges.
"Simply leaving won't help everyone. We can only try to remake things from the inside, as impossible as it seems." He has a point, though, even if it's not something she's overly given thought to, because her duty is mostly to Naboo. Padme's job is to deal with the Republic. She pauses, considering why else they might've been sent here. "Naboo can't be that important to the Separatist cause. And if it is, if this is to get more sectors to join, it would speak for more in favor of your government if it was what those systems wanted. From what I've seen, the leadership of the Separatists isn't much better, even if the Senators themselves may be."
"They're leading us to freedom," retorts the girl.
"Maybe, but I know they have their own interests as well. You know the leader himself lead a senseless attack on Naboo many years ago." That, she thinks, is something many Separatists conveniently choose to not remember happened. If they even know. It's not that well known. "Our planet would have been entirely destroyed by corporations had that attack not been thwarted. I'm sure you saw the memorials to the attack yourself when you were breaking into the palace. The Trade Federation, who your government is allied with, has... had it out for us ever since. I cannot believe that would change if we were to join the Separatists, and I will not let my planet be led to ruin like that."
Jyn's slowly lowering her blaster, fingers clenched almost painfully around it.
"Jyn –" the man starts, but she thinks he's wavering just as much, too. The certainty they fell before is... fading.
"I can't do this, Kassa. You know she's right," Jyn replies quietly, looking away.
"We've come this far," the girl objects, though she takes a step away, towards where they came in.
"Is that a reason to continue this, when we know it's wrong, Kerri?"
She... must know them pretty well.
"And you can still stop now. No one else needs to die. No one even has to know that you were here." Leia insists. Maybe it's a risk to let them go like this, when she's not certain that they're actually going to leave it be, but... the Force isn't warning against it. Besides, it's not as though she doesn't understand why they're doing this. If she lost Naboo and her family because of either government, she... doesn't know how she'd handle that.
But they don't have a moment longer to consider it – probably for the best – before they hear approaching footsteps.
Han's coming.
Leia lashes out with the Force on instinct, throwing the other two back. Jyn fires at them, though it's obviously intended to miss, and they shoot back a few times before retreating into the shadows, to escape however they came in to begin with.
Han bursts into the room moments later, demanding to know what happened, before giving chase to the fleeing operatives.
Leia doesn't know what to think of how a part of her hopes they make it out. She can't shake the feeling the siblings are all each other has left.
And now, it's time to talk the Gungans into standing down.
**w**
Having someone distribute comms in the grassy area where the Gungans are approaching, and on the outskirts of the city so that no matter how many they destroy, they'll still be able to see her speaking might not have been her brightest idea, but it's the fastest thing she can come up with. The only way her message will get to the people, instead of Rish Loo.
She's... Nervous would be an understatement, really, but Leia tries to force herself to remain calm, anyway. Her entire planet is counting on it, and that's much of why it's so stressful.
She had no idea this was what she'd be dealing with when she became queen. If she did? Leia doesn't think she'd have been so willing to take the role, but maybe it's for the best, because she has always been good with people.
"For years, our societies have lived in peace," Leia says, trying her best to dispel her nervousness into the Force. "Our cultural beliefs may be... different but that has never stopped us from working together when people have come to threaten our planet. If something is wrong, you can bring it to me. I will help you. We are one people. Naboo would not survive, if not for both our societies. War will tear our entire planet apart."
She pauses, taking a deep breath, struggling to regather herself. Gungans are proud warriors. They'll fight if provoked, and she has no idea what provoked them, but it's... it's not something they'll want to deter from.
"I spoke with Boss Lyonie myself, before... the attack against him," she continues, "I don't know how many of you know of his fate, but he was betrayed by one of his one. He was misled into ordering this attack, by Rish Loo himself. We all could have been killed by the droids he already had with him – if you go to his office in your central city, you will see the signs of the fight. My accusations may sound extreme but ask yourself what else could have caused this change. There was no unrest only a week ago. Nothing has changed. Why would your leader demand violence now, especially in the heat of the war when conflict will only leave our planet destroyed like all those to which we send aid. Is this what any of us truly want?"
There... it little else she can say now. All she can do is wait.
But she doesn't end up having to wait long, before Han comes to give her the report, that the Gungans are... squabbling with each other now, and demanding answers from Rish Loo. They aren't coming closer to Theed anymore, which at least is a good sign.
The Gungans are just as much her people as the humans are. She's certain whatever happens, they'll be able to work something out, though she'll have to go meet with Lyonie and their Council again later.
"We need more security," Han says, flatly.
"I... am inclined to agree," Leia concedes. Though, she'd like to have some private words with Jyn right now.
"I know some people I can call in. I'll look into it immediately," he decides, before moving off, giving her the opportunity she's looking for.
The other girl is rather pointedly avoiding her gaze when Leia pulls her aside. Not as if that's a surprise. She still doesn't know what to think of that. She just wants to understand why. Jyn's one of the first close friends she's ever made.
"I'm sorry," Jyn blurts, the moment they're alone, "I..."
"You took this job when you were already with the... Separatists?" Leia clarifies. How should she even approach something like this? Technically, Jyn committed treason, but it's...
"They sent me in," she replies, quietly, "They wanted me to infiltrate. I – I didn't want to. They didn't give me a choice."
That much is true, she can tell. "They wanted you to infiltrate?" Leia realizes. Was... everything of their friendship fake? It hurts more than she cares to admit. But then again, if Jyn was an infiltrator from the start and later changed her mind – and didn't choose on her own to team up with the Separatists later – that also makes it better. Maybe.
She nods. "They... they have my father. They're having him work on some kind of weapons' project. I don't know the details – I haven't been allowed to talk to him in a long time."
A sharp prickle of fear runs through Leia. "The weapon Luke was mentioning."
Jyn looks away. "I think so. I don't know anything about it, but it's massive."
She wishes Jyn would've told her about this a long time ago, but she can see why she didn't. Aside from being afraid, likely over her father's fate, how would she even approach such a topic? "If we were able to find your father, would he help us? Or does he want to work for the Separatists?"
She shakes her head. "He doesn't. They... took both of us. My mother resisted and she – she was lost."
Leia winces, reaching to take her hand. "I'm sorry." She lost her aunt, and that was gutting. Leia misses Dorme every single day, but at least it wasn't one of her parents. If – if Padme died, she can't imagine what that would do to her or Luke.
"I don't want to do this," she blurts, tightening her grip on Leia's hand, "But they aren't gonna let me just walk away."
"No one knows you helped thwart their attack," Leia points out, slowly, "You could... continue to play along, work as a double agent if that's easiest. You know we'll protect you here. And I'll talk to Luke. They'll start looking for your father immediately. We need to find that weapon."
She nods. "I – Okay. Thank you."
"Of course. And we probably shouldn't tell Han this," Leia adds dryly, trying to lighten the mood, "I think he'd have a heart attack."
Jyn cracks a smile for the first time. "Yeah, probably."
**w**
Leia's not surprised when she gets a call from Palpatine only the next day. She already called Anakin and Luke immediately, to tell them to start searching for Galen Erso. "I heard of the attempted attack," he says, "Is everything alright?"
"Now, it is," she assures, "But it came pretty close." She's still shaken up from it. There was almost civil war. It wasn't just the Separatists trying to create a virus somewhere.
"I was so concerned for you, my dear," he admits.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. It... could have gone a lot worse."
"Indeed," he agrees, "However, I find the increasing audacity of the Separatists most disturbing. Naboo has always been vocal in encouraging peace."
"Clearly, they don't want it," Leia points out bitterly, though she can't understand why anyone would want war. Sometimes, it may be almost entirely unavoidable, but this is – it's insane. Every time the Republic tries to reach some kind of peace treaty, something happens to ruin it.
"They don't," he concurs, "I worry how much further we will have to go to achieve peace."
"Do you know what it... would take?" Leia asks, unease twisting inside of her. She's fine with it, really, if the Separatists want to break away. That should be their choice, so long as they aren't going to intentionally cause problems for Republic systems. But now, she doesn't know if the war will ever end unless both sides are forced to end it. And someone will have to win, for that to happen.
"I've thought about it," Palpatine replies, "If the Republic Senate were more focused, the war may already be over."
"That's impossible to achieve," she responds, flatly.
"It is," he agrees, "I have little desire for more constitutional amendments, but if I were able to direct the war effort more specifically, it could end faster."
Leia sighs. "Yeah. I suppose there's not much we can do about that." She knows he wouldn't misuse it, but there's always that... ability. Frankly, she finds having so much unchecked power terrifying sometimes. If she makes a mistake...
"But I won't worry you about this. I know you have your hands full on Naboo right now," Palpatine continues.
She can't help the laugh that escapes her. "Compared to you, I don't think I'm one to speak."
"Seeing to any planet's needs in war time is difficult," he replies magnanimously.
"I shouldn't keep much of your time, then."
But of course, she knows he'll always say she can call him if she ever needs anything.
She slips from the room when the call is over, going in search of Han. The new security he called in – someone he knows personally, apparently – should be here already.
And it turns out, he is. It's a Wookie.
"It's exhausting, Chewie," Han is saying, arms crossed, "You have no idea how –"
The Wookie catches sight of Leia, over his shoulder and tries to interrupt his rant, but Han just keeps on talking.
"– frustrating she can be. Sometimes, I'm very inclined to think it's deliberate. Because she's literally found it funny before."
That... makes her both amused and guilty at once.
Chewie growls again.
"She – where –" Han spins around. "Oh."
"Nice to meet your friend," she replies politely, struggling to keep herself from laughing. "I'm sure his help will be very appreciated here."
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