God Save the Queen: Chapter 10 (Patreon)

A/N: Next month's poll to come shortly

Chapter 10: The Queen’s Speech

Obi-Wan came to in fits and starts.

He found himself blinking away tears from his eyes at the gentle light spilling in through wide, freeing windows. The sound of soft music lingered at the edge of his hearing. It took him a moment to realize he was safe in Theed, not still trapped in the darkness of the Lucrehulk command ship.

“Obi-Wan.” A hand came to rest on his shoulder, but it was the serene presence in the Force that Obi-Wan recognized first. “It is good to see you awake.”

Obi-Wan opened his eyes fully. “Master Qui-Gon.” He glanced around the room, coming up with the energy for a small smile. “And little Ani, too.”

“Obi-Wan!” The child grinned. His long hair had been cut in the Jedi style. The sight sent a jolt of pain through Obi-Wan’s chest. “You’re alive, I knew you wouldn’t die!”

Obi-Wan groaned as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. “That made one of us.” He glanced down, taking in the sleek chrome that had replaced his legs from right below his knees. “As it is… it—” The words got stuck in his throat.

Qui-Gon squeezed his shoulder again. “Center yourself, Obi-Wan. Reach for the Force, and let it reach back into you.”

Obi-Wan did so, releasing his inner turmoil to the Force. He felt it returning his embrace, and for a moment, all was right.

Then he noticed the third person in the room, and sat bolt upright.

“Took a minute for you to notice me, huh?” The Mando pushed her shoulder off the wall, familiar cheek bones twitched into a sardonic smile.

“Lady Kryze.”

Bo-Katan snorted. “Call me by my name, Jedi.”

He swallowed. “I don’t imagine your sister is happy that you’re here. Or that you were a part of the Death Watch.” The padawan tilted his head. “I imagine the second one will cause a great deal more distress.”

“Satine and I don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, what’s one more?” She shrugged. “If everything goes to plan, my sister and I won’t even end up fighting each other.”

“Plan?” Obi-Wan asked.

“That girl’s plan, of course.” She rolled a data chit over her fingers. “And why wouldn’t it go according to her plan like everything else has…” The last part came out bitter, but also a tad admiring.

Obi-Wan turned back to his master in askance.

“Queen Amidala has been quite busy while you slept.” Qui-Gon stroked his beard. “Already, the Death Watch on Naboo is no longer the force you fought against on Mandalore.”

“Everyone loves being a hero,” Bo-Katan said. “And really, that queen of yours is right about one thing.”

“Only one?” Obi-Wan asked. “That seems a low estimate, don’t you think?”

At his bedside, Anakin giggled.

Bo continued unruffled. “The Mando-ade are not of one world or one people. We might have forgotten that.” She fixed Obi-Wan with a sharp stare, and in that moment, she reminded him of no one so much as Satine. “Next time you see my sister… tell her I’m sorry. I know I don’t deserve her forgiveness, and neither does Death Watch, so I won’t ask for it. Just let her know that if everything goes well, we won’t be bothering her New Mandalorians anymore.” She shook her head. “Knowing her, she’ll forgive me anyway.”

That did rather sound like Satine. “I don’t believe I’ll be seeing her again anytime soon, Lady Katan.”

That prompted a snort. “Already trading up, Jedi? Be careful, a girl might get jealous.” With that, she gave a jaunty wave. “Just wanted to pass that along.”

And then there were three, and Obi-Wan was even more confused than before. “Master,” he asked, “what do you think she meant by that?”

Master Qui-Gon smiled. “The Force is a pathway to many abilities some would consider unnatural,” he said. “Unfortunately, the ability to comprehend women is not among them.”

“Of course, how insightful.”

“Indeed.” Qui-Gon nodded. “Now, would you like more rest, Obi-Wan, or would you be interested in watching Queen Amidala’s speech?”

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at Anakin. “Speech?”

“Yep.” The kid nodded. “Padme’s giving a speech.”

“I see.” Obi-Wan tried shifting on the bed, before giving it up as a bad job. “Help me sit up?” Anakin pulled Obi-Wan up into a sitting position on the bed. “Thank you.” He hesitated for a moment before reaching out and ruffling Anakin’s hair. “Be a good padawan for Master Qui-Gon, understand?” After the boy nodded seriously, he added, “if you work extra hard, you might even get to keep your legs.”

He counted it as a win that they were both able to laugh despite the yawning chasm in Obi-Wan’s own stomach.

Maybe the boy felt that pain, or maybe he was simply kind, but either way, Anakin reached out and patted Obi-Wan on the knee. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you have the best legs ever. All the other Jedi will be jealous.”

Well, as long as his legs didn’t turn into a pod racer.

*~*~*

Sheev Palpatine did not seethe with jealous rage, but it was a near thing.

All of his ambitions, so close at hand, only to be denied at the final hour.

“Useless.” He kicked the barely breathing mass of flesh and bone on the floor of his personal vessel. Maul let loose a shuddering breath, unable even to beg for mercy.

How fortunate, that Sheev Palpatine had none.

“Unable to even die properly.” He bared his teeth at the Zabrak. “And you think you are worthy of the title of Sith, you incompetent insect.”

“Master…” A limp, twice-broken arm, twitched, lifting a few inches off the deck.

Palpatine kicked the hand away. “Stabilize him,” he commanded the two medical droids, “only enough to ensure he does not expire.” Sheev’s baleful gaze tracked back to the whimpering thing on the floor. “It was almost impressive that your hate allowed you to survive for so long. Perhaps next time, it will allow you to succeed instead.”

Sheev spun and left the cargo hold as the droids made to transfer Maul to the med bay. If he stayed a moment longer, he might kill the Zabrak himself.

That would not do; Plagueis still had plans for the sorry excuse of a Sith. That order had been almost as disturbing as the realization that Sheev’s master had been aware of his ‘apprentice’ all along, and only allowed it all as a friendly favor.

Not for the first time, Sheev Palpatine considered his Naboo diplomatic training to be among the greatest of his powers for allowing him to conceal his ever-burning hatred of that blasted Muun.

Diplomatic training had certainly served the current queen well enough as well.

“Mandalorians.” He massaged his temples with one hand as he returned to his quarters. “Where did she find an army of Mandalorians?”

As a student of history, and darker truths besides, he could not forget the fraught history the Sith had with the Children of Mandalor. They were the only group that regularly and successfully hunted Force adepts without any apparent Force sensitives of their own. Now they were in the hands of a girl far too headstrong to be easily led, imperiling his rise to the chancellorship by their very existence.

With one last muttered curse, he threw off his robes and replaced them with his normal Senate attire. The Queen had asked that her speech be broadcast to the Senate, and throughout the Republic besides. While it would garner relatively little attention compared to the most recent holo drama, Sheev did wish he could have simply expressed his regrets at his inability to comply with her demand. Most unfortunately, that fool Finis Valorum had seized upon this ‘victory’ to boost his campaign, and would have gleefully relayed the speech to the Senate regardless. Thus Sheev was forced to put in an appearance.

At the very least, he had been able to parlay her request into increased influence on Coruscant. A grateful Queen had gladly increased his personal staff and affirmed her support for him to remain Naboo’s Senator in wake of his steadfast service. As he made his way to the Senate, Sheev consoled himself that at least that was going to plan.

Now if only he could convince the girl to overreach her authority. Perhaps he could depose her in a few years in favor of someone more… tractable.

*~*~*

Finis Valorum knew that he was too tractable for the Supreme Chancellorship.

That was a fact that he had spent most of his adult life coming to terms with. He, a mere servant of the Republic, was not up to the challenge of steering it.

Even still, there were days when he could look at his work and be proud.

At the appointed hour, the image of Queen Padme Amidala of Naboo appeared in the center of the Senate chamber.

Today was one such day.

For a moment, the young queen, clad in her full ceremonial regalia, stood in silence. By now, the Battle of Naboo had become well known, and a murmur went up from the senate in a thousand tongues as the metadata sent with the broadcast exposed the full truth.

Finis Valorum himself had been made aware of the actions taken by the splinter faction called the ‘Death Watch’, but even still, it was a surprise to see Queen Amidala flanked on one side by a figure in full Beskar Armor. Finis could only conclude that the quasi-terrorist faction used this chance to turn over a new leaf, in service of the Republic and its ideals.

Then the queen spoke.

“If you seek peace, prepare for war.” Her stoic gaze swept along the chamber, as it would on countless thousands of member worlds. “Nowhere has this been proven more fully than Naboo.

“Our world, blockaded by forces who would put profit over the common dignity of all. They looked at the peaceful world of Naboo, and thought us weak.” Her stoic mien broke as the girl’s lips curled up into a smile. “We are not weak.”

Finis knew he did not have long left in the Chancellorship, but that simply meant he could take more pleasure from little moments like this, when the corporate interests that near ran the Republic received their just desserts.

“There are those blinded by greed, who think the Republic fractured and quarrelsome. Perhaps they are right. But in Naboo’s darkest hour, allies more stalwart than we ever dreamed of emerged to stand side by side with the people of Naboo.”

Finis settled back in his seat. He doubted he would get a mention in this speech, but…

*~*~*

“Not the least of which, the proud sons and daughters of Mandalore.”

It was shocking to listen to, even though she expected it.

“Together we threw off the grasping hands of the Trade Federation, and together we shall build a safer Republic, a stronger Republic, a better Republic!”

As a politician, Satine recognized the applause line for what it was. She imagined many a freighter captain or mid-rim citizen would cheer at the thought of the Trade Federation’s demise. There was certainly no love lost for them on Mandalore either.

But few in her home would cheer for the Death Watch, or at least, that is what she had believed.

As Duchess Satine watched another young royal extol the virtues of the terrorists that killed her father and plunged her world into a civil war, Satine felt her stomach churn. In her white-knuckled grip, her personal comm continued playing through the accompanying information from the broadcast, including the identity of Death Watch’s former leader, Pre Vizsla.

She had counted on him as an advisor, thought nothing of it when he went on a tour of the core worlds a scant week ago.

Now he was dead.

“If you seek peace,” The Queen of Naboo repeated, “then you must prepare for war.”

“No. You foolish girl.” Satine shook her head. “That is how they trap you. In that twisted, backwards way of thinking until war consumes everything good and bright and true about your people!”

“We Naboo have excelled at peace.” And she was smiling. “The Trade Federation discovered we are good at war as well. Good enough to impress even the famed Mandalorian Warriors.” She had invited killers and murderers into her home and she was smiling. “And so, Naboo is proud to announce the first Mandalorian Enclave for the dauntless few who arose to liberate our world, from which a generation of heroes, defenders of peace might arise!”

How twisted the truth could be, in a skilled speaker’s hands.

“And who better to lead them, then this?”

All such thoughts fled Satine’s head as the new leader of Death Watch stepped forward and unsealed her helm.

“…Bo—?”

*~*~*

“They made you the leader of their little club, eh?”

The comm sat lightly in gauntleted hand, flickering light playing over chrome and blue armor.

Jango Fett took in the features of a girl, and a woman who’d been a girl when the Death Watch had first shown their true colors in the face of the True Mandalorians.

“Funny how quick you find a new leash.” The two of them were spilling some drivel about unity and strength. “Yeah, yeah. Apes together strong.” With a press of his thumb, the man muted the feed.

He wasn’t watching for the words.

Instead, he watched for the sweet catharsis of that little Vizsla prick getting cut down in his prime. Oh, they could spin it however they wanted for the news holos, but that sniveling little worm was his father’s son through and through. In a way, Jango was almost sad that the man’s crippling overconfidence had gotten him killed on a job before Jango could finish the job himself.

“One more name off the list, eh?”

“Mfrrrm!”

Jango chuckled. “Sorry about that.” He hauled the tied up Togruta to their feet. “Just sentimental. I was gonna kill that boy someday.” He turned his visored head towards his mark. “Now get on the ship.”

The Togruta couldn’t comply fast enough, nearly tripping over their own feet as they ran into the cargo hold of his firespray.

Jango found his gaze tracking back to the silent holo, and the queen of some midrim backwater he’d scarce heard of before now.

“Sharp eyes…” he mused.

A fool would see a military takeover by the Death Watch. Even if they didn’t know the group’s history, it was an easy jump to make. But the Kryze girl didn’t have the guts to pull a move like that.

The Queen of Naboo was sharp. Even from a hologram, he could tell. She was the type of mark you stalked like a rancor, observing them for days or even weeks before you find the chance to take a shot. Jango would bet ten thousand credits that the girl would be running the Death Watch within a year.

Was there a worse fate, for ‘proud’ Mandalorian warriors, than being reduced to the lapdogs of a child queen? They might even be seen as a beacon for the scattered children of Mandalore who didn’t believe in the empty promises of the New Mandalorians.

If Pre was still alive, it never would have worked, but the Kyrze girls both had a soft streak in them a mile wide. It made them tractable.

With a huff, he flicked off his comm, walking up the boarding ramp to Slave One. “So this is how we end up. Bounty Hunters, scavengers, and renegades all.” Almost made him want to put a blaster bolt in that queen’s head just on principle, but Jango Fett didn’t work for free, and the girl wasn’t doing anything to the Mandalorians that his people hadn’t already done to themselves.

With a hiss, the landing ramp started retracted.

Death Watch, though, had a number of outstanding bounties. Maybe he’d pick off a few of the more… objectionable characters before they set boots on Naboo.

Call it civic duty.

*~*~*

“If you seek peace, prepare for war,” Padme Amidala repeated once more.

Bo-Katan stood to the left of the Queen’s Podium. Right now, the Queen had said a great deal of words, but she was still waiting on that action.

“But even if the future is filled with strife, even if we must wager our lives to protect it, we shall not forget our origins.” Padme’s voice rose, echoing across the room. “We are a people who strive for excellence, for balance, for equality. How could I call myself Queen if I did not hold myself to the same standard?”

“Never let it be said that I did not lead by example.” She stepped back from the podium. “As the Head of House Amidala and Queen of the Naboo, I decree that key powers of the throne shall be now held jointly by Parliament, to ensure a just and balanced rule between the people of Naboo and its rulers in new and changing times.”

Bo raised an eyebrow as the crowd started to murmur. The last thing anyone expected from the Queen was for her to give up control. The words stuck in her mind as well, like an alarm going off as the girl turned to face the head of the Death Watch.

“And as Head of House Amidala and Queen of the Naboo,” a smile stole across her face, “I vow to uphold the union between our peoples by the Canons of Honor and the Resol’nare.”

Bo-Katan’s eyes widened, as a thousand murmurs grew into a single all-encompassing roar.

But the Queen’s voice cut through it all like so much noise. “For nowhere than on Naboo has it proven more right and more true, that if you seek peace, you must prepare for war!” Queen Amidala raised her chin. “But if you make war, let its end be peace!”

Then, in the eyes of the entire galaxy, Queen Amidala bowed before Bo-Katan Kryze before rising, eyes blazing. “And so let us marry peace and war, let us be the shield and sword of the Republic, a blade of truth that no dark shall extinguish!”

Bo realized that she’d been had. The Queen had tied up all of their loose ends in one fell swoop. The protection of Naboo’s sovereignty, Death Watch’s fraught history, and even Bo’s own demand for action were all wrapped up and handed to her with a neat little bow.

There was nothing left for Bo-Katan to do but smile, and bow her head in return.

“It shall be an honor… my Queen.”

She was used to playing second fiddle, after all.

*~*~*

Hego Damask did not raise his head as Sheev blazed into his study. “Have you seen?”

“Hmm?” Beneath the microscope, the organism wilted and slowly died as it was cut off from the Force. Another failure. “Seen what?”

“Amidala. She has upended the board.”

“Oh?”

“She has co-opted the Mandalorians.” Sheev pinched the bridge of his hawklike nose. “It is remarkable, actually, how much her rise mirrors our own plans.” He waved his other hand, a glass of wine floating over to it. “She has instilled herself at the top of every power structure on Naboo. In time, their military will answer to her, as will any would-be Mandalorians, and yet she has given up many traditional—now useless—powers, insulating herself from criticism and ensuring that she will be immovable for years to come.”

Damask felt a tinge of amusement at that.

“Plans change.” He rose. “And one midrim world is hardly cause for concern. Keep the girl in hand; we shall collect her in due time.”

“Time we may not have, my master.”

Hego Damask paused, turning to look at his apprentice.

At once, Sheev dipped into a bow. “Forgive me, my master.”

“Good.” Damask nodded. “And fear not, old friend.” He breezed past the other man, towards his private dock.

“Soon we shall have all the time in the galaxy.”

Episode I: God Save the Queen

End