God Save the Queen: Book 2 Chapter 2 (Patreon)

The story thus far: https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/god-save-the-queen-worm-star-wars.1022888/#post-85103213

Chapter 2: All the Queen’s Men

Metal boots clicked against the walkways as I walked through the pirate carrier.

Two Naboo praetorians led the way, clean chrome armor forming a stark contrast to the spotted and poorly-maintained bulkheads of the enemy vessel.

The praetorians were our near-Mandos, trained to the same rigorous standard, but eschewing the clans in favor of loyalty to Naboo. They wore similar armor, but with wider, clear faceplates and a powerpack that connected to wrist-mounted shield projectors. The shields gave Naboo’s premier heavy infantry staying power in lieu of Beskar armor, which belonged to the clans as part of our compact.

And also due to that compact, I had two Mando’ade at my back, in crisp blue and silver. The first was Taallanes Qroos, one of the first Naboo Mandalorians after myself, and a friend. The other, Ursa Wrenn, came from Bo-Katan’s own Nite Owl squadron, and while I trusted her not to shoot me in the back—the woman was too politic for that—she was the least reliable member of my honor guard.

I doubted I’d need them on a prize ship, but the pirate ambush had my guard spooked and they were pulling out all the stops to ensure my protection. They’d even demanded I put on my full Beskar set when I’d made plain my intention to interrogate the prisoners myself.

“We’ve rounded up the remaining pirates in the cargo hold, your majesty.” The praetorian took a step to the side, opening the door. I stepped through, taking in the larger room. Two, maybe even three score pirates sat restrained in the middle of the room, policed by a full squad of marines and the rest of the praetorian unit. “Some of them pretended to be civvies, but we sorted them out quickly enough.”

I looked them over. It was a rough and tumble group, composed of many different species. I even noticed one Twi’lek in the corner. We’d found many more Twi’leks among the slaves.

“Excellent. Once the Theed arrives, have your men process them along with the rest of the ships. We can sell the vessels for scrap if nothing else.” I eyed one of the piles of actual scrap that lay against the wall of the hold. The pitted ore looked like it was one good kick from snapping in half. “Along with whatever this is.”

Ursa Wren stepped forward. “It appears to be phrik, al’verde.” Her voice, even though her helmet’s speakers, came in a crisp core world accent, tinged with just a hint of Mandalorian. “Common on Tatooine, which makes sense, giving that this hyperspace route runs all the way to that dust ball.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And why would they bother filling their hold with it?”

She snorted. “Phrik has fooled more intelligent spacers than this sorry lot. On Tatooine, it has remarkable properties, some even claim it matches Beskar.” Ursa Wren did nothing to hide the derision in her voice at that idea. “But once it leaves the planet it quickly degrades into uselessness.”

“You seem to know a great deal,” I said.

“As part of your Beskar reclamation program, a great many such fools have attempted to pass off all kinds of material as Beskar.” She sniffed. “It seemed prudent to learn the properties of each.”

I gave a wan smile at the crowd of pirates. “Not that phrik would ever fool one of us.”

“It would not.”

I walked forward, meeting the jet-black eyes of the closest pirate, a Rodian. “Stopped by Tatooine on the way here?” I leaned down. “Did you meet with anyone interesting there?”

Turned and spat. Well, the Rodian equivalent of spitting. Their extended mouths made the gesture truly contemptuous.

I straightened, looking at the rest of the room. “I am Queen Padme Amidala of Naboo.” I saw several of the pirates shift at that. “Yes, the woman you came here to kill. You failed.” I walk between the rows of prisoners, my guards a step behind. “Now, you have two paths left in front of you. The first path, you get shipped back to Naboo, and depending on your crimes, you’re looking at potential life imprisonment, or at the very least, years of hard labor mining plasma.” I smiled. “The fish are very big, so we’re always in need of more bait.”

No one said anything.

“Path number two, you cooperate. Let us know who your captains met with before ‘coming up’ with this little ambush. Do that, and you might be free in a few months at most. And we won’t even make you go swimming with the spino-sharks.”

I looked around the room, waiting.

I didn’t have to wait long.

“Does that come with a go at your royal cunt?” One of the pirates shouted. The rest laughed.

I turned to face the man, thumbing on my recorder. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard you.”

The human grinned, dark eyes glinting. “I said, does it come with a taste of that royal cunt.”

Taallanes took a step forward, blaster pistol coming up. “You’ll respect her majesty, or I’ll blow your brains out the back of your skull, filth!”

If anything, the pirate’s grin only widened. “Sorry, your majesty.”

The rest of his little clique laughed again. I turned off my recorder. “Qroos, take this man outside and make that voice of his scream for me.” With a tap of my armor, I sent him the sound file I’d just collected. “Make sure we can hear it.”

The young man nodded. “It would be my pleasure.”

He snapped his fingers, and two marines came forward, hauling the pirate up by his armpits. The man gave a perfunctory struggle, until one of them cuffed him in the back of the head and dragged him from the cargo hold.

I returned to the front of the room, folding my arms behind my back as I waited.

Ursa took a step closer, voice lowered. “Must you? I assure you I could extract information from this lot much faster.”

I shrugged. “After this, you’ll get your chance.”

She sighed, I could almost hear the eye roll.

Then the screaming started. It started slow, with grunts, before building into full-fledged wails that echoed off the walls.

“Stop, I’ll talk!” Another scream. “Please!”

Some of the pirates sat unmoved except for the way their eyes narrowed on me. Bullies never much liked it when the victim decided to bite back, it upended their privileged little worldview. But I was more interested in the ones that flinched each time a new scream or yell cut through the air.

I raised my wrist comm. “That’s probably enough, Qroos.”

A pause. “Understood.” Two blaster shots cut off the wails. Taallanes walked back into the room, door staying open for just long enough for the group to see the pirate’s slumped and still form. I waited for a moment longer.

Then I started walking.

This time, I paced out my steps, letting my boots clink against the metal floor. I put my foot down next to a flinching Togruta, and turned. He stared up at me, tips of his montrals twitching minutely.

“You.”

He jerked back, breath coming faster. He looked like a new pirate, clothes still new, callous disregard for others not yet so deeply ingrained on his features.

“You wouldn’t happen to know why your bands got together for this little excursion, would you?”

He shook his head rapidly. “N-no. I-I don’t know nothin’!”

I clicked my tongue. “A shame. Qroos.”

The man chuckled, stepping forward.

The pirate broke. “It was Jabba!”

Mutters broke out.

“Jabba?”

The woman next to the Togruta hissed. “Shut your hole, kriffing—” She came up short herself when Qroos pressed his blaster against the woman’s brow.

“Why don’t the rest of you be quiet.” I turned back to the Togruta. “What’s your name?”

He swallowed, eyes flicking to the side.

“No.” He stiffened. “Don’t look at them. They don’t matter anymore. Look at me. What is your name.”

“…Ror’eesh Zir,” he whispered. Then after a moment, added. “Y-your majesty.”

I smiled. “Very good, Mr. Zir. Now, why do you think Jabba was involved in this raid?”

Once again his eyes flicked to the side.

“What did I just say, Mr. Zir?” When he flinched at my words, I affected a sigh. “We won’t be putting you back with them if your information is good. But if it’s bad…”

He swallowed again. “It’s good, it’s good!” Ror’eesh took a steadying breath. “Captain Morg’Ahn… We was just there to trade, pick up some some, er, supplies.” He meant slaves, I assumed, but outwardly I just nodded for him to continue. “Then, day afore we left, Captain goes to Jabba’s palace, out in the Dune sea. Quiet like, only saw one of the pigs ‘cause I was uh…”

“I don’t care what you were doing, Mr. Zir.” I folded my arms. “What happened after he took a trip to meet Jabba?”

“He comes back, ‘n suddenly he has an idea to stick it to the Queen Bitch—” He froze, glancing up at me.

I motioned for him to continue.

“A plan to, uh, ambush your majesty. Said ‘e got the others on board some kind of way, said we’d get first share of the profits.”

“And look where you all ended up.”

I straightened. “Qroos, will you help Mr. Zir to his feet? Someone get him settled in his new accommodations. We’re done here.”

I turned away as my men moved to carry out my orders. I could feel the impotent glares of the pirates on my back. At some point, that might have been intimidating, but after two lives of every criminal and supervillain hating your guts, you got used to it.

Outside the room, I smirked as two more marines hauled the first pirate back to his feet as well. He staggered, still bleary from the stun bolt as he was carted away, completely unharmed.

Ror’eesh Zir was led out a moment later, followed by the rest of my honor guard.

“How’d it go?” I asked Taallanes.

He chucked again. “Like a dream.” He thumbed his wrist computer, and it played a short snippet of the first pirate’s voice screaming. All computer generated, of course.

Ursa Wren joined us a second later. “Such a cheap trick would never work on a more intelligent foe.”

“Perhaps not.” I shrugged. “There’s a reason certification engrams are so advanced.” Not to mention why holo-literacy was literally taught in school on Naboo. What I could have done if we’d learned that back in Brockton Bay. “But it got us Jabba’s name.” I quirked a smile. “I didn’t expect us to be on the Hutt’s to do list.”

“So what is your plan, al’verde?” Ursa asked.

I fixed her with a look. “I imagine I’ll want to talk with Bo about it.”

Through her armor, it was nearly impossible to read her tells, but she hesitated just a moment too long before saying. “Shall I send her a message?”

“No.” I turned away. “I imagine a second one would be redundant.”

Ursa, at least, didn’t contradict me on how she’d already contacted the leader of the Death Watch, even as Taallanes Qroos stiffened in surprise.

“Your majesty.” He took a step forward. “I—”

“I’m not blaming you, Taal.” I patted his shoulder plate. “It’s not your job to police Wren’s comm traffic. And Bo-Katan is a burc’ya isn’t she?” The word ‘friend’ in Mando could be used both normally and ironically, which made it one of my favorites. “Hopefully, in the future my guards will be more trustworthy than the pirates sent to kill me.”

Ursa Wrenn stiffened at the accusation, raising her chin. “Is that her majesty’s opinion on me?”

I rolled my eyes. “Clear out one of the other holds,” I said in lieu of a reply. “I imagine we’ll want a private conversation.

Taallanes took a step forward, putting himself between me and Ursa. “It will be done, my queen.”

I gave him a nod and turned away.

The carrier had several holds, not the least of which because half the time they were hauling more slaves than fighters. Once it was clear, I settled onto a crate inside, tapping my fingers against another massive lump of phrik ore. With each beat, little flecks peeled off, almost visibly oxidizing while I waited.

It wasn’t long before Bo-Katan strode into the bay. She took one look at me before pulling off her helmet and moving to lean against the nearest wall.

“You wanted to see me?” she asked.

“That’s my line.” I straightened, folding my gauntleted hands in my lap. “Next time, don’t send Ursa Wren snooping behind my back.”

She folded her arms. “I’m just keeping tabs on your location.”

“My location?” I rose to my feet, pulling out my holocom. “You knewmy location. It was in the orders you signed off on.” I swiped across the control sector, pulling up a hyperspace map of our current location. “We’ve been pushing pirates down the Triellus trade route for the past six months. Did you suddenly think I’d abandon my command? Did you think the pirates would suddenly prove capable of resisting the first fleet? Is that why you’ve been keeping tabs on me, Bo?”

She shifted, having the decency to look embarrassed. “The pirates almost did prove organized enough to overcome you.”

I snorted. “Almost only counts for proton torpedoes.”

She remained silent for several seconds. “How long have you known?”

“Long enough.” I put my comm away. “Take Wren off the honor guard. I won’t have you spying on me.”

She jerked upright. “That would be seen as an insult.”

I raised my brow. “You mean, like being caught spying on a head of state might be seen as an insult?”

Bo-Katan’s brow drew into a sharp frown. “That is not the same.”

“No, it’s really not.” I shook my head, leaning into some of Lisa’s old techniques. “Because I have acted only in good faith, with the Mandalorian clans—of which I am now a part—and you continue to go behind my back, undermine my authority, and plant moles in my retinue.”

“Good faith?” Her glare deepened. “You have split the clans in two with your Naboo Mandalorians! You speak to me of ‘knowing your location,’ when my Deathwatch are sequestered into a small section of your military!”

“I asked if the clans should be integrated.” I spread my arms. “I was told that the new Mandalorians should form new clans. I asked if the Death Watch wanted to fold entirely into Naboo’s new military or remain apart, and received the same answer.” I tapped my knuckles against the Beskar breastplate I wore. “I defended the decisions made by our people. Now, half a decade on, you want to blame me for the results?”

She fumed silently, fingers clenching against her helmet.

When it became clear that she had no rebuttal, I leaned back, shaking my head in disbelief. “Ursa Wren will leave with you. I have more than enough Mando’ade watching my back without your little toady.”

She blew out a breath. “Sometimes, I detest you, my queen.”

I raised an eyebrow.

At length, Bo-Katan continued. “You always make your actions seem so obviousin hindsight; the results so clear. It reminds me of debating my sister.” Her face twisted. “She always knew the right words as well.”

“But?” I asked.

“But how am I to believe that, when your every action pushes me into a corner?”

A second eyebrow joined the first. “You think I’m going to depose you?” I ran a hand through my hair. “Are you on spice? You’d think my position on your leadership would be made clear when I never challenged you to an honor duel.”

A smirk ghosted over her lips. “You know that the Death Watch won’t follow you.”

“Bantha poodoo,” I shot back. “Maybe your Nite Owls would stay by your side, but the rest of Death Watch will follow the strongest, just like they always have. The Naboo Mandalorians likewise are loyal to the Tenants.”

With the furor of the converted. Christ, I never thought I’d be running a knock off version of the Fallen, but here we were.

“You couldn’t know that,” Bo replied. “That’s why you’ve snipped away at my position, because you were too afraid to challenge me directly.”

I paused at that.

“Bo.” I took a step forward. “When I was fourteen years old, we stormed a Lucrehulk together.” I took another step, putting us face to face. “Did I look scared then?”

Bo looked away.

“Do I look scared now?”

“…No,” she said. “No, you’re not afraid.”

“Unbelievable.” I shook my head. “I’ve changed my mind.”

Her gaze snapped back to mine. “What?”

“I won’t be ‘dishonoring’ Wren for spying on me. Instead, she called you hear on my suggestion in lieu of Jabba’s heavy handed assassination attempt.”

Bo’s face twisted into an expression of disbelief. “You mean to make meyour bodyguard?”

“Well, since you only seem to believe me when we’re face to face, I’ll be keeping you close enough to lay my eyes on.” I crossed my arms. “And weren’t you just complaining about being sequestered away?”

She searched my face for a long few seconds, before snorting and turning away. “This is another decision that only appears to favor me, isn’t it?”

“Oh?”

“I join your guard to keep an eye on you, my subordinate avoids dishonor, and you will include me in your council as you’ve so implied?”

“Haven’t I always valued your advice?” I replied.

She snorted. “This seems like a perfect answer to all my worries, and yet I can’t help but feel like I’ll regret this choice too.”

I shrugged. “Well, maybe you’ll stop forcing me into compromises that leave everyone unhappy.”

She leaned forward. “And this leaves you unhappy, how?”

I gave her a dry look. “I have to let a woman who’s admitted to spying on me into my honor guard.”

Bo pulled an amused expression at that. “I can see how that might be…disquieting.”

“Rather,” I replied. “Now get your stuff onto my ship.” I turned back to the cargo hold, taking in the piles of slowly corroding ore. “We have work to do.”

Bo-Katan followed my gaze, raising an eyebrow. “With…phrik?”