Surrender Ch. 4: Naboo Royal Starship (Part 1: Are We There Yet?)
Queen Jamillia's starship blasted through hyperspace. Aboard were several pieces of expensive luggage, two droids, pilot Ric Olié, Jedi padawan Anakin Skywalker, and Naboo Senator Padmé Amidala. The Senator's own official cruiser had been destroyed upon her arrival on Coruscant more than a week ago; her private yacht had been lost on Geonosis. The last time she had flown to Naboo it had been aboard a public transport, disguised as a refugee. The Queen, however, would hear of no such thing this time, and had sent her own private ship to carry the wayward Senator home.
Padmé had instructed her security chief and handmaiden to remain on Coruscant for a few days at least, and travel back to Naboo separately. The official reason given was to act as decoys, hiding the fact that she had left the capital from the public and the press. Dormé and Typho saw it as the Senator's way of giving the two of them time alone together without having to worry about watching over her. Padmé had indeed had this in mind, but she also knew that this was an opportunity for her to be alone with Anakin. Truthfully, Captain Typho at first protested the arrangement. He didn't trust Anakin, harboring the notion that he'd led Naboo's beloved Amidala into danger by bringing her to Geonosis, no matter how many times Padmé explained to him that it had been the other way around. It took Dormé over an hour to convince him that everything would be fine, and Padmé suspected that he had still given Anakin a stern talking-to before he'd let him board the ship.
Anakin had been excited to see Ric Olié again. The pilot was older than he'd been when he had flown them through the blockade of Naboo ten years ago and had led the Bravo flight to knock out the Trade Federation's flagship, but his eyes still twinkled with a keen sense of adventure. The two men were in the cockpit now, Olié showing Anakin the modifications that had been made to the Nubian vessel since the day he'd first shown him the controls. Padmé took the opportunity to send a holo to her family.
"We'll be coming out of hyperspace soon, Dad."
"Good." The miniature image of Ruwee Naberrie smiled at his daughter. "Should we expect you for dinner, or do you have business in Theed tonight?"
"I'll be in Theed this afternoon, but I thought I'd spend the night at Varykino. I left a lot of my things there. I'd like to get them." Padmé braced herself for her father's disappointment, but Ruwee only nodded.
"I understand. Varykino does have such a soothing effect on the soul. I think it's a good idea." He raised an eyebrow. "Although this does leave me in the difficult position of having to explain your delayed arrival to your mother."
Padmé smiled. "I'm sorry."
"Oh, I'll manage. Don't work too hard."
"I won't," she said, for once meaning it.
"See you soon, ami tipasimé."
"See you soon, Dad." The holo clicked off.
Ami tipasimé, "my beloved little girl" in the old Naboo language. He must be as glad about her homecoming as she herself was—and he must have picked up on her happiness. He couldn't have missed it.
She had left Coruscant still thinking about the war, about her own involvement, about what the holonet was saying—because she had seen it now. But as they flew through hyperspace, all of that seemed to drop away. Maybe it was because nothing could reach her in hyperspace, she was completely cut off from the rest of the galaxy. She was isolated in this small pocket of peace, of calm, of intimate joy, just Ric Olié, the two droids, herself, and Anakin.
Maybe Anakin was the reason for her happiness. For the past hours they'd sat here, just the two of them, joking and laughing, then sometimes talking seriously, then again sitting in comfortable silence, holding hands. She was starting to feel like Padmé again, something she hadn't felt since arriving back on Coruscant after the battle. Separated in hyperspace from the cares and concerns of the galaxy and all the things that in most conditions kept them apart, they had come to know the sweetness of being in love, rather than just the pain. The only other place Padmé knew of that could make her feel like nothing else existed was Varykino. And that was where they were going.
There they would hold onto this feeling as long as possible, spending the days in the meadows and by the lake. She could take him to the island where the old man had made things out of glass. And at night… she felt a flutter of nervousness… why not, if they were alone together and the world couldn’t reach them? If they could make themselves forget about the rest of the galaxy together in the night… why not? They hadn’t spoken of it, but at times when they kissed the desire because almost more than they could bear.
With anyone other than Anakin Skywalker, she wouldn’t even be considering such things. Yet with Anakin she felt safe, and she could no longer doubt that he truly loved her. For a time she’d been anxious that he loved her too much, depended on her too much, wanted more than she, or anyone, could give. Could he recognize the importance of other things, other people? The whole galaxy would be depending on him, soon enough, to fight for its freedom, just as it depended on her in the Senate. But then she’d remembered Geonosis, and how she had been thrown from the clone transport onto the desert. They had been following Count Dooku, been given a chance to put an end to the violence quickly. When she had fallen out, the transport had gone on. He didn’t come back for me. He had not jeopardized the future of the galaxy simply for her sake. And realizing this, for the first time, she’d thought, This could work.
It would be hard, the secrets, the deception, but perhaps it would somehow work. And tonight at Varykino, perhaps…
Occupied with these thoughts, exciting thoughts she’d never really had before, Padmé did not notice Anakin walking up behind her. When he wrapped his arms around her, she jumped, startled, and he broke into laughter.
“Anakin!” She spun around to face him.
“Who did you think it was? Olié? Threepio? Ar--”
She silenced him with a long, deep kiss.
As they broke apart, the warning bell sounded to alert them that the ship was coming out of hyperspace.
Star Wars is the property of Geroge Lucas and Lucasfilm. I mean no infringement and make no profit. Please do not copy or republish Erin's work without her express written permission. Thank you!
Padmé had instructed her security chief and handmaiden to remain on Coruscant for a few days at least, and travel back to Naboo separately. The official reason given was to act as decoys, hiding the fact that she had left the capital from the public and the press. Dormé and Typho saw it as the Senator's way of giving the two of them time alone together without having to worry about watching over her. Padmé had indeed had this in mind, but she also knew that this was an opportunity for her to be alone with Anakin. Truthfully, Captain Typho at first protested the arrangement. He didn't trust Anakin, harboring the notion that he'd led Naboo's beloved Amidala into danger by bringing her to Geonosis, no matter how many times Padmé explained to him that it had been the other way around. It took Dormé over an hour to convince him that everything would be fine, and Padmé suspected that he had still given Anakin a stern talking-to before he'd let him board the ship.
Anakin had been excited to see Ric Olié again. The pilot was older than he'd been when he had flown them through the blockade of Naboo ten years ago and had led the Bravo flight to knock out the Trade Federation's flagship, but his eyes still twinkled with a keen sense of adventure. The two men were in the cockpit now, Olié showing Anakin the modifications that had been made to the Nubian vessel since the day he'd first shown him the controls. Padmé took the opportunity to send a holo to her family.
"We'll be coming out of hyperspace soon, Dad."
"Good." The miniature image of Ruwee Naberrie smiled at his daughter. "Should we expect you for dinner, or do you have business in Theed tonight?"
"I'll be in Theed this afternoon, but I thought I'd spend the night at Varykino. I left a lot of my things there. I'd like to get them." Padmé braced herself for her father's disappointment, but Ruwee only nodded.
"I understand. Varykino does have such a soothing effect on the soul. I think it's a good idea." He raised an eyebrow. "Although this does leave me in the difficult position of having to explain your delayed arrival to your mother."
Padmé smiled. "I'm sorry."
"Oh, I'll manage. Don't work too hard."
"I won't," she said, for once meaning it.
"See you soon, ami tipasimé."
"See you soon, Dad." The holo clicked off.
Ami tipasimé, "my beloved little girl" in the old Naboo language. He must be as glad about her homecoming as she herself was—and he must have picked up on her happiness. He couldn't have missed it.
She had left Coruscant still thinking about the war, about her own involvement, about what the holonet was saying—because she had seen it now. But as they flew through hyperspace, all of that seemed to drop away. Maybe it was because nothing could reach her in hyperspace, she was completely cut off from the rest of the galaxy. She was isolated in this small pocket of peace, of calm, of intimate joy, just Ric Olié, the two droids, herself, and Anakin.
Maybe Anakin was the reason for her happiness. For the past hours they'd sat here, just the two of them, joking and laughing, then sometimes talking seriously, then again sitting in comfortable silence, holding hands. She was starting to feel like Padmé again, something she hadn't felt since arriving back on Coruscant after the battle. Separated in hyperspace from the cares and concerns of the galaxy and all the things that in most conditions kept them apart, they had come to know the sweetness of being in love, rather than just the pain. The only other place Padmé knew of that could make her feel like nothing else existed was Varykino. And that was where they were going.
There they would hold onto this feeling as long as possible, spending the days in the meadows and by the lake. She could take him to the island where the old man had made things out of glass. And at night… she felt a flutter of nervousness… why not, if they were alone together and the world couldn’t reach them? If they could make themselves forget about the rest of the galaxy together in the night… why not? They hadn’t spoken of it, but at times when they kissed the desire because almost more than they could bear.
With anyone other than Anakin Skywalker, she wouldn’t even be considering such things. Yet with Anakin she felt safe, and she could no longer doubt that he truly loved her. For a time she’d been anxious that he loved her too much, depended on her too much, wanted more than she, or anyone, could give. Could he recognize the importance of other things, other people? The whole galaxy would be depending on him, soon enough, to fight for its freedom, just as it depended on her in the Senate. But then she’d remembered Geonosis, and how she had been thrown from the clone transport onto the desert. They had been following Count Dooku, been given a chance to put an end to the violence quickly. When she had fallen out, the transport had gone on. He didn’t come back for me. He had not jeopardized the future of the galaxy simply for her sake. And realizing this, for the first time, she’d thought, This could work.
It would be hard, the secrets, the deception, but perhaps it would somehow work. And tonight at Varykino, perhaps…
Occupied with these thoughts, exciting thoughts she’d never really had before, Padmé did not notice Anakin walking up behind her. When he wrapped his arms around her, she jumped, startled, and he broke into laughter.
“Anakin!” She spun around to face him.
“Who did you think it was? Olié? Threepio? Ar--”
She silenced him with a long, deep kiss.
As they broke apart, the warning bell sounded to alert them that the ship was coming out of hyperspace.
Star Wars is the property of Geroge Lucas and Lucasfilm. I mean no infringement and make no profit. Please do not copy or republish Erin's work without her express written permission. Thank you!
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