Always The Youngling

The Storm

Luna had always been fascinated by flight. It was not unusual to catch her watching the clouds as they flew by.
"Malady, we're about to land." Captain Typho spoke to Padme. Padme had been watching her sister, completely ignoring her surroundings. She turned back to him quickly.
"Yes?" She asked. Typho couldn't help but smile. The two sisters had an unmistakable bond, they'd been inseparable from the time of Luna's birth.
"We are about to land, Senator. Please, keep your head up, things could be a bit rough." Typho told her. Their plan had been to arrive at an airport to separate into ships, the assassins would not think of this move, they would assume she would traveling as she is now. Her decoy was set to arrive the same time as her.
"Cordé is right on schedule, malady." Typho informed Padme. Luna set back into her seat and looked down to her hands. They were shaking. The assassination attempts on both of their lives had been seemingly impossible to avoid.
"Good, maybe this vote in the senate will be short. I duly hope to see my sister be coronated tomorrow." Padme winked at Luna, causing Luna to look down and blush at the attention. Luna had just turned eighteen, she'd been training to become Queen for as long as Padme had been a senator.
"I sincerely hope no one tries to blow us up today." Luna twiddled her fingers and half smiled at Padme.
"It's been a long while since we've been on Corascunt." Padme looks out to see the ships awaiting them.
"We have no time to waste." Typho unlocked the loading door and ushered them out. Luna looked over to see Artoo in one ship.
"Go, Luna. I'll take this one." Padme told Luna. Luna nodded and ran to get inside. Her eyes grew wide as she realized she was going to be flying somewhere other than Naboo.
"Okay, calm down. You've flown a million times before, this is nothing different." She told herself as she slipped on her communication helmet.
"Let us leave." Typho spoke into their helmets. Luna strapped herself in and nodded to herself.
"Okay, Artoo, let's head to the landing strip." She told the droid, he beeped and turned the ship on auto-pilot.
From her left, she could see the landing strip through the cloud cover. It had been an awfully gloomy day, something she disliked about this place.
Once they landed, Luna stepped out of her ship fast to head towards Cordé, but Typho held his hand out to stop her. The ship had just let its doors down.
"We made it, I guess I was wrong. There was no danger after all." Typho informed the two girls. Padme in a red pilots outfit, Luna in a silver one.
The ramp on Padme's ship lowered and allowed Cordé followed by several guards to walk out, when she stepped foot onto the edge of the ramp, it exploded before their eyes.
"CORDE!" Luna yelled and ran toward her friend.
Artoo rolled toward the wreckage behind them while Padme held her sister back.
"Cordé..." she whispered softly. Her emotions all over the place seeing her friend killed. Padme held Cordé in her arms and Luna pushed her hair away from her face.
"I'm so sorry...malady, I'm not sure...I've failed you, senator, your highness." Cordé tried to explain, but she fell limp in Padme's arms. Luna cried for her dead friend and Padme only held her.
"No.." Padme whispered, hugging Cordé tightly.
"Malady, your highness, you both are still in danger here." Typho grabbed Padme's arm and Luna's at the same time. They both stood up and looked to Typho for guidance.
"I shouldn't have come back." Padme said, tears welling in her eyes. Luna grabbed Padme's hand and felt tears of her own slipping from her eyes.
"This vote is very important. You both did your duty, Cordé did hers. Now come." They both stood in the same spot, staring at their dead friend.
"Senator Amidala, Please!" He asked. Padme sighed and pulled her sister with her. Artoo followed behind them, with whimpers of his own.

The Senate seemed to be in chaos of some sort as they arrived. Padme shook her head and led her sister into the chamber.
"Must I remind the Senator from Malastare that negotiations are continuing with the separatists. Peace is our objective here, not war." Luna recognized the elderly man as Chancellor Palpatine. Jar Jar and Typho surrounded the two ladies, along with her trusted colleague, Dorme. They moved the senator's pod into the center, to show she was not assassinated in the attempt.
"My noble colleagues, I concur with the Supreme Chancellor. At all costs, we do not want war!" Padme erupted into the chamber. The chaos around her seemed to stop, until applause floored the room.
"It is with great surprise and joy, the chair recognizes the senator from Naboo, Padmé Amidala, along with the princess." Chancellor Palpatine spoke to them. Luna smiled softly at the man and looked away to see surprised faces from many people.
"Less than an hour ago, an assassination attempt was made against my sister and I's life. One of my bodyguards and six others were ruthlessly and senselessly murdered. I was the target, but my sister, could have easily been in the crossfire. But most importantly, I believe this security measure before you was the target. I have led the opposition to build an army, but there is someone in this boy who will stop at nothing to assure its passage..." Padme explained to everyone in the senate about the events that defined her lovely morning. She grew annoyed and Luna watched in awe as she spoke to the people.
The people booed and disagreed with her, but Padme didn't give up. Luna smiled at her sister. She was the epitome of brave.
"I warn you, if you vote to create this army, war will follow. I have experienced the misery of war firsthand; I do not wish to do it again." She told them. Luna stood up to stand beside her sister, her royal crown sitting on her head. Padme nodded at her and continued.
"Wake up, Senators...you must wake up! If we offer the separatists violence, they can only show us violence in return! Many will lose their lives! All will lose their freedom! This decision could very well destroy the foundation of our great Republic. I pray you, do not let fear push you into this disastrous decision. Vote down this security measure, which is nothing less than a declaration of war! Does anyone here want that? I cannot believe they do." Luna clapped along with Typho and Jar Jar at her speech. Luna made a point to watch her sister in meetings and diplomacy matters, she wanted to be as moving and loyal to her people as she was.
"My motion to defer the vote must be dealt with first. That is the rule of law." A senator spoke out. Luna rolled her eyes and saw Padme do the same thing. She grinned at her sister.
"Due to the lateness of this hour and the seriousness of this motion, we will take up these matters tomorrow. Until then, the senate stands adjourned." Chancellor Palpatine told the room. Padme stood annoyed at her colleagues and shook her head.
"These people want a war. They don't want democracy, they are choosing violence. It is in my very nature to discourage it." Padme walked beside Luna and clasped their arms together. Jar and Typho followed behind them to give them space.
"They heard you Padme. You can't force anyone to change their mind. Their values and thoughts are already chosen before they walk into that room. Persuasiveness is hard in these times." Luna told her sister, trying to appease the anger she felt.
"I only hope to teach you the ways of the loyalists, sister, before we become nothing short of a memory." Padme and Luna reach the point of the Chancellor's quarters where a hologram is sent to allow them in.
Everyone stands as Padme and Luna enter the room. Palpatine smiled at the girls.
"Padme, your tragedy on the landing platform, terrible. With you, the force is strong...young senator, Princess..seeing you both alive brings warm feeling to my heart." Master Yoda told them. Luna smiled at him and he smiled back.
"Thank you Master Yoda. Do you have any idea who was behind the attack?" Padme asked. The room grew quiet and Luna stepped back a step. It was overwhelming being in the political standpoint of Padme's.
"Our intelligence points is to disgruntled spice miners, on the moons of Naboo." Mace Windu told Padme. Luna shook her head.
"There is no way they would want to kill Padme or I. There is no motive." Luna informed them. Mace Windu shook his head at her.
"But I think that Count Dooku was behind it." Padme told them, in a matter of fact, attitude. Luna agreed and walked over to her sister again.
"He is a political idealist, not a murderer." Another Jedi of the council spoke to the girls. Their arrogance filled the room and left Luna annoyed.
"You know, malady, Count Dooku was once a Jedi. He couldn't assassinate anyone, it's not in his character." Mace Windu told them girls. Luna was going to object, but Master Yoda filled them in.
"In dark times, nothing is what it appears to be, but the fact remains for certain, Senator, in grave danger the two of you are."
Chancellor Palpatine brightened up and walked to the window. He turned back to see them all watching him.
"Master Jedi, may I suggest that the Senator and her sister be placed under the protection of your graces?" The chancellor suggested to the Jedi in the room. Master Yoda nodded and Mace Windu disagreed.
"Do you think that is a wise decision during these stressful times?" The chancellor's assistant asked. Luna rolled her eyes. She wanted less security, not more of it.
"Chancellor, if I may comment, I do not believe the.." Padme started but was interrupted by Chancellor Palpatine.
"That the situation is that serious? No, but I do, Senator." He told her. Padme shrunk back, but never let her annoyance show through.
"Chancellor, please. I don't want any more guards! My sister and I have enough!" Padme told him. He smiled back at her and then looked to the Jedi.
"I realize all too well that additional security might be disruptive for you, but perhaps someone you are familiar with, an old friend, like Obi-Wan Kenobi?" He begged her. Padme was very dead set on having no more guards but she couldn't argue that she'd love to see him again.
"That's possible. He's just returned from a border dispute on Ansion." Mace Windu agreed with the chancellor. Familiarity would help the senator adjust to the security.
"You must remember you, malady. He watched over you during the blockade conflict." Chancellor Palpatine asked. He knew she remembered him. Luna remembered Padme telling her of him.
"This is not necessary, Chancellor." Luna told him. He tsked and shook his finger. Padme gave her a look to stay quiet.
"Do it for me, malady, please. I will rest easier. The thought of losing you two, is unbearable." He begged of Padme, once again. She finally relented and nodded her head.
"I will have Obi-wan report to you immediately, malady, your highness." Mace Windu walked out before Yoda. Yoda leaned down to whisper to the girls.
"Too little you worry about yourself, senator. And too much you worry about politics. Be mindful of your danger, your sister and you, Padme. Accept our help." He told them. Luna nodded and smiled softly him. Padme did the same thing as they walked out together.
"I will have to call mother. It seems we have to push your coronation back." Padme sighed and grabbed her sister's hand.