DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognisable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.Portions of the dialog were taken from "The Phantom Menace" (written by George Lucas).
THREE YEARS HAVE PASSED AND THERE IS GREAT STRESS AMONG THE WORLDS OF THE REPUBLIC. AFTER THE DEALING WITH "THE NABOO FORAY" AS THE INCIDENT IS CALLED, SENATOR PALPATINE HAS BEEN SUSPECT TO INVESTIGATION FOR HIS DEALINGS IN MAKING THE COUNTERATTACK LEGAL. IT IS SUSPECTED THAT HE WILL BE FORCED OUT OF THE SENATE, THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS BEEN DONE IN 200 YEARS.
STRANGE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE LIVES OF BAIL ORGANA OF ALDERAAN, RASFA HNOAR OF IAGO, AND OTHER KEY SENATORS. JEDI KNIGHTS QUI-GON JINN AND OBI-WAN KENOBI, AND THEIR PADAWAN ANAKIN SKYWALKER ARE SENT TO GUARD THE LIFE OF SUPREME CHANCELLOR VALORUM, ALSO SECRETLY TO DISCOVER THE TRUE MEANING OF THESE ATTACKS AND PREVENT THEM...
Padmé shook her head. "The Senator, leaving office? There is no way that I can accept that. The actions were my own and I must pay for them."
Qui-Gon Jinn stood next to her, looking out over the skylines of Coruscant. The Queen had come to the central world to possibly stand in for the Naboo Senate box, if the move was needed.
"I have reason to believe that the Senator's conduct was not only done on your beseeching of him to protect your world, but that he also had some...ulterior...motivation."
"What do you mean, Master Jinn?"
"He added some clauses in the bill passed for legality that allow some extra power to be bestowed on himself." Qui-Gon paused, determining his next words carefully.
"I am not certain if your coming here was a safe move. I know you and your handmaidens can protect yourselves, but these assassination attempts have become closer and closer to fatal. There is also something behind all this, something more large and fearless than a usual anarchist group."
Padmé nodded, her face sober. "Thank you for your advice. We will proceed in caution."
The Senate outer chambers were filled with the spectators waiting for the final decision to be made regarding Senator Palpatine. Among them were Padmé, dressed in full regalia, her handmaidens Rabé and Sadé, General Jar Jar Binks as a Gungan representative, and of course Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Anakin. The mood was dreary, however in their minds the two Jedi Knights had an idea of what was really happening behind the realm of what is seen.
A messenger ran past the waiting group and into the Senate chamber. "War!" he howled.
"What?!" Padmé looked at the Jedi in terror.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan looked at each other. "I did not expect this so soon," Qui-Gon said with relative calm compared to the pandemonium in the Senate rooms and in all the Republic.
"Expect what?" Padmé said with shock.
"The Jedi Council had foreseen this happening. There was nothing they could do, it being the course of things."
"COURSE OF THINGS? WAR?" Padmé said in rage. "Blast them to all hell! The Republic is in shambles as it is, and any war, of any magnitude will be it's destruction. They must realize that."
"There is nothing we can do. We Jedi will be pressed into service, all of us and you, Your Highness, must prepare your world and all of your fighters. I daresay there will be a Council for this and to prepare." Obi-Wan looked pained as he looked at the Queen and all of her handmaidens, especially at Sadé, the lookalike and decoy.
"What of Palpatine?" Padmé looked as though she would fall apart, a change from her usual ways. "His trial will be held in due course." Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan looked a little dubious, something that Padmé didn't notice.
THE WAR BRINGS MANY CHANGES TO THE REPUBLIC. THE SOLDIERS WHO THE ARMIES MEET ARE ALL IDENTICAL AND SEEM TO BE STRONGER THAN AVERAGE. THE SENATE DECLARES THAT ALL CAPABLE FIGHTERS MUST BE SUMMONED TO THE ARMY. PADMÉ RELUCTANTLY SENDS NABOO'S FORCES, BUT THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES SURPRISINGLY SENT TO BATTLE...