"It's over, Gunray," Padme said as Gunray glared up at her. "You've lost. Now, deactivate the battle droids."
Something was different about Gunray to Vader. Oh, he could still feel the fear, the cowardice beneath the surface, but the Neimoidian was holding to his anger instead of begging for his life…for now, at least. Time would tell how long that would last, but it was already longer than Vader expected.
The Viceroy might have smirked, but it just came out as a bitter, pained snarl as he sat up, his back against the parapets. "So sure you've won, your majesty? So sure that I have nothing left?"
There was a brief tension in the air. One Vader vanquished, as he would Gunray's hopes. "Does anyone present have medical skills?"
There was a start through the group, all giving Vader uncertain looks. "I can't do anything for a human," Brannder answered simply.
"But we know a bit about Neimoidian if you need to rough him up some more," Rellen offered, nodding to Gunray.
He flinched under the implication of torture, but Vader shook his helm. "It is not for the Viceroy," he answered ominously, turning to Panaka. Wordlessly, a few of the Naboo slowly raised their hands.
"Vader, what is it? Are you injured?" Padme asked in bewilderment. The Sith certainly looked well to her eyes, but she knew from experience how well Vader could hide how injured he was.
Vader ignored her, for the moment. That was surprising enough to Panaka and even the Meres. The Sith turned his gaze meaningfully to Sabe. "There is a secret room in the hallway. You know which one. Gunray hid important prisoners there, in critical condition," he informed pointedly.
Her eyes widened and in that moment, Vader knew that she understood what was going on. "Follow me," Sabe said before the false Queen quickly left with an impromptu rescue team.
Gunray scowled. "So, you were faking death, just to save them? How unexpect-Guh!"
Many flinched, glancing uneasily between the choking Viceroy and Vader, whose hand grasped at the empty air.
"Vader."
Vader released his victim, Padme's voice every bit the queenly role she had mastered in her short reign.
"What is going on?"
There was a brief silence, as if Vader wouldn't answer. That wasn't true, of course. He just wasn't sure how to tell her. Perhaps it was best if he just did. "He captured your family," he answered, allowing the silence to engulf them. "Your sister lives. Your parents were wounded, left to die."
Padme hid her emotions well, as all eyes fell on her. Besides the distant look in her eyes and slight trembling in her form as she processed what she just heard, one might have believed her only to be in deep thought. But Vader was of the Force. He could feel it…hear it even; her shock, her denial, her rage, and her sorrow. A thousand and one mental curses flung at the Trade Federation, at Gunray, as she came to grips with what Vader had just said.
Gunray smirked, of all things, smirked from behind the queen.
Padme suddenly turned about, pointing her blaster pistol at Gunray's head.
No one spoke for a moment, Gunray flinching back. His breathing grew heavier as his fears shined through the cracks of his anger. His mouth moved, but he couldn't bring himself to speak.
Most of the Naboo looked shocked, conflicted even. But none, not even Panaka raised a voice against the potential execution in front of them. Brannder and Rellen actually looked pleased by the prospect.
Vader stared at her back and wondered, should he stop her? The Padme of his timeline would never have killed a defenseless prisoner, even one like Gunray. But he had no reason to try such a thing. If it was anyone else pointing the weapon, he might even be encouraging them to take the viceroy's life. And who was he to rob her of vengeance?
"D-d-d-deadman! Deadman switch!" Gunray finally blurted out.
That certainly had everyone's alarm and attention. Padme was still holding him at blaster point, but her finger was off the trigger. Vader narrowed his eyes. He didn't sense any danger from Gunray. Was this a bluff?
"T-the droids! I-I have platoons in e-every major city!" Gunray explained, voice trembling despite his attempt to act brave. "I-if I don't give the order, th-they will open fire on a-all citizens of Naboo in ten minutes!"
The Naboo all inhaled and cursed. Vader scowled, realizing it wasn't a lie; maybe an exaggeration, but not a lie. He had underestimated Gunray…or overestimated the importance of the past timeline. Without Sidious and Maul here, Gunray either turned craven or turned desperate. And for whatever reason, the worm had turned desperate.
"Is that really a Deadman's switch though?" Rellen muttered to himself.
Gunray smirked. It was trembling, but it was there. "H-how many bodies do you want under the throne when you t-take it back?"
Padme's grip on the blaster grew tight, her knuckles white as she resisted the temptation to shoot him now.
"That is only a threat," Vader stated firmly, drawing Padme's attention off the viceroy for a moment. "So long as you have a command ship to control the droids." Gunray went silent, observing as Vader produced a communicator. "Slave II, this is Vader. Respond."
It took a moment of static and interference before a voice answered. "Lord Vader, this is Boba Fett. Any chance you have the Viceroy?"
"Yes, but there has been a complication. What is the status of your front?" Vader inquired, letting all present hear it.
Boba's tone was professional but wary from battle. "I have good news and bad news. Two of the Lucrehulks are down, and our communications are unblocked. The Bad news? Clankers crashed one of the Lucrehulks into the Clamator."
"Wait, really?" Rellen asked in surprise, voicing many thoughts.
Including Vader's own. Lucrehulks weren't fast. Was the proto-type Clamator just that slow of a vessel that it couldn't outmaneuver an incoming behemoth? It didn't really matter how, not right now.
"The ship survived, got away before it got destroyed. Cifo says the casualties are minimal, but the Clamator isn't battle-worthy. I used up most of my tricks taking out the two ships, and we lost too many fighters," Boba explained grimly. "We don't have the firepower here to take out the last Lucrehulk, Lord Vader."
"Very well," Vader acknowledged, unphased and calm. "Have the remaining ships return to the Clamator. Guard it if you can, have those aboard abandon it if not."
"Yes, Lord Vader," Boba answered before the hologram flickered away.
"Even if we had the time, what do you think the chances are your cities will be able to deal with those droids?" Brannder asked grimly, glancing between Panaka and Padme.
The Queen remained silent, prompting her captain to answer. "The Trade Federation had every city secured, and most of the active resistance is here. In most places, there'll be a massacre before anyone can even have the chance to fight back," Panaka answered solemnly, glaring at Gunray.
"Okay, torture time it is," Rellen said, cracking his collar bones as he hefted up the scorched rifle, holding it by the barrel.
"Wait," Padme said sharply.
Rellen sighed. "Look, Queen, I understand you want to be civilized about this, but-"
The mere was abruptly silenced as Padme shot Gunray below the waist. The Neimoidian gasped loudly, causing many to look on in shock.
"-that is a fair point," Rellen accepted, his shock turning to grim amusement as he looked down at the terrified Gunray; Terrified, but not in pain. "Looks like you missed though."
"It's a bit hard to tell where his legs are, with those robes," Padme retorted coldly. "Should I keep shooting, Gunray? I imagine your clothes will start catching fire soon."
"You...you're bluffing," Gunray denied, but without bravado or belief.
Padme fired again, and hit only robes again, but Gunray nearly jumped over the balcony, screaming in fear.
"M-maybe I sp-spoke too rashly, Yo-your Highness," Gunray stammered, trying and failing to smile in a placating manner. "I'm s-sure we can come to an amicable arr-"
Padme shoot again.
And the third time was the charm.
The blood-wrenching scream of pain was unlike the fearful gasps, more bone-chilling and primal. Gunray held his left knee, breathing heavily and labored.
"You shot me! You-" Gunray exclaimed, only to fall dreadfully silent as a crouching Padme leveled the weapon at his forehead, pressing it to his temple.
"This is my offer, Viceroy," Padme said, her voice chilled as if by the winds of Hoth. "Your surrender, for your life."
He trembled as he stared into her eyes, as if just now realizing how close he was to dying.
"You asked how many my people's bodies I want under my throne, Gunray," Padme said lowly. "If there must be more to the pile, I'll place yours atop them all."
"Amidala."
All eyes fell onto the Sith Lord. She peered up at him, accusingly wondering just why, oh why had he stopped her?
But he wasn't looking at her, at any of them. He was looking out over the balcony. Brannder followed his gaze, eyes narrowing. "Is that what I think it is?" Brannder asked idly, hefting up his rifle scope to look out at something.
"What is it? What do you see?" Panaka asked in concern.
"The droids, those stuck on the bridge," Brannder said with a scowl as he turned away. "They've stopped."
"What?" Rellen asked in bewilderment as he came forward. "Are you sure it's not just the ones the boulders broke?"
"No," Vader answered. "The droids are deactivated."
"But how?" Rellen asked. "The Mandalorian just said they didn't have enough to take it on."
"Maybe the Duke sent back up?" Brander mused, glancing at Vader. "Can you contact any of the others?"
Vader brought out his communicator once more. No hologram formed this time, but a voice did come through. "Hello? This is Sol Sixxa, whose broadcasting?"
"Sir, it's us, Rellen and Brannder," the mere answered, a touch of relief in his voice. "Do you have a sighting on the droids?"
"You mean if they are deactivated? Because they are," Sixxa answered. "What's the situation?"
"We have the Viceroy, but we thought the final Lucrehulk couldn't be destroyed," Rellen answered, sharing confused if not relieved looks with the humans present.
"Well, apparently you thought wrong," Sixxa remarked. "We're dealing with the wounded now."
"We will be joining you shortly," Vader interrupted before turning off the communicator. The meres frowned at the abrupt end to the conversation, but the Sith Lord ignored them as he turned to Padme.
Who was still holding a blaster to Gunray's head.
"Captain, I think your men might be needed elsewhere," Brannder remarked stoically.
Many bristled at what he was implying. Perhaps even Padme herself.
"Wait! Wait! I surrender!" Gunray pleaded, his voice melting into pathetic sobs. "I surrender, I surrender, I surrender..."
"He's right, Panaka," Padme said evenly, turning to her captain. "Have them head to the courtyard."
Gunray trembled, his pleading becoming unintelligible. Panaka kept his expression neutral as he slowly nodded, looking at the other Naboo fighters present. Some were deeply troubled, the others keeping their emotions to themselves, but all parties slowly headed down the stairs.
"And take the Viceroy with you."
By the glance off his helmet, perhaps even Vader himself was a bit surprised by Padme's words as she slowly stood up and lowered her weapon.
"If he tries anything, or the droids reactivate, you have my permission and my order to execute him," Padme finished as she stepped away from the Neimoidian, who was staring at her in disbelief, relief and a million other emotions as he struggled to not pass out.
Some might have been disappointed, but most relaxed or appeared proud to hear those words. Two officers grasped the Trade Federation leader by the arms, forcing him to his feet and to limp forward with their help.
Soon, the only ones remaining were Padme, Panaka, the meres, and Vader himself.
Padme sighed softly as she looked out over the balcony. "Go."
There was no need to specify who was to leave.
Brannder nodded in respect as he left with Rellen. Panaka lingered for a moment before nodding to both the Queen and the Sith.
Silence came over the two, heavy and filled with too many emotions to count. "I would have killed him. Another second and I would have pulled the trigger," Padme said, her voice hollow.
"Yes, you would have," Vader acknowledged and confirmed.
"Why did you stop me?" Padme all but demanded.
"I did not stop you," Vader denied. "You stopped yourself."
Padme turned to glare at him with tears shining in her eyes. "You knew I would stop."
"I did," he agreed calmly. "Would you rather have killed him in ignorance?"
She trembled, and Vader couldn't tell if she was about to cry or scream.
"Is..." she stopped, taking a deep breath. "Is it over? Really?"
"I believe it is, yes."
Padme nodded slowly, her rage leaving and what was left was only a great feeling of exhaustion and sadness. "Are my parents still...?"
Vader paused, reaching out through the force for the answer. "For now."
Padme frowned at his meaning. "Take me to them. Now."
Vader turned with a billow of his cloak and descended the stairs with Padme trailing behind him.
Try as she might, the Queen of Naboo could not clear her mind. She should be thinking about her planet, her people. They had all gone through a terrible crisis because of this occupation. They would need to act fast to keep the death toll from needlessly growing. But she couldn't focus on that. She hadn't been thinking about that at all while she was prepared to execute Gunray.
Her parents were hurt, and likely dying. That was all she could think about, then and now. Gunray had figured out who her family was. Taking them captive was one thing but leaving them to suffer a cruel, agonizing death with her sister forced to watch?
Why? What was the point? What did it gain Gunray to inflict such pointless cruelty?
Black invaded her vision as she unwittingly walked right into Vader's chest, forcing her back to the here and now.
She looked up and frowned at the cyborg, his breathing blocking out all other noises that may or may not exist in the palace.
"They are down this hall," he said, briefly glancing over his shoulder. "Are you prepared?"
The question was softer than she expected…maybe softer than he expected as well.
Padme swallowed everything; the hate, the rage, the confusion, and clung to the sorrow and desperation to see her family again. If this was their last moment, she wanted it to count.
She walked past him without a word. Vader rounded the corner but did not follow.
The hidden door was open, making it easy for Padme to find. She numbly recalled with bitter irony that this was a secret room for the government to meet in times of crisis.
Such useless trivia vanished as she was brought into a fierce hug. She recognized her sister's embrace in an instant and returned it on instinct. Her eyes roamed the room. There were much more people in here than she expected. Sabe she numbly recognized. Her face was hopeful, her smile relieved. There were others, and not all of them were soldiers.
But the world seemed to vanish around her as her sight rested on two bodies on the floor.
Sola released her and followed as Padme came over to their side. She didn't even remember kneeling down, taking in every detail of them. She was the youngest queen in Naboo's history. Her parents were still young, only the thinnest signs of age showing on their faces, in their hairs. Her father had spent years as a builder, but by a strange quirk of fate, her mother had more scars to show for it. While his hands bore a cut here and a few scratches after years of helping build a new village, her mother's scars were from the occasional kitchen accident. Soups or utensils that had gotten too hot, during days too busy helping those homeless and in need.
Two more compassionate souls would be hard to find. That was what Padme believed. Never once did they care about the fame or novelty of their daughter being queen. They were worried about her running from the beginning. They only came around to the idea of her nomination because of...
Because of Palpatine. How much circled back to him?
Why did they have to suffer like this, being sent to such a barbaric, atrocious death?
She blinked. She knew people were talking to her, but she couldn't hear them. It was like she was deep in a sea, and they calling from the surface. Her gaze traced up as she latched onto a noise. Not a voice, a noise; a mechanical one. Her eyes trailed up until she realized she was looking at a droid.
Not a battle droid, but still a droid. And one she recognized.
"Hello again, Fleshling," L47 greeted, injecting something into her father's arm.
"L47?" she said, blinking as if he was an illusion that might vanish. "What are you doing here...?"
"My primary objective is to stabilize your progenitors," L47 answered simply. "If that fails, my secondary objective is to make their termination as painless as possible."
She blinked, hard, trying to force herself to process everything. "How did you get here...?"
"I was brought here," he answered, as if it was obvious and needed no elaboration.
"The Neimoidian helped us find him, Your Highness."
Vaguely realizing her sister was at her side, Padme looked up at the people around them. Some of them were the soldiers that had come here with Sabe, but others she didn't recognize. But the way a couple of them were dressed...
"Gunray took them prisoner, as hostages," Sola's voice flowed into her ear. "A Neimoidian freed them and led the rest outside. They wanted to hide here until they knew it was safe outside."
Padme nodded slowly, looking down at her parents again. "Will they...?"
"We're doing all we can, Your Highness," one of the soldiers said, kneeling next to L47's side and following the droids medical instructions. "They're not critical for now, but they need a proper medical facility if they're going to survive."
"Thank you," Padme whispered, instinctively squeezing Sola's hand while looking down at her parents. They were unconscious. There was nothing she could say to them, no final words they might share with her. Still..."I love you both."
Everyone remained respectfully silent as the Queen addressed her parents. The moment passed as she turned and pulled Sola into a hug again.
She spoke low enough so only her sister could hear. "I'm so sorry that I let this happen."
Before Sola could respond, Padme broke the embrace and stood, heading to the exit. She didn't look back, knowing she might break down completely if she did.
She leaned against the wall next to the passage, taking a long and trembling breath. She just had to hold herself together a bit longer.
She frowned and looked to the side, seeing that Vader was standing at the other side of the frame, glancing at her. Silently, even his breathing was muted. For a moment, they just gazed at each other.
Then Vader moved, with purpose as he always did. Once he passed her, his breathing returned to normal.
Padme followed, this time keeping pace with the Sith Lord.
"The courtyard?" she prompted firmly.
"I assumed as much," Vader acknowledged. "...The Neimoidian?"
Padme halted abruptly, recalling what had been said to her, before matching Vader's speed once more. "It wouldn't have been Gunray. And Cifo couldn't have come down here so quickly."
"Or locate the prison cells," Vader added in agreement. "Those are not the only Neimoidian-"
It was interesting that Vader cut himself off, enough to warrant Padme's concern. "What is it?"
"...Something is happening with Gunray," he answered vaguely. "Tread carefully, Amidala."
With that, he was gone. Padme froze in surprise, witnessing the black blur that Vader became. Like a living shadow, he was down the hall in mere seconds. She wasn't even sure if he ran or outright glided to his destination. She had heard of the Jedi using the Force to move at great speed, but that was the first she had seen it in person.
Thankful that her weapon was still on her belt, she rushed to catch up with him, rounding the front archway slowly.
Outside, the courtyard was being cleared of debris and droids, the soldiers using it as a base of operations and setting up a make-shift medical site for the injured. The AATs were still there, their ruined husks immobile and too weighty to be dealt with.
She looked out over her people, her city. There was no more blaster fire or screams or marching droids. It was over. They had won.
She was nearly thrown back by the cheer that greeted her as the soldiers and resistance members noticed her arrival. Many cried out in celebration, others saluted enthusiastically and some just smiled.
"Amidala! Amidala!" came the chanting. She wasn't sure what to do. She couldn't give a speech; she didn't have it in her. But she didn't need one, she believed. Instead, she raised a clenched fist of victory, sharing in the moment with those that had defended Naboo with their lives. That only made them cheer louder for a moment.
She absently noticed Vader to one side, observing it all like a titavian daring prey to show itself. He caught her glance, because he nodded, as subtly as he could, towards one side of the group, off to Padme's left.
With that, she moved in that direction, everyone returning to their tasks now that the moment had passed. The small crowd made way as if knowing why she was here. She was only a bit surprised to see Sol Sixxa had joined the other two meres. The three aliens nodded in greeting to her before glancing down.
Down at Gunray.
He was dead, shot to the throat with a blaster, and leaned against a column on the steps of the palace. There wasn't a single face sad at his untimely passing
"What happened?" she asked with a frown.
"I guess Gunray was a bad boss," Sixxa remarked, glancing down the steps, prompting the others to do so.
There, sitting on the wreck of a federation tank, was a Neimoidian. Padme recognized him but furrowed her brow as it took a moment to find the name of Gunray's right hand. "Rune Haako?"
"He helped some prisoners escape, and helped them get a medical droid to two that were injured," Sixxa answered casually. "Gunray heard that, and he tried to lunge at Rune."
"And someone shot him," Padme summarized.
Sixxa smirked now, holding up a very small, very concealable blaster pistol. "Rune did. Claims he didn't realize Gunray was already injured."
Padme looked to Rune, who was watching her with what she could best guess to be a tired expression. Neimoidians weren't easy to read when they weren't being angry or cowardly.
She almost felt robbed for a moment, having spared Gunray only for Rune to kill him not even an hour later. But that took a backseat to what was said. This Neimoidian had defied Gunray, helped save her captive people, and...and he was the reason her parents might just survive this.
Without another word, she approached Rune, but she could feel many eyes watching her. Vader's included.
The Neimoidian raised his head a bit as he realized she was coming toward him. "Your highness," he greeted civilly.
"I don't believe I ever got your title, Rune Haako?" she returned in the same.
"Settlement Officer," he answered, almost automatically. It probably wasn't the first time someone asked him that. "Congratulations on your victory."
Padme nodded in acceptance. "Thank you, for your help."
Rune nodded slowly "Your parents live?"
Padme nodded again, a bit more harshly. "Why?"
Rune shook his head. "I have no answers for you, Queen of Naboo. Gunray was growing increasingly erratic and kept more secrets from me. I was surprised he did that myself."
She believed him, for the most part. "Secrets like Sidious?" she asked pointedly.
Rune chuckled emptily at that. "No. Gunray couldn't have kept that secret from me if he tried," he answered, glancing behind Padme. She imagined Vader. "I take it Darth Sidious is truly dead?"
"Yes, Senator Palpatine is," she answered pointedly.
Rune processed that, his shock melting to tired frustration. "...I knew trusting him was a bad idea," Rune grumbled, more to himself than her. "Well, what now?"
"You're a prisoner for now. Beyond that, I imagine we'll need to discuss that at a later time," Padme said solemnly. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me?"
"Yes," Rune said, reaching into his robe. He almost smiled as Padme's hand inched towards her blaster. "Fret not. This is more a weapon for you, than myself."
Padme eyed him cautiously as the Neimoidian pulled a small, rectangular device. He held it up and pressed a button.
A strange series of throaty noises came from the device, getting many strange looks.
"Wait a minute."
Padme glanced behind herself, seeing Sol Sixxa peering at Rune with suspicion and something approaching awe.
"That's Pak-Pak," the mere recognized.
Rune nodded, placing the device down next to himself. "It's a recording of my voice. With my emergency shutoff command for the droids. Any that hear it will automatically turn off."