When Destinies Meet, part 1: In the wake of discovery

Author's Note:
And I'm baaack! *g* With a slightly longer chapter, and an introductional little thingie that tells a bit more about this story. I should have posted it in the Prologue, but I forgot. Heh. Anyway..
All the in-dept information about Naboo and the Trade Federation comes from http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page, which is a REALLY cool site. All the dialogue that you recognise from TPM (The Phantom Menace - we'll be using the short names from now on) belongs to George Lucas. The name 'Elana Oriana' belongs to me.


Fandom: Alternate Universe/Lord of the Rings
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Queen Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Arwen Undómiel/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Warning: My sincere appologies to those of you who simply adore the pairing of Arwen and Aragorn. To be truthful, I, too, am rather fond of them. But unfortunately my muses have turned against me the moment I saw the new trilogy of Star Wars. I had to try this. You may hate me if you wish..but those of you who cannot bear the thought of Arwen paired with anyone else but Aragorn, please, don't read further, as it will only upset you, I should think.
Disclaimer: The names and places you recognise from the Lord of the Rings belong to J.R.R.Tolkien. The names and places, as well as machienery that you recognise from Star Wars belong to George Lucas. What you do not recognise from any of these fandoms belongs to me. I am making no profit out of this story.


Chapter Seven – You assume too much

It should have been a peaceful day upon the planet of Naboo. The sun had just risen, and the people were beginning their daily choirs. The baker could be seen standing in front of his shop with a content smile on his face; the constitution of his body prooved that he was well-off with his business. Across the street a middle-aged woman, the florist, had just put out some new, vibrant red flowers for display. Down the road you could see many other shop-owners opening their vares and beginning a new day. Children ran down the street; the bell of the school called to them. A tall man stood outside the school building, smiling at the youngsters as they cluttered into the classrooms. Parents were beginning their work, and the children would be studying all there was to know about painting, music, politics, history, and many other things for the rest of the morning. Birds flew across the sky, which was painted clear-blue. No cloud, not even a whisp was seen upon the vibrant colour. Even the sun seemed to be happy to shine that they.

Above it all, above the city of Theed, rose the mighty palace of the Naboo sovereign rulers. Situated upon a large cliff, it overlooked the massive, beautiful city. It was centuries old. Everything upon it was hand-crafted, designed especially to entertain delegates from other systems, and to shine the love of the Nabooans for art and perfection. Its many towers rose high into the air; it was tradition with the Naboo Monarchs that each of the newly-elected rulers should add one tower to the palace complex, which meant that the building was expanding term after term, ruler after ruler.

Right before it was the grand palace plaza, a wide and marble-pawed open space. It lead from the palace, winding under the Triumphal Arch and into the city of Theed. The Triumphal Arch acted as a border between the actual city and the Plaza; and as the sun shone down upon it, the many inscriptions gleamd and sparkled, and the sovereign Naboo medal could be seen by all who chose to look upon the arch that morning.

To the other side of the palace there opened the palace courtyard, also known as the Grand Plaza. The sun gently brushed across the circular walking area, which also featured a shallow ditch with water flowing through it, crossed by many bridges. Fountains sparkled brightly in the sunlight, the sounds of water adding to the serenity of the moment. The sun's rays also touched the holographic freezes of Naboos finest philosophers and artists. It was, all in all, a beautiful, serene sight. Yes, it should have been a peaceful day.

Unfortunately, however, it was not.

The planet might have seemed peaceful, yet as the sun's rays moved back a bit, away from the actual greenery upon the ground, it touch the heavy gray metal of warships. Ship after ship surrounded the beautiful planet, creating an effective blockade. And, high above the capitol palace of Theed, rested a large command ship. It was as big as a city, large enough for a small nation to fit in. And upon it, Nute Gunray, Viceroy of the Galactic Trade Federation, was commanding the blockade with glee and satisfaction. Following orders from Darth Sidious, he had placed the blockade around the small planet, and was now waiting for an audience with its ruler. As he had been told, Queen Amidala had but recently been elected. Thus, he presumed she was rather green and new to everything around rulling. She shouldn't really cause him any problems. Victory was within his grasp.

Inside the palace, Padmé Naberrie was sitting behind her dressing table in her spacious rooms. Her fingers tapped upon the wood impatiently, as she silently endured the process of getting ready for matters of state. Rabé, the only one of her handmaidens that was proficient in making the elaborate hairstyles for the Queen, was working fast and silent, running her comb through her mistress' long, dark tresses. Saché and Yané were adding finishing touches to the Queen's facial make-up. Eirtaé had laid out the golden headdress, carefully polishing the Jewel of Zenda. The vibrant crimson dress the Queen had chosen to wear for this day prooved even more her position as ruler of Naboo. Sabé finished polishing Padmé's nails, while Rabé and Eirtaé fixed the headdress in position. When the fourteen year old girl looked into the mirror, she was no longer Padmé Naberrie, but Queen Amidala of Naboo.

Her brown orbs gaze dat the reflections of her handmaidens in the mirror; they all wore yellow gowns with hoods covering their faces. All were identical, even Eirtaé, who was otherwise blonde and slightly taller than the rest. Amidala's gaze then travelled to the one figure that had not attended to her, one figure that did not wear the same attire as her handmaidens, and was a full three inches taller than all the other girls in the room. Instead of yellow, the colouring of her gown was pale cream-like. Instead of a hood and tight neckline, this particular gown sported a softly-shaped u-neckline. Delicate silver bands had been wrapped around the woman's forearms and around her wrist, overriding the traditional bell-shape of the sleeves and making them look regal and sophisticated. A single star-shaped gem was hooked to a silver chain that went around her neck. Long, ebon-coloured hair fell to her hips; the upper part of it had been braided, and the braid wrapped around her head like a crown, the rest falling freely. Serene gray eyes observed the young monarch, and her pale hands were clasped together in front of her.

Arwen. Elana.

"Do you believe the Viceroy when he speaks of acting upon orders from the Senate?" Amidala's voice floated across the room. It was directed to all the women in general, but even Sabé, chief-handmaiden and royal decoy, turned her brown gaze to Arwen. The Elf's face remained calm as ever.

"I do not believe in anything Nute Gunray says; his voice is full of lies, with the hiss of a snake. He does not use what little brain he has, but rather allows others to think for him. Nute Gunray is but a puppet in the hands of a much stronger, and much more intelligent person. It is that person which we should fear, not the Viceroy."

Silence fell across the room, disturbed only by the even, soft breathing of the seven women. Everyone contemplated what the Elf had just said.

Arwen had adjusted to the life on Naboo rather well; after the event upon her own homeworld, she had been unintentionally pulled into the current of the Republic. Padmé had not the heart to simply give the elleth a home in Theed and allow her to do what she pleased; her culture was far too diferent than that of Naboo, she would stand out too much. Thus, following what Panaka had told the Coruscant Commad Centre on their flight to the capital, Arwen had been given a new name, Elana Oriana, and a new title: member of the Royal Advisory Council to the Monarch of Naboo, with the subtitle 'minister of war', since that was the only open position available.. She had remained mostly hidden when the party had stayed upon Coruscant, but upon arrival to Naboo, she was able to relax more. The metal buildings of the caiptal suffocated the Elf, and she felt much better in the greenery of Theed. Sabé and Eirtaé took to tutoring the Elf in various aspects patiently, and within a few weeks, Arwen was a respected member of the Theed Court. Now, she was a valuable asset to Amidala, for the Elves could read the words of others far better than normal human beings, and she needed someone like that where Nute Gunray was involved. Most of the court thought Elana as one with high Force-sensitivity, but simply by-passed by the Jedi on their searches for new recruits. She was a full member of Her Highness' Staff.

There came a knock on the door, and all the women stirred. Saché opened the door to reveal Panaka. The dark-skinned man bowed to Padmé.

"We have had another transmission from Nute Gunray, Your Highness. It appears the Neimoidian will not give up until he is granted an audience with you." Amidala forced down the urge to roll her eyes and stood, turning to the captain slowly, appearing as one of the regal statues of old. Her voice was calm, yet cold.

"If it is an audiance he wants, then let us grant him that. After you, Captain."

The group made their way slowly to Theed's Throne Room, with Panaka leading and Sabé finishing the column. Arwen walked silently beside Amidala.

"I wonder what he has to say to me," pondered the Queen aloud. "If he believes I shall simply sit back and watch him terorise my planet, he is mistaken. I have not been elected Queen to watch my people suffer. And this blockade is doing us no good."

"Naboo relies heavily upon trade from outside," replied Arwen calmly, fixing one of her arm-bands, "that is what the Viceroy knows, and is effectively using against you. Tread cautiously, Your Highness; he may not be smart, but he is neither shallow nor weak. Naboo has no army to fight him off, should he choose to attack." Amidala nodded, digging her nails into her palms.

In the throne room, governer Sio Bibble already sat, with the other members of the Royal Advisory Council. All of them had been called to audience: the Music Advisor, Hela Brandes, Hugo Eckener, the Chief Architect, the Education Advisor Lufta Shif, Master of Sciences Graf Zapalo, Horace Vancil, the Political and Economic Advisor, the Assistant Minister of Internal Affairs Ruto Graven, and Kyu Tane, the Minister of Culture. The problem of the Trade Federation Blockade belonged to all of Naboo, and each representative should add their own opinion to this particular council.

When Queen Amidala entered the room they all stood and greeted her. The young monarch greeted them politely in return, then took her destined seat at her table, resting her hands upon the arms of her chair. The handmaidens took their own seats, two to each side of their ruler, while Sabé had been given a seat next to Arwen.

Stern brown orbs gazed into the eyes of all the gathered.
"I hope you all understand what we are dealing with," spoke the Queen in a regal, serious tone, "the Trade Federation has gone too far in their act against us. I have word that two of Chancellor Valorum's Ambassadors are on their way to negotiate the end of this blockade." Nods of agreement and murmurs followed those words. Amidala looked around the room. "Let us not keep Nute Gunray wait more than he can bare; Captain, connect me with the Trade Federation's command ship."

Panaka bowed, and in a few moments, the blueish image of Nute Gunray and one of his aids came into view. Amidala's face remained a stoic white mask, when the smirk of the Viceroy filled the room:
"At last we're getting results."

The Queen's eyes bore into those of the Nemoidian.
"You will not be pleased when you hear what I have to say, Viceroy. Your trade boycot of our planet has ended." Amidala needn't have looked across to where Arwen sat to recognise the mock astonishment of the ignorant creature she was speaking to.

"I was not aware of such a failure."
"I have word that she Senate is finally voting on this blockade of yours," continued the Queen, ignoring the Viceroy, "I am also aware that the Chancellor's Ambassadors are with you now, and that you have been commanded to reach a settlement." The blueish image of the Viceroy spoke of a Nemoidian who knew quite well what the monarch spoke of, yet seemed confused.

"I know nothing of any Ambassadors. You must be…mistaken."

Amidala was surprised by the answer; what was going on in the Senate? Senator Palpatine had sent word that Chancellor Valorum had sent two of his Ambassadors to the Viceroy. Now it appeared they had not arrived. Who was lying, the Senate, or the Viceroy?
She studied the Nemoidian ruler carefully, deciding upon a different tactic.
"Beware Viceroy – the Federation has gone too far this time."

Nute appeared to humble himself before the Queen; he was making her sick.
"Your Highness, we would never do anything without the approval of the Senate." He seemed to be pleased with himself, and he added as a final touch: "You assume too much." The Queen didn't even flinch one eyebrow, but simply gazed at him for one silent moment. Her answer was short and cold:
"We will see."

The transmission was cut off, and Amidala took a deep breath. Her eyes searched out Arwen's. The Elf seemed to be in deep thought, but she met the Queen's gaze evenly. Finally, Amidala arched one eyebrow.

"Well? Does he lie or not?"

It was as if she had thrown a bone to the dogs. Everyone seemed to errupt into their own little speech, filling her mind with endless babbling and chit-chat, but none really told her anything she needed to know. A sigh escaped her lips and she rolled her eyes, looking at Panaka. The Captain's voice calmed the room, and everyone turned their attention once again upon their ruler.

"I asked a simple question yet none of you gave me the simple answer I had hoped for," she commented quietly, before her eyes turned to Arwen once more. "Minister Elana, care to share your thoughts?" Everyone turned to look at the tall woman. Her gray eyes were calm, yet troubled.

"I do not know, Your Highness. One of them is lying; but I cannot tell whether it is Gunray, or Senator Palpatine. I suggest we try and reach the Senator; he shall know what we ought to do." Murmurs of agreement followed, and at Amidala's nod, the transmission code for Coruscant, more specificly Palpatine's office, was dialed. Within a few moments, the image of the elderly Senator appeared on the holoprojector.

"Queen Amidala, it is a delight to see you again. Might I be of some service?"

Amidala smiled softly. "It is a delight to see you again as well, Senator. I am in a tough position right now; I have spoken with Viceroy Gunray about Chancellor Valorum's Ambassadors, but he claims that he knows nothing about them. Could you explain what is going on, please?"

The face of the Senator seemed shocked.
"How could that be true? I have assurances from the Chancellor...his Ambassaodrs did arrive. It must be the...get...negotiate..." Suddenly the holographic image began to fade and it became distorted. Everyone in the room gazed in shock as Palpatine's image suddenly disappeared.

Amidala's voice rang clear and concerned: "Senator Palpatine?!" Her eyes turned to Panaka. "What's happening?" She had leaned forward in her seat; drops of sweat had formed upon her palms, she could feel it, cold and sticky. Something was utterly wrong.

"Check the transmission generator.." came Panaka's voice. Arwen sat silently and unmoving, her gray eyes fixed upon the brown ones of the Queen. It will be alright, she spoke in her mind, there must be a reasonable explanation for this. Stay calm.

Sio Bibble was in outrage. "A communications disruption could only mean one thing – invasion!" A shocked silence filled the room. Arwen turned her head to look at the eldely governer, her gray eyes pinning him in place. Amidala was slowly losing her patience.

"The Federation would not DARE go that far!" Her eyes scanned the room. "We must continue to relly upon negotiations." Bibble practically jumped up and down in his seat.

"Negotiation? We've lost all communication!" They all agreed vocally. "And where are the Chancellor's Ambassadors?" came his next sentence. His eyes bore into those of the new Minister of War. He did not really like the woman, she was strange. He dared her to answer his question, but she remained as silent as ever, only gazing back at him with those creepy gray eyes.

Panaka stepped forward. "This is a dangerous situation, Your Highness. Our security volunteers will be no match against a battle-hardened Federation army." Everyone's eyes turned to the Queen. Amidala sat still and silent for a while, meeting the gaze of each and every one of her advisors, before stopping upon Sio Bibble. Her voice was low and serious.

"I will not condone a course of action that will lead us to war."

TBC

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