Padame ran for her life as the two ferocious reptilian monsters stalked her, snapping at her heels. The alien jungle was dense with vines as thick as her wrist and trees that reached up as far as the eye could see. The knurly roots created an almost impossible labyrinth, one miss step and she was sure to be the main course at a banquet she had no intention of attending. Panting, blood rushing through her veins, she had never felt more alive. Somewhere distant, a tiny flame of fear flickered and was soon extinguished, its fuel consumed by the raging inferno of excitement and adventure. Not far ahead of her the jungle gave way to open sky, a cliff over a thousand meters deep approached, not ten meters nigh. She had no choice but to turn and fight. Glancing up to the canopy, she saw her chance, a lowly vine to her far left hung poised over the impending cliff. Running at an angle she put all that was left of her strength into her burning legs and leapt for deal life. Her fingers grasped for the vine but felt only empty air. Padame had just enough time to experience a flicker of regret at her miscalculation as the jungle fell away behind her when suddenly, rough fibrous tendrils found her palm. Gripping with all her might, her shoulder tendons screamed, as her arms were nearly yanked out of their sockets. The vine pulled taught with a groan, branches snapped overhead, but it held, carrying her over open sky. The wind roared in her ears and for a moment the gaping maws of the reptilian beasts that lie in wait drifted from her mind. As she closed her eyes, the setting sun warmed her scratched and bleeding skin. And then the moment was over. The vine carried her back towards the cliff face, back to face her fate. She was ready. At mid peak swing she released the vine, which sent her soaring over the snarling beasts. Landing hard, she broke into a controlled roll and rose to her feat wielding a vibroblade, which until then she hadn’t even known she had. One of the hulking monsters turned and lashed at her side. Pain flashed through her body.
“Ouch,” Padame opened her eyes in time to see her brother’s elbow jutting into her ribs. “What did you do that for?”
Through pursued lips Bail whispered “The Mandalorian delegates are arriving… And you were starting to snore.” He added with a sly grin.
“I do not snore.” Padame responded defiantly. “I was just having the most exciting dream, you always ruin all my fun.”
“Father told me once, when I was your age, that everyone dreams of adventure until adventure finds them and from then on they only dream of peace. The way I see it, better to skip the adventure and go right to the peace.” Bail replied. He was always annoyingly level headed.
“Well you would think that, you’re about as boring as a Bazorn, grazing grass all day.”
Bail frowned down at her, but said nothing. Now that she had been awaken so rudely from her sleep her memory quickly returned. The Royal family along with over five hundred Alderaanian dignitaries were awaiting the Mandolorian delegation. She must have fallen asleep in her chair as they waited, since her Mother made sure to be their three standard hours early to personally oversee all of the preparations. Padame hated waiting, it was terribly boring and in her mind a huge waste of time. But mother said that of all the virtues a princess can have, patience was one of the most important. As she surveyed the room she had to admit it was quite stunning. The high cathedral ceilings were painted by Alderaan’s finest artists to depict the planets long and varied history. In the center of the room, the majestic crystal chandelier levitated silently. It rotated slowly on hidden repulsors, basking the paintings and the hall’s occupants alike in an enchanting light. When Padame was young she remembered looking up at the murals as they seemed to come alive, playing out the stories of millennia past right before her eyes. In addition to the central lighting a thousand Alderaanian glowflies glided lazily on the warm air currents that drifted through the open windows. Standing over ten meters high, the windows were spaced evenly along the circumference of the circular room. It was late spring and the glowflies were putting on a fine mating display, there abdomens winking blue, purple and green. Padame had learned once of the chemical reactions that produced the bioluminescence, but on nights like this she much preferred to believe it was magic.
The volunteers under here mothers direction had hung banners featuring the Madalorian sigil along the room, complete with ribbons of deep red that danced casually in the breeze. The Hall itself was buzzing with cheerful conversation in anticipation of the coming banquet. Surveying the bustling tables Padame thought she recognized every single face, minus one or two strangers she had not met before. They all sat around large circular tables which orbited the huge central table where she was, each set with the finest crystal plateware. Padame’s father had told her that the great hall was modeled after Alderaan’s solar system. The central table represented their sun, which gave life and beauty to all the other planets. “It is a great honor to sit at the sol-table,” he told her, it was reserved only for important diplomatic occasions such as this. She could only imagine how disappointed he would be if he knew she had fallen asleep while sitting there.
Directly ahead of Padame the great wooden doors to the hall began to open, white moonlight shone through, illuminating the delicate carvings that covered every square centimeter. Her mother said that each door told a story. The left was of the Alderaanian people and the right was of the Planet; its flora and fauna. “Only when they come together can we live in harmony” she said. A hushed silence fell upon the room as Ambassador Emporie appeared at the entry. With his usual grace he announced the Madalorian delegates. First came Mando Opell with Ambassador Galdore following closely. Then came Ambassador Fett, a few steps behind. Their stride was quick and direct, Padame could tell that they were not accustomed to spending idle time on pleasantries. As they approached the central table the large doors swung closed behind them. Tiko Galdore stole a quick glance backwards. Why did he appear so nervous? Padame wondered. Perhaps the circular architecture so common in Alderaan made him uneasy. After all he was surrounded on all sides by foreign dignitaries. Padame imagined she might be a little nervous on Madalore if she were in a similar situation.
Once they arrived at the central sol-table, Lady Organa began yet another formal greeting. After what seemed like forever they all sat and the banquet commenced. Not a moment too soon, Padame was starving. She didn’t know if dreams could work up an appetite, but if any could it would involve staving off two vicious beasts with a vibroblade. She immediately took two large bites of the harvest salad placed before her, ignoring her brother’s disapproving gaze.
The rest of the dinner continued as the banquets usually did, with course after course and laughter in the Great Hall. Mando Opell was not much for chit-chat and Agro Fett would likely be defeated by a rock wall in a conversation skills contest. They spoke infrequently and their responses to questions were curt and to the point, just shy of being impolite. Padame liked it. It meant she had to spend less time pretending to be interested in small talk. The one unfortunate exception was Tiko Galdore who would occasionally praise Alderaan’s “unique and mysterious connection with nature” or its “unmatched and impeccable hospitality.” It might have sounded gracious, if not for his unctuous tone. Personally, Padame would take Argo Fett’s silence to Galdore’s banter any day. Although, she was hoping to ask Ambassador Fett about the Death Watch Skirmish, but there never seemed to be a good opportunity.
“Do forgive me for the brash inquiry, Lady Organa, but I noticed no guards at the front gates, nor even in this banquet hall now, filled with so many high dignitaries. How is it you can maintain such serene security, seemingly without deterrents of any kind?” Tiko asked in his high oily voice.
“Alderaan has not had need of security forces on the planet for many centuries now. We still do maintain a small orbital and off world security force. But as you know there are no weapons allowed on the planet whatsoever. Even the Jedi Knights leave their lightsabers in orbit before coming to the surface. We find that peace is far easier to maintain when rash thoughts are not accompanied by a blaster.” Lady Organa explained.
“Indeed, well said. It is truly wondrous that you were able to implement such a policy so flawlessly. I would surmise there must have been some opposition from your people in the beginning. After all, imagine if a person were to smuggle a weapon onto the planet, would you not be powerless to stop them?” Tiko Galdore’s comment seemed harmless enough, but if Padame didn’t know better she would have though it sounded like a threat.
Argo Fett shot Tiko a punitive look. “Perhaps you do not recall your studies of Alderaan’s history Tiko. The Alderaanian’s willing gave up their arms for the betterment of their entire race. Would if the Mandalorian’s had learned from such an example long ago, than many a senseless battle would have been averted.” Argo spoke almost harshly to Ambassador Galdore. Still Padame saw her opening to bring up the Death Watch Skirmish.
She was about to speak when Tiko cut her off. “But of course Ambassador Fett, I meant no offense. I was just trying to understand, so we may one day learn to emulate their ways and build our own paradise.”
“Perhaps the effervescent wine is getting to Ambassador Galdore’s head, I do apologize Lady Organa.” Mando Opell chimed in.
“No apologies necessary Ambassadors. But you should know, Alderaan is not a paradise.” Lady Organa, said in a level practiced tone. “We have our hardships and our struggles like everyone else. However, we do our best to work together for the good of all. This above all else requires trust.”
The chamber had grown silent. Everyone seemed to be listening to the central table’s conversation. Her mother did have a way of commanding people’s attention. But there was a tension building in the air, Padame could feel, though she couldn’t quite place the epicenter. Was it Fett or Galadore?
“You speak nothing wisdom my Lady,” Gladore replied. “Trust can be hard bridge to build, but so important, if we are to reach the peace that we seek.”
Argo Fett agreed. “Yes, trust is an admirable quality Lady Organa, however, in my experience it is all too easily betrayed.” With that he lunged at Tiko. The whole Hall seemed to gasp in astonishment. Padame certainly didn’t see that coming, perhaps this wasn’t going to be a boring banquet after all.
Just as Argo got his hands around Tiko, somewhere behind Padame a woman screamed and the screech of blaster bolts echoed through the chamber. The delicate crystal chandelier above her head shattered and Padame dove for cover under the table. The room went dark and the smell of ozone filled the air. As much as Padame had wanted adventure, she was beginning to think her brother was right; skipping right to peace may be the preferable route.
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