Ariana's Trials

Part 38

3rd POV

After the battle on Kamino, Kaldur and Ariana had earned the respect of the Jedi Order, even joining them in many battles, impressing them with their sword skills and battle mindset.

"The Mon Calamari people have requested a Republic representative at the meeting, as the Quarren have a Separatist representative," Anakin said

"Who's going?" Kaldur asked

"Senator Amidala and I are going, with General Ackbar and you two" Anakin nodded

"I'll tell Ariana," Kaldur said, then went to find his Princess, who was hanging upside-down from the ceiling with Ahsoka.

Ahsoka and Ariana had, after some disagreements, become quite close. They both had found common ground with their fighting techniques and now they laughed and told stories as they either sparred or did gymnastics.

"There was a time when Kaldur and I hid a fish beneath my stepmom's pillow, and she chased us around for hours" Ariana laughed

"I've been in the Order my whole life" Ahsoka frowned

"Well, it means you're a part of the group of space warriors who can use telekinesis and have laser swords" Ariana added, pretending to use the force with her outstretched hands

"Ariana, we're going to a water planet" Kaldur poked his head in

"A new one? Cool. When are we going?" Ariana said

"Soon. C'mon" Kaldur left, and Ariana jumped down from the ceiling with Ahsoka

"You're going with Padme and Anakin to Mon Cala?" Ahsoka asked

"Yeah," Ariana nodded "Are you going to be coming?"

"Later on" Ahsoka said, and Ariana left the room to find Kaldur

The ship descended above the water and opened a hatch so that the people on board could disembark

"Are you sure you don't need an oxygen tank?" Padme asked Kaldur and Ariana

"We're sure" Ariana and Kaldur shared a sly grin, and Ariana jumped first, diving beneath the soft waves. Kaldur jumped second, followed by Anakin and Padme

Diving deeper to meet the prince, each representative swam quickly, with their suits or Ariana's tail... Everyone did a double take, and they were not deceived. Ariana's legs had been replaced with a long tail, with scales in shades of green, purple and blue. Her hair was longer, and she wore a sleeveless top lined with pearls

"It's been ages since I was able to stretch out my tail" Ariana smiled, and Kaldur was trying not to laugh

"So...That explains something. But how are you still breathing?" Padme asked Kaldur. He pointed to his neck

"Gills" Kaldur smiled, and Ariana gave him a mischievous grin before she pointed a finger gun at him, and shot a blast of green light

When the light dissipated, Kaldur had a blue tail and his chest plate on

"I hate you" Kaldur grumbled

"If I'm in my merfolk form, you are in your merfolk form," Ariana said and swam onward, toward the meeting

"We will not support the coronation of another Mon Calamari King!" A diplomat cried out. Anakin and Padme sat silent, watching the chaos unfold. 

"We want a Quarren King!" Someone cried

"Then who will you put on the throne, then?" Ariana raised her voice

"Who are you?" the Separatist shark snapped "And when did you earn the right to speak at this gathering?"

"You do not know then" Ariana said "Some of you here know me. For those who don't, I am Crown Princess Ariana of the Atlantean Empire" A splattering of gasps overtook the crowd and a few murmurs as well. The shark sneered

"The Atlantean Empire is nothing but a myth, a children's story," He said

"Sharks have never been the smartest, as you have now proven" Ariana scoffed "As some of you have realised, I would not be here had a terrible accident occurred in my home. I will say, the Separatists attacked us without warning or fair reason. Our people remained neutral, and now, in a darker time for my people, I have allied with the Republic"

"I didn't know Ariana was a Princess" Anakin whispered

"She hates formalities. What better if you want to stay under the radar than just not telling people?" Kaldur whispered "She prefers using her sword first and her words later"

"So, my question remains. Who will you put on the throne if the Prince steps down and allows a Quarren King?" Ariana swept her eyes over the crowd, and no one answered. Ariana swam back to her seat, leaving the crowd murmuring about her appearance. When the shark made it to snap at Ariana, Kaldur glared at him, letting his eyes portray the year's worth of pain he would inflict.

The meeting adjourned, leaving the Jedi and the Senator with Ariana and Kaldur

"So...You're a princess," Anakin said

"Yes. But I prefer staying incognito" Ariana said 

"Why doesn't your Empire have a representative on the Senate?" Padme asked

"Our home, and capital reside on a planet outside the outer rim. It would be extremely difficult to arrange to have a senator, and then my uncles would be pissed that they don't get to have contact in space" Ariana said "Each of my uncles rules another Empire on our planet. My father rules the seas, and my uncles run the underworld and the skies. The mortals, however, do not know we decide the state of the world"

"Mortals?" Padme wondered

"Our planet has approximately 8 billion people living on it. Less than 1% will ever learn of the Empires, or join them" Kaldur added

"The dome I built on Kamino was Hydrokinesis. Every member of the royal family is born with it" Ariana explained "I had two brothers. Both of them came before me in the succession of the throne, but they both gave it up to get married to someone who didn't want to be royal" Ariana scowled

"ATTACK!" Someone shouted, and they saw the charging Quarren. Ariana rolled her eyes, drew her sword, and flicked her tail to charge at the Quarren, with Kaldur close behind.