Lost Family

II - Politics From Past Times

Leia was still holding Han's hands when the light vanished, but she didn't let go. She still felt safer, knowing he was there. As she looked around she saw that the streets were lined with market stalls that sold everything from weapons to fruit. Further in the distance, above the already huge buildings around them, she could see even larger skyscrapers and when she looked up into the sky, she saw starships, quite similar to the empires star destroyers.

"This looks... familiar," Han mumbled next to her.

"Familiar how?" Leia asked. "I don't think I've ever seen a city like this!"

"I don't know really, I just feel like I've seen this before..." Han trailed off as he noticed that Leia was no longer listening. A little girl had caught her attention. The child was watching one of the stalls that sold fruit and when the merchant looked away, she quickly ran towards the stall and snatched a fruit from the grates below the table. But she wasn't fast enough and as she came out from under the table, the merchant was cutting her off from the street. Leia guessed that the girl was maybe seven years old, and she was clutching the fruit like it was her most prized possession. Regardlessly, the merchant grabbed the girl by the arm and said something to her that Han and Leia couldn't hear. As he shook the girl and started to yell at her, Leia couldn't take it anymore. She made her way to the stall.

"Hey," she called to the merchant and he looked to her.

"Leia, what are you doing?" Han said from behind her, but she ignored him.

"How about I pay for the fruit," and with that she got out a pouch of imperial credits. She held out some of them to the merchant, but after one look at them, he slapped her hand away.

"You think I'm stupid!?" he yelled at her. "What were those supposed to be anyway!?"

Leia didn't answer. She just stared at him in shock. What was going on here, why wouldn't he take her credits? Then another voice said: "Here you have your credits."

They all turned to look at the newcomer, a woman with brown hair and deep brown eyes. She was handing the merchant some credits and then turned to the girl, saying: "Run along now, little one."

The girl was off in an instant, only nodding her head in thanks to them all. The merchant also went back behind his stall, grumbling to himself.

"Hi, I'm Senator Padmé Amidala," the woman introduced herself a moment later. "You were trying to help that girl, right? It's good to know that one can still find kindness like that in the galaxy. Who are you?"

"I'm Leia Or-" Leia started, but Han quickly cut her off.

"Leia Oritagi, and I'm Han Ono, it's a pleasure to meet you." Leia shot him an irritated look, but then smiled back at the woman.

"Are you two new here?" the senator asked and they nodded. "Well I was on my way to the senate, the chancellor has just returned. Would you like to come with me?"

"We would be honored," Leia said before Han could interrupt her again.

"Alright, come on then, my speeder is right over there," Padmé said and let them to her speeder. She sat down in the drivers seat and Han and Leia took the seats behind her.

"What was that about before?" Leia hissed to Han when the speeder took off and traffic noise would shield their voices from the senator.

"What do you mean?" Han asked back.

"Why didn't you tell her our real names?"

"Oh, come on, princess. It's clear, isn't it?"

"Well, evidently it isn't, Ono."