"After a while I was able to get ahold of my breath enough to stop the trembling and sit up. I slowly lifted my hand and placed it on my belly, instinctively checking my baby in the most primitive way. As the anxiety subsided I was able to focus on...
The next morning the Senate gathered for an extra session in the congress. At the same time I received the in-call it was announced that the battles had stopped and that the war was over.
I had a bad feeling going there. My faith for the Chancellor was virtually nonexistent and I didn't hold out hopes for any good news during this meeting. Moreover I hadn't been able to sleep all night. Anakin's rushed visit and hasted goodbye had left me frightened and completely thrown off balance. I didn't know what had happened at the Temple or what he had said to me and I didn't know who to ask.
I was shocked when I saw Palpatine, his whole face had gone completely misshaped and his eyes had turned yellow. I sat down and listened with a growing disbelief as he told us that he was the victim of an ambush from a couple of Jedis and he afterwards found out that the Jedi Order had planned to take over the Republic.
He barely touched the subject of the ended war.
To my disappointment his speech was met with nothing but empathy and complete support. I closed out all the information he shared, and even though I knew that I was taped by security cameras, I did not participate in the applause. It was so obvious that everything he said was lies. It must have been the troops who attacked the Temple, not the Jedi who attacked the troops.
Bail Organa entered and sat down behind me.
"What's happening?" he wondered.
I looked at him quickly.
"The Chancellor is elaborating about a plot of the Jedi, to overthrow the Senate," I explained.
I knew Bail understood what I wanted but could not say because of the cameras.
"Our remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated," the Chancellor promised, which was met by another stream of applause.
I drew a shaky breath, hoping that Obi-Wan was safe and that Anakin was not included on the blacklist.
"We have located most of the Jedis, we know who is alive and where they are. They will not succeed with this," the Chancellor said.
"That won't take long," Bail murmured and looked anxiously at me.
I did not know if he had managed to save some Jedis, but even if he did, we now realized what this actually looked like. The odds were zero for any Jedi to get out of this. The entire galaxy was after them and it was all the Chancellors doing. I did not know what his ulterior motive was but I realized that I hated him for this.
"The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed" began the Chancellor. "But I assure you – my resolve has never been stronger!"
The applause thundered, it almost felt like the building was vibrating. I stifled the urge to sigh over the ridiculous situation. The entire Senate now showed it's true self; they believed blindly in this man, hid behind him and hailed him as a saint.
"In order to ensure security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire," said the Chancellor and was greeted by a round of applause, but he interrupted, to finish: "For a safe and secure society!"
The applause almost stunned me and I raised my hand to my mouth. Questions swirled around in my head beginning with why, how and what. Why was he doing this? How was he doing this? What could we do now?
And then I realised the answer to the last question; nothing. At least for now there was nothing we could do. I suddenly could not feel more anger, just great sorrow. Everything had been in vain. Every diplomatic mission, every battle, the Two Thousand Petition, the debates, the war... Everything. It was no good, and it was too late. Ever since I had become queen of Naboo I had been living a lie in one way or another - pretending to be a handmaid, being married in secret, working underneath the radar. I had always believed that the truth was within my reach, that diplomacy was possible and uniting with opponents doable. I had relied on my ability to read people and work within the structure but now I realised that all of that had been a lie as well. We had never stood a chance against this, we had never really had the means to work against corruption.
Our democracy had turned into a dictatorship right before our eyes.
"So this is how liberty dies," I said to Bail, actually hoping that the Chancellor would eventually hear it on recordings. "With thunderous applause."
Then I left, without even bothering to ask Bail how many Jedi he managed to save, without even looking at the security guards who wanted to stop me, without even considering that the Chancellor surely would want to kill me later.
We had failed, everything had been in vain. What we had feared the most had happened, and to my great surprise I wasn't even furious. Almost as if it didn't concern me anymore.
I just felt empty and very, very tired.
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