AVONIX - A.Skywalker

01

THE NUBIAN SHIP accelerated into hyperspace for the journey to Coruscant. Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo sat by Empress, Queen Rayn Eärendil of the Galactic Republic, staring off at the endless white that filled the ship's rather diminutive living space while sharing the same uneasy feeling in the pit of their stomach's. Rayn took a few deep breaths before resting her chin on her hand. She flipped her head facing the Senator. Her poise, elegant manner vanished along Naboo in the distance.

Rayn Avonmora Nesoi Eärendil had a speech prepared for the senate floor, yet it opposed many views that of the Republic. Rayn was almost like a Senator for Coruscant, except Coruscant didn't exactly have a Senator. Only the Chancellor. She did though, speak for the people of Coruscant so Rayn would attend most Senate meetings when they did not conflict with her work as a Jedi. The other Senators opposed her view of the Army. She didn't want the war, which most agreed with, but the Galactic Republic needed more defense across the galaxy because they were going to get a war, whether they liked it or not, where most Senators fumed at. So overall, she had no influence on the general population of the Senate. The only cards she has left to use are one, intelligent words and two, her youth.

Rayn's youth played a key role in her time spent with Senators. She was crowned queen at the green age of sixteen- much too young now that she looks back upon it- but Rayn acquired the dexterity of it all fairly quick. The recent few years in the Senate room have been reliant on her advanced and modern education. Sometimes, though, she doesn't get the respect she deserves because of her age. Nineteen wasn't the age she was expecting to be when listing pros and cons of an Army.

Not every nineteen year old was benighted. Certainly not any she knew, if she did know anyone that young beside a couple Jedi anyways. Rayn was always informed; she ran a vast criminal justice department as Head of Defense in which trusted advisors informed her of reports day and night. She constantly relearned political facts that would never find there way to be memorized, yet she still studied them. Rayn practically lived in an official record herself. Her whole life so far has been spent writing feedback, battle, Senate, and security statements. She was so intelligent, in fact, that her election for Queen came down to her platform being hugely informed. Rayn knew anything before anyone else. Quite nosy, but never gossips. Never kisses and tells. Padmé always loves calling her the Secret Keeper.

Oh Padmé, Rayn kept her steady gaze on her older sister. Rayn wasn't a Naberrie, she was adopted by them. Padmé was her best friend even though they rarely ever agree in this time of confusion amongst the Galaxy. Coruscant was the two young lady's destination. The Capital of the Republic, more or less.

The Nubian Senator would not end up voting for an ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC, but the Queen would. As a Jedi, she knew that the intimate group was struggling trying to deploy Knights to multiple systems week after week. It was taking a toll on her as well. In the past week, Rayn stationed her like-second home world since being brought into the Naberries.

Her actual home world was Acate, where her mother lived under the crown, governing and tending to her people. Rayn would never see to the crown. It would be forbidden now that she leads the Galactic Republic. There would become a new dynasty, seeing Rayn was an only child. That is, from what she has been told of.

The Acati Kingdom was organized into city-states: Aecora, Delea, Vinid, Rhianope, and Lirrec. There were many independent tribes, but there were five core cities. Rayn belonged to Aecora.

Aecorans deemed the place, "Realm of Sole". Sole meaning sun, because the chief religious deity there is the Sun goddess, Avonix. Rayn's family is believed to descend from a line believed to be related back to the gods and goddesses of her race, Acati. Aecoran is her first language, though she has only a slight accent from being exposed to commoners since her younger years.

The adrenaline junkie curled her fingers and nails into her palms, itching to get off the spacecraft.

"Mé?" Rayn called.

"Yes?" She sounded delighted to answer her sister. Her warm, rich voice glazed over like chocolate syrup.

"Whatever the outcome of the vote is, I'll support it and you." She puts her beliefs aside and accepts the fact that she might not be able to pull the Army off.

Padmé nodded understandingly, "I will be of any assistance to the Army if it shall be voted on."

"I appreciate that, sis." Rayn half smiled and brought back her proper posture with some of the anxiety leaving her system. She crossed her legs and pulled down the skirt of dress, ridding of any wrinkles. The studded red stones capped her neck and shoulders, followed by a fitting yet humble silk-red dress. Material draped shortly down her shoulders and biceps.

"I'm sure you'll be pleased of the short journey; I know you two get very anxious. Even you, Miss Padmé." Padmé's handmaiden Dormé approached us from the front and chuckled, "We are exiting hyperspace. We should be there in ten minutes, Coruscant time."

"Thank you, Dormé." Padmé spoke her copper toned voice and nodded her head gratefully. The handmaiden filed back towards the cockpit hall.

The diplomat and leader had their hair wrapped tightly in braids, looking professional. Padmé begged for a professional relationship when working and talking about security, a touchy topic for her. Both girls loved their jobs, loved the people they represented, loved the work they presented. Rayn and Padmé wouldn't change their role even if they could.

The ship's soft, high pitch humming whirred to a stop and all that was left was the silence of space. The ship had just exited hyperspace. There was a faint rise of temperature before the craft shook and landed safely on the ground. Rayn brushed down her fly-away hairs and tucked them behind her ear.

"This vote won't change anything between us, but I hope you know that I will definitely win over the Senate." Padmé gave a smug, competitive smile.

"I'm giving everything I have into this Army." Rayn squinted her eyes to the distance and through the bitterness.

"Don't take it personally, Rayn. You're just too young." The senator shrugged and left her adoptive sister to go talk to Captain of Security, Captain Typho.

But I thought that being young gave me an advantage, not a downfall.

Apparently not so.