CHAPTER 1 Senator Padmé Amidala stared out the main window of her spacecraft at the approaching planet Even from space Coruscant looks different from other worlds she thought Most worlds showed colors on their daylight side the greens of the forest worlds the blues of watery planets the glittering white of ice worlds the sandy yellow of desert planets like Tatooine On their night side most planets were dark with an occasional twinkle of light marking the largest cities Coruscant's day side was a dull metallic gray the color of the millions of buildings and platforms that covered its entire surface Its night side glowed amber from the lights of those same buildings like the stars of the galaxy in miniature Only on Coruscant is night more attractive than day Padmé thought The royal Naboo cruiser and its three fighter escorts curved around Coruscant toward their assigned landing landing platform Padmé hadn't wanted the escorts but her
security officer had insisted that she was in danger Captain Typho was good at his job so she had reluctantly reluctantly agreed Since the trip had been uneventful she already regretted giving in The three lobes of the landing platform came in sight The royal cruiser landed on the center leaf The three fighters took the other leaves two to one side and one to the other Captain Typho who had been piloting one of the fighters swung out of his cockpit and removed his helmet We made it he said I guess I was wrong there was no danger at all Padmé hardly heard him On the platform she could see Dormé one of her handmaiden bodyguards waiting waiting among the landing crew Dormé looked tired and tense She's just worried Padmé thought She can't know how easy the trip was The cruiser's ramp lowered Padmé's guards came down first then the rest of the Senatorial party As they reached the foot of the ramp the ground crew watched their arrival In the next instant something knocked Padmé flat Through the roaring in her ears she heard cries of terror She choked and blinked to clear the dark afterimage from her eyes the image of the royal cruiser exploding Captain Typho was right after all she thought and then Cordé Is Cordé all right She was still a little breathless from her fall but she 9
could not wait She shoved herself to her feet and ran toward the wreckage At the foot of the ramp lay several crumpled figures one was Cordé the decoy double who had been pretending to be Senator Amidala Amidala pretending much too successfully for her own good Padmé ripped off her pilot's helmet and gathered Cordé in her arms Cordé Cordé's eyes opened She stared blankly at Padmé for an instant then seemed to recognize her I'm sorry M'lady she gasped weakly I'm not sure I I've failed you Senator Failed No But before she could speak the words Padmé felt the life leave Cordé She gathered her de- coy's body close as if she could call her back by sheer force of will No she whispered No Not now not here not when we were safe on Coruscant But Coruscant was not safe Captain Typho had thought that any attack would come during the trip when an assassin would have all of space in which to flee That was why he had insisted that Padmé pilot one of the fighters instead of relying solely on her double A decoy is no help if you're standing right next to it he'd told her As long as you're on board anyone who attacks the cruiser will attack you even if Cordé is playing the Senator You have to be somewhere else So she had been and now Cordé had died just when they should all have been able to stop worrying at last 10
As if in echo of her thoughts Padmé heard Captain Captain Typho's voice beside her saying urgently M'lady you are still in danger here Gently Padmé lowered Cordé Cordé's body to the ground She looked up and saw other motionless motionless bodies two of her guards another handmaiden handmaiden She swallowed hard and forced her eyes to move onto the twisted wreckage of the starship The cruiser's pilot was still on board and others how many others Tears stung her eyes I shouldn't have come back she murmured half to herself This vote is very important Typho reminded her You did your duty and Cordé did hers Now come Padmé hesitated blinking the tears away The least she could do was to see these people clearly these people who had given their lives for her I will not let their sacrifice be in vain she promised silently There WILL be peace Senator Amidala please Captain Typho's voice sounded desperate as well as urgent He was right again she should go Padmé took a last look around printing the picture of the wreckage on her memory Then she turned and fell into step beside beside him Behind her she heard a small whimpering noise from her faithful droid R2-D2 but she did not turn She had work to do 11
