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God Save the Queen: Book 2 Chapter 3
🕑 Added 2023-05-06 16:03:57 +0000 UTCA/N: I’ve done my best to have the Mandalorian used in the chapter made partially clear through context. Full translations are available at the end of the chapter for those interested. Lots of OCs this chapter, but don’t worry, next chapter we see a lot more canon characters as the plot starts properly moving.
Reoccuring OCs mentioned in this chapter:
Neron In’vess—Admiral of the Naboo First Fleet. Old guard, but good with carrier doctrine.
Taallanes Qroos—Naboo Mandalorian and fiercely loyal member of Padme’s Honor guard.
Ryker “Titan” T’nel—Gold leader, Naboo First Fleet. First ace of the reformed Naboo Navy. A classic devil-may-care fighter pilot.
Chanteir Weivis (previously unnamed)—Platinum leader, Naboo First fleet. Core Worlder, with a reputation for getting the job done.
Mirc Kloon (previously unnamed)—Silver leader, Naboo First Fleet. A by-the-books pilot often outshone by Ryker.
*~*~*
Chapter 3: Queen and Council
I could feel Taallanes glared at Bo-Katan behind my back.
“Ke’kyrir.” Stop, I told him over my shoulder. He’d been staring daggers at her all morning. “Ni’akio kaysh.”
Taal snorted. “Tion akio jehaat?”
Bo shifted, eyes narrowing as my other bodyguard called her a liar. “Copaani mirshmure'cye?” she shot back.
Taal took a step forward. Bo-Katan’s hand snapped to her waist.
“Enough.” This time it was my turn to glare at both of them. The hallway of the Theed was blessedly empty, but we were approaching our destination. “If the two of you can’t play nice, I’ll send you both to bed without dinner.”
Even without looking back again, I felt them both bristle. Nothing a proud warrior hated more than being compared to a child. The things I did to keep my people in line. Ursa Wren, for her part, was very much on the shit list\, which is why she wasn’t with me today.
The door to the stateroom slid open as we approached. Several enlisted spacers had prepared it, and saluted as I entered the room. I returned the salute. “About your tasks.” I gave a smile. “I’m sure you don’t have time to be idle.”
One of the men laughed. “Gimmie a chance to stop movin’, Your Majesty!”
I rolled my eyes, waving them out of the room. “That’s Captain to you!”
Fortunately, we were the first to arrive, letting me relax for a moment. I slumped into one of the high-backed chairs surrounding the central table, massaging my brow. The Lucrehulk was so large, we had space for several of these, with fine trimming and a lush carpet with First Fleet’s heraldry woven in near the entrance to the room.
A bank of windows composed the far wall, and I found myself staring at the blackness beyond the bulkhead, eyes tracing the green and blue curve of Zhar-1’s upper atmosphere.
The sole habitable planet of the Zhar system, Zhar-1 was a small agricultural world whose only claim to importance was being the last planet in the region. A line on the star charts separated it from the Outer Rim. Bringing it into Naboo’s alliance would essentially cement our hold on every region surrounding Naboo, and would go a long way towards ensuring security for our allies and trade partners.
At the moment, though, politics was far from my mind.
What would my life have been, if I’d been reborn on Zhar, far from the center of the galaxy? Would I even have known that this was the galaxy far, far away?
The door to the stateroom hissed open again. I turned, rising into a salute as Admiral In’vess strode into the room.
“Sir.”
“At ease.” The thickset man took a seat at the head of the table, back to the bank of windows. “You’re early, Captain.”
I smiled. “When I can be.”
Neron In’vess chuckled. The admiral, a layover from Naboo’s original Navy, figured himself a straight shooter, but he had a soft spot for understated humor. I showed him the respect our ranks dictated and gave my opinions straight, and we got along just fine.
“Now.” The man stroked his bushy mutton chops. “I’ve read the after-actions, and that was some good work you did yesterday. Bit reckless for my liking.” He gave me a sharp look. “You’re lucky I launched that third strike so quickly.”
“That’s why we work so well together. I can count on you to cover our backs out there.”
He huffed, but didn’t look displeased by my assessment. “We have that which we are expected.” He waved off the compliment. “Still, it would be better for my heart if my Queen didn’t insist on running head first into the limits of our carrier doctrine.”
I nodded, lip quirking into a frown. “We knew our fleet composition was an aggressive one designed for anti-piracy operations,” I said. “If anything, how effectively we broke yesterday’s ambush shows that our doctrine has a larger range of effective engagements than we initially believed.”
In’vess gave a gruff laugh. “It’s almost as if you’ve been reading briefings from the General Staff.”
“I do my homework,” I said.
“True enough,” he said. “You demonstrated the repeated striking power of fighter wings against escort class vessels aptly enough.” He met my eyes again.
“I’ll endeavor to be more prepared for the next ambush.”
“Good.” In’vess sighed, rubbing at his brow. “Even still, that youwere placed in that situation is going to be a nightmare of investigations.”
I nodded, but our conversation was cut short when the stateroom’s door hissed open again.
“There you are!” In’vess called. “Amidala and I were about to begin without you all.”
“Perish the thought, sir.” Platinum Leader Chantre Weivis snapped off a crisp salute, followed a second later by the rest of First Fleet’s command. Weivis was our most senior fighter pilot, despite hailing from the Core Worlds, but he wasn’t our most decorated.
That would be Ryker “Titan” T’nel, Naboo’s first Ace since Ruusan. “Admiral.” Ryker nodded to me next. “Your Majesty.”
I held back a fond sigh. “That’s ‘Captain’, Ryker, for the hundredth time.”
He rolled his eyes, taking the seat to my left with Silver Leader, Mirc Kloon, a step behind.
Across from me, Captain Voss slipped into her seat. I shared a nod with the captain of the Theed’s other pocket frigate. Dark-skinned and tall, in many ways the woman was my opposite, but she was every bit as aggressive when it came to pursuing pirates. “I’m jealous I missed the action yesterday, Amidala,” she said.
Weivis, along with Theed’s last wing leader, Carmen Excor, filed in to the left of Voss. Excor led Indigo wing, who’d broken the navy’s nascent naming tradition before we ended up with tin or brass squadron, thank the force.
And that little batch of pilots and officers rounded out the command of First Fleet. In truth, we were understrength, even Naboo’s fledgling carrier doctrine required twice this compliment, at least 300 strike fighters and 4 escort frigates, per Lucrehulk. Instead, we’d opted to field a second carrier fleet, and we simply didn’t have the industrial capacity to fill out both fleets.
Not the least of which because the greater Republic was leery of any member system building up a military, even one like Naboo.
For my part, I preferred the sleek agility of such a small command staff, but with Naboo’s more traditional Third Fleet nearing deployment, I expected the bureaucracy to catch up with us soon enough.
“Now that all of you are finally here,” In’vess fixed leader Ryker with a sharp look “we can get to business.” The room settled, the earlier levity draining from the air. We’d all read the reports.
“The bad news is that we lost an even fifteen good pilots, mostly from silver wing,” In’vess said. “For their bravery during yesterday’s action, each will be posthumously awarded with the White-Silver Star. The paperwork has already been signed off on by the rest of the general staff.”
Mirc Kloon gave a somber nod.
I lowered my gaze. Their valor had been necessary because of my actions, not just during the battle, but also because as the Queen of Naboo, I’d decided to join my own system’s military. I stood the choices that brought me here, about the good I could do in the roles I’d chosen to bear.
But I could not allow myself to forget the one’s who paid the price for my decisions.
“We lost more fighters, but thankfully, the remaining 6 pilots were recoverable due to the brevity of the battle.” In’vess grunted, tapping the table to bring up First Fleet’s updated force tally. “This is the largest loss we’ve faced to date, notwithstanding the damage to one of our two Hammerhead frigates,” In’vess said. “All pilots acquitted themselves excellently against a prepared foe, and I will be in contact with our intelligence division to see how an ambush like this was made possible.” He tilted his head towards me. “Amidala, the information you extracted from the pirates will no doubt prove invaluable.”
“It was the least I could do.”
Given Naboo’s carrier doctrine, losses like this one seemed small in absolute terms, fifteen pilots and 21 fighters, but impacted on our projected force, and required us to train new pilots and replace lost craft. The Theed’s fighter compliment was large and well equipped, it should almost never suffer losses against pirates.
Sometimes, though, reality took a different toll.
“Silver squadron won’t be combat effective until we return to Naboo,” In’vess continued. “Kloon, I’ll be putting you on screening duty for the meantime, help patch the holes my XOs always complain about when we only have one wing up.”
“Pilots won’t like it much,” Mirc said. “Half of them want to be back out there to even the score, but it’ll go over better if I can use the main hangar for a funeral service.”
In’vess nodded gruffly. “Permission granted, let me know if Silver Squadron wants the rest of us there.”
Mirc nodded.
“The good news,” the Admiral said, “is that we broke a significant pirate fleet, and rescued nearly two hundred sentients from slavery or worse. Quartermaster informs me that our stockpiled rations for our relief efforts are well above acceptable levels, but we’ll be topping up from the locals regardless.”
He tapped the table again, pulling up a holographic map of the galaxy that quickly zoomed in on the region. Zhar was relatively close to Naboo to the galactic south east. Given Naboo’s proximity to the Treillus hyperspace lane, that Zhar laid on, however, it made more sense to control passage down that route where it came nearest to our home system. Only now were we focusing on stabilizing the rest of the lane, after expanding our sphere of influence in the other direction in previous years.
“This system makes a good stopping point: border of the Outer Rim, close enough to be easily supplied, and with a receptive population.” In’vess drummed his fingers on the table. “But we’re right next to the Llanic system, heart and center of the Llanic spice run. I’m sure many of you have opinions on that, so let’s hear it.”
He reached out, touching Llanic. The hyperspace lanes away from it lit up, including a long loop to the galactic south that reached into the Outer Rim before coming back up toward Naboo and the Triellus lane.
“Control the traffic out of Llanic, and we’ll be able to attack all the pirates in this sector of the Rim,” Captain Voss said. “What are we waiting for?”
“We’re not an expansionary fleet, Voss. We’d need agreements from the local authorities, agreements we are unlikely to get.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “This attack suggests they won’t fold to a simple show of force. I thought we finally had the pirates running scared, only to be shown otherwise.”
At my back, Bo-Katan gave a soft laugh. “Hut’uun’e ratiin viini.”
Cowards always run. I quirked my lip in amusement.
In’vess raised an eyebrow. “Something to add, Mando?”
Like most of the old guard, he was less than enthused about the Mandalorian involvement in our new military, meaning there was little I could do about the growing rift between the Navy and the Royal Army. But hopefully I could head off this argument. “My friend was remarking on the nature of pirates, Admiral.”
He waved a hand. “No reason to beat around the baantha, Kryze. If you have an observation, share it!”
I held back from biting my lip.
Bo-Katan, for her part, merely stepped forward. “Of course, Admiral.”
She highlighted the section of the Galaxy we had thus far allied in the Mid Rim. It was a rough oval centered around Naboo, and weighted towards the Core. Those Mid Rim systems were wealthy enough to attract pirates and smugglers, but not so much that they could afford a fleet like Naboo.
Some days, it felt like Naboo couldn’t afford a fleet like Naboo. Thank god we’d been gifted a generous trade fleet by the Federation.
“My observation is that they are running scared,” Bo continued. “Over the past five years, Naboo has become the main security exporter of the Mid Rim. Expanding rapidly, performing well against pirates.” Her lips quirked. “In part, because other systems expect us to collapse like the Ranulph Tarkin’s Outland Regions Security Force.”
In’vess leaned back in his chair. “How are talks with the remains of the ORSF?” he asked me.
“Ongoing.” I shrugged. “Wihluff Tarkin is sympathetic to our aims, but not our current commitments.”
“Seems as though he’s learned a lesson from his late uncle.” In’vess turned back to Bo-Katan. “Now, what does that have to do with our situation.”
“Two fold,” Bo replied. “The pirates of this region remember the Stark Hyperspace war. They know what it’s like to be hunted by a well provisioned Republic fleet, and we’ve proven much more effective than the ORSF in that regard. Beyond this stretch of the Rim, however, the locals only remember Tarkin’s ignoble defeat.” She smirked. “Even on the opposite end of the galaxy, I heard of how the remains of his vanity fleet had to be rescued by the jetii.” She waved a hand to the map. “This battle is not the first sign of firming resistance, but the last gasp of a desperate foe spurred on by a Hutt who barely knows we exist.”
In’vess hummed, stroking his chops again. “So you’re saying this show of force was a last ditch effort to disrupt us?” he asked Bo.
“And a throwaway gambit. Jabba organized this ambush, but I doubt he cared about the result, regardless of whether we push onto the Llanic system.” She waved at the projector, moving the view until it centered on the Corellian Run, one of the biggest hyperspace lanes in the galaxy, and just a few jumps beyond Llanic. “The spice lane may matter to us, but it is a small bypass along this section of the Run. We could take the Llanic system by storm, and the real players would scarcely know or care. With the right incentives, I expect the criminal scum infesting that system to fold in relatively short order.”
In’vess remained silent, hand on his chin.
“The locals won’t stay loyal,” Captain Voss said. She leaned forward, palm flat on the table. “This close to Tatooine, they’ll also be in Jabba’s pocket. He may not care, but if we try to hold that system and forge lasting ties diplomatically, he’ll snip at us the entire time. Real force is the answer.”
“Unfortunately,” I said. “A more aggressive reproach is beyond our remit, like the Admiral said.”
Voss shot me a smile. “How fortunate that we have someone on board who can change our remit.”
I sighed. “Parliament will never approve the invasion of a sovereign system, and if they did, I would veto it the moment it crossed my desk.”
She crossed her arms. “Then what do you suggest? Park the First Fleet in that system? Because anything short of that and the smugglers and spice runners will be back to business as usual the moment we leave unless we get significant concessions from the locals.”
“We could station a full squadron there.” Ryker leaned back in his chair. “Thirty N-2s and a platoon of marines? Make any pirate think twice.”
Weivis chuckled behind his spruce mustache. “That seems high on the list of concessions we are unlikely to achieve.”
I hummed at that, tilting my head to look at Bo. “Do you have any experience with Llanic?”
“Not personally,” she replied. “But if it’s anything like other spice outposts that sit on a minor hyperspace lane, it will be a sprawling, poorly-maintained space station, or at best a single settlement on a fringe habitable world.”
I chewed that over. “Nothing worth keeping a hold of, except for the trade it offers. I imagine if we did station a squadron there, most would look for new markets.”
Bo nodded.
“Do you have a suggestion, Captain Amidala?” In’vess asked.
I clicked my tongue. “First, I’d like to hear your current thoughts, Admiral.”
He huffed. “Turning the question back on me, is it?” He drummed his fingers again. “If we could hold the system, extract an agreement worth more than the ink used to sign it, I’d push forward in a heartbeat. But if the local elements reassert themselves the moment I leave, it would do irreparable damage to the reputation of the First Fleet.”
Internally, I frowned. If we marched into the system as we pleased, I hardly saw how that would be damaging, and it would give us something far more valuable than reputation in exchange for our losses today.
In’vess had his way however, and in this room he had the final say as well.
“Naboo already has access to the Corellian run to the galactic north,” I began. “So that alone isn’t worth overextending our commitments. But if we could maintain a foothold in the system, it would open trade deeper into the Outer Rim as well.”
“And what good does that do us, Captain?” Weivis asked. “The Core is ravenous for plasma as ever.”
“Eager to tax and tariff it, more like,” I grumbled. “More realistically, there is a limit to how much we can import from the Core worlds. A secure route through this cluster,” I drew a circle around Tatooine and the surrounding planets, “would provide new opportunities to us, both economically and militarily.”
Ryker snorted. “Jabba tries to blow us to bits and now you want to make friends with him?”
“Target one Hutt, and the rest will come for you.” Voss leaned back in her chair.
“But if Jabba lets us play in his sandbox, well.” I shrugged. “Anything that comes after is just business.”
Ryker threw his head back. “Business. Ha!”
In’vess grasped the conceit right away. “So, Amidala, you’re suggesting we move Llanic with a show of force, and then, what was the phrase, ask Jabba the Hutt for forgiveness instead of permission?”
“We make them both offers, ones they’ll want to take,” I said.
In’vess cocked a bristly brow. “I’m usually the one who approaches heads of state with such a course of action, not the other way around. What would make these offers so tempting, and do you believe you can get them through Parliament?”
“Parliament is my concern, Admiral.” I quirked my lip. “I think we’re mixing branches of government a bit much as it is.”
“Never stopped you before, Your Majesty.”
“I’ll let that one slide, Ryker.” I leaned forward on the table. “As for the offers, for Llanic, we’ll offer to take over ‘security’ for the system, but without requiring protection money. They’ll probably think we want to muscle in on the spice trade, and assume they’ll be able to bribe us as easy as whatever gang of smugglers runs the place right now.”
In’vess’s other eyebrow joined the first. “And you think they’ll believe that a sovereign system wants to smuggle spice?”
“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Ryker grinned. “Send a grizzled spacer to do the talking. Make the right noises, wink at the right time. They won’t want anything illegal written down either. By the time they realize we’re not takin’ bribes or paying ‘em, it’ll be too late!”
Admiral In’vess grunted. “Crude, but feasible, if we can get the local population on side. That solution would fall within our remit, but it doesn’t answer the question of Jabba.”
“Mountains of credits flow up and down the Corellian Run every day, but less of it makes it to the Triellus lane that links us to Tatooine. What if more did?” I tapped my finger on the table. “I’ve just learned of a remarkable trade opportunity. There's an ore that’s only available in that system, shares many of the properties of Beskar, and it’s nearly as cheap as the sand.”
Bo looked at me in disbelief. “Phrik?” she asked. “You want to buyphrik?”
The others in the room shared confused glances.
“Of course not.” I smiled. “I want to mine it myself.”
Captain Voss wrinkled her nose. “What good does that do? It’s useless.”
“Is it?” I raised an eyebrow. “It gives us a reason to direct more trade towards the systems beyond the Corellian Run. The Outer Rim may be poor, but it’s rich in resources, and I’m confident we’ll be able to offer a better deal than the Trade Federation.” I turned back to the map. “The Triellus Trade Route, the very hyperspace lane we’re just now starting to secure, runs all the way to the other side of the Galaxy, without going through the Core.”
Weivis folded his arms. “And what is so objectionable about the core?”
“Taxes and tariffs, for one,” I said. “But more than that, once it terminates at The Wheel, we’re only a hop skip and a jump from Sereno, and I guarantee that my friend Count Dooku will be interested in establishing trade relationships with Naboo, especially if the goal is to help combat piracy and poverty in the Outer Rim.”
In’vess steepled his fingers. “Thoughts on Her Majesty’s daring plan?”
“I’m all for it, sir.” Ryker leaned back, resting a boot on his opposite knee.
After a moment Voss nodded as well. “Phrik aside, it gives us a reason to go after the pirates in their home ground and burn them out.” She smiled. “And maybe even a Hutt.”
In’vess grunted. “The rest of you?”
“I fly fighters, Sir,” Excor said. She looked uncomfortable with the sudden scrutiny. “All this is above my pay grade.”
Chantier Weivis ran his fingers along his mustache. “The plan appears sound, though I don’t much like the thought of dealing with a Hutt.”
“Kloon?”
The leader of silver squadron remained silent for a moment, gaze fixed on the table. Then, he said, “I think my wing will…appreciate a chance to go after the source. Even if it means waiting a while.”
“It seems we are all in favor, but!” He held up one finger. “Amidala, you still haven’t explained where you mean to take all of that Phrik you’re so enthused with.”
My smile widened. “That’s just the trick, Admiral. I don’t intend to take it anywhere.”
*~*~*
A/N:
Translations
[spoiler]
“Ke’kyrir. Ni’akio kaysh.” Stop that. I invited her.
“Tion Akio jehaat?”Why invite a liar?
“Copaani mirshmure'cye?” Looking for a smack to the face? (lit. Do you want to fight?)
“Hut’uune ratiin viini.” Cowards always run.
“jetii” Jedi
[/spoiler]
Note on Mando’a:
This story is deeply involved with Mandalorian culture. As such, I’ll be using Mando’a to enhance the narrative. Since it’s a conlang, I will be expanding the lexicon as I deem necessary, while doing my best to honor the rules and the spirit of the language.
For Mandalorian vocabulary, I am using this dictionary, and for grammar I found this wonderful Blog Post by Crystalline Neural Network breaking down the key elements of Mando’a Grammar.
Dictionary link: https://mandocreator.com/tools/dictionary.html
Blog link: https://crystalshard.tumblr.com/post/629073175353999361/crystals-easy-guide-to-mandoa-grammar
