Star Wars: Malignant Metamorphosis

by Forcechild

  Padmay couldn’t help but giggle.

  “I knew I could get you to laugh. On that note I guess I’ll take my leave. You know what I always say. Leave 'em laughing. Seriously. Duty calls and all that. You’ll contact me if you or Ben need anything at all, won’t you? Chewie and I will always be here for you. You do know that.”

  “Of course we know that Uncle Lando. You’ve always been a part of our family.” Padmay reached out and hugged Lando tightly.

  Though he claimed to be a big ladies’ man, Lando always got embarrassed by outward shows of real affection. He returned the hug while looking sheepishly away.

  “Thank you so much for taking time from your busy schedule to go to Tatooine. I know you wanted to be there for Uncle Luke. I know how much he wanted to see you before he died. I’m so sorry he passed before you arrived,” Padmay sighed.

  “Yeah. I wish I could have broken away sooner. I’m sorry we didn’t have the chance to say goodbye. I’ll miss Luke a great deal. I know Chewbacca will too. We’ll always have memories of him to share with each other though. We can be grateful for that.”

  “Yes. He’ll always be in our hearts and in our thoughts.”

  “Always,” Lando agreed.

  Padmay embraced them both as they bid her farewell. She thanked them once again for their trip to Tatooine and all they’d done to help. Padmay had tears in her eyes as she watched Lando and Chewbacca walk towards their speeder.

  Chapter Seven

  - Lucian Gris -

  ~02/02/00 ABE: Two years, two months after the death of Emperor Palpatine.~

  His most important command, bah! Command of boredom, Lucian Gris thought. He’d been told that this would be the most important mission since the fall of the Empire. He hadn’t been told the specifics of course, but his superiors said that the Empire would certainly regain control over the galaxy, and more.

  The Rear Admiral was told to order the remnants of the Imperial Fleet to patrol Geonosis’ boundaries. If deemed necessary, they were to destroy rebel ships that came too close to the planet. Fortunately, the New Republic rarely surveyed the Outer Rim. Gris was thankful for that. He doubted what was left of the armada could defend a portion of Geonosis, let alone the entire system.

  His primary order was to take two destroyers into the inner systems and continue raiding outposts, but not to attract too much attention. His superior’s assumed that even if these raids were reported, two antiquated destroyers would seem insignificant. Lucian didn’t understand the importance of this mission, but dared not disobey his orders.

  The raids Gris was ordered to undertake weren’t just to scrounge for supplies. He was commanded to abduct women. Human women. He was told to take the outcasts; women whom wouldn’t be missed. They were to be in good health and of sound mind. They were to be of child bearing years. His highest priority was to capture a few virgins. Gris was told that if he failed to find at least one virgin, the whole mission would be in vain.

  Most of the outposts they raided were controlled by outlaws. The women Gris abducted hadn’t caused any problems, as long as the leaders were paid enough to look the other way. In fact, the Rear Admiral employed some of the thieves to do the dirty work for him. It was much easier to pay criminals to snatch women then it was to send crewmen to procure them.

  What the Empire wanted with all these women was beyond his comprehension. Lucian Gris had no use for the opposite sex. They were insignificant. Women were only good to carry on the blood line. Females did have their usefulness he supposed. Being ship bound most of the time, these abductees did come in handy to amuse the crew. The men who left their women behind on Coruscant and the other planets the rebels now controlled were the ones Gris had to placate. They often complained about losing their families. He kept these men busy with their duties and allowed them “recreation time” with a few of the captives. Protecting the few virgins he’d managed to find had been considerably hard, but allowing the men release with the harlots seemed to keep them satisfied. A few had even requested to purchase their favorites. Gris gladly accommodated them. A few females wouldn’t be missed. As long as his superiors didn’t learn of this exchange, he couldn’t see the harm. Best to keep the crew happy. Besides, it didn’t hurt his pocketbook either.

  Lucian Gris had been given full command of the entire Imperial Fleet. What a joke that had turned out to be. The fleet now consisted of the eight Star Destroyers that employed the use of the cloaking device to flee the enemy over Endor. As far as Gris knew, these eight vessels were the only remaining crafts in the whole armada that had escaped annihilation or capture by the Rebel Alliance.

  It was a total disgrace. All he truly was in command of was a bunch of derelict ships and deserters. But then, he was a deserter as well. He was keenly aware that he was lucky to be alive at all. If Darth Vader had survived the destruction of the Death Star he surely would have crushed Gris for his cowardice.

  Lucian often wondered when his superiors were going to make their move against his hated enemy. He wanted to exact revenge against the Alliance. Some of his family’s friends had become renegades and fought against the Empire, but most had sided with Palpatine. Gris held no love for them either. Their children had bullied and teased him in his youth. His family had been very poor and Lucian hated being looked down upon like he had some kind of awful disease. He swore he’d be rich and powerful one day and get even with those who’d scorned him.

  No one had dared make fun of an Imperial Soldier. That being so, Gris had run away from his impoverished family at a young age and joined the Imperial Navy.

  The man was extremely impatient with the slow process of promotion. Through the years, he’d worked very hard to achieve a higher station in life and it seemed as if his move up the ranks was taking forever. In his long, hard climb up the social ladder, Lucian used whatever means necessary to attain his goals.

  One of the most important steps Lucian Gris took was when he met a young heiress. Her family was rich and well established within the Empire. The female wasn’t much to look at. In fact, she was downright homely. Her disposition was just as undesirable as her looks, but none of that mattered to Lucian. He didn’t have to endure the ugly beast for long, just long enough to seduce her.

  Gris never felt any affection for the girl, not being capable of loving an individual other than himself. Lucian held himself in too much esteem. When the heiress got pregnant with his child they were quickly and quietly engaged. He cared nothing at all about becoming a father, but a bastard was a bastard and still frowned upon. He was certain that the girl’s parents would demand that he marry her. Getting her pregnant had been his objective all along. Lucian knew that such a marriage would secure him a position of prominence.

  His assumption proved right when the pair were wed in a private ceremony. Her parents then used their connections to acquire Lucian’s promotion to Second Lieutenant. The aristocrats couldn’t have their daughter wed to a mere soldier. They were to have a big, fancy wedding when he returned from his first assignment as an officer. He would then be introduced to all the proper members of society. Gris knew that his social status would take a grand leap from that moment on. His ambitious goals would finally be realized once he returned from the expected annihilation of the Rebel Alliance.

  Lucian had never expected that the Rebellion would cost him so much. He could have been sitting pretty right now if those insurgents hadn’t interfered with his plans. Who could’ve ever envisioned that such a small, unorganized group of misfits would overthrow the mighty Empire? They’d all pay dearly when the new Empire came into power. Lucian was certain of that fact.

  The Rear Admiral was eagerly awaiting that most important event. The young man just could not understand why his superiors hesitated reestablishing their control over the galaxy. Patience, he thought. Only those above him knew what plans were intended for the Empire’s future. Lucian Gris wished he knew what that future held in store for him.

  Chapter Eight />
  - Benjamin and Padmay Solo -

  ~18/02/30 ABE: Eighteen years, two months, two weeks after the death of Emperor Palpatine.~

  Padmay Solo walked into the domed Senate Building. Her mind was full of reflection as she entered the massive, circular chamber that was filled to capacity. This was probably the same path her grandmother took when the Old Republic ruled the galaxy so many years ago, she mused. It was also the same hallway her Uncle Luke once walked after the New Republic restored democracy to the galaxy. It hadn’t been long since his death. Padmay missed her uncle very much.

  The teen headed to the repulsorlift station that Senator Hugo was assigned to. Every time Padmay entered the theater she cringed a little on the inside. She was never much for crowds and the din of all those argumentative voices reverberated through her head on a daily basis. She often left the sessions with a severe headache. She often wondered how Padme Amidala had done it day after day, figuring her grandmother must’ve had a great amount of stamina.

  Padmay’s mother had been elected to a seat here immediately after the Empire fell. Fortunately for Leia, she’d been lucky enough to escape the responsibility of attending these meetings. Confusion had spread throughout the galaxy once the New Republic gained control. Leia had been sent to help restore order as the new government established itself. She was gone from Coruscant most of the time. Restoring full democracy to the systems had taken a number of years.

  Luke accompanied Leia on these important missions while his health still enabled him to. He’d protected her from scuffles that sometimes arose due to dissidents that gathered among the crowds. They’d been swayed by Palpatine’s lies and continued to hate the Jedi, but most people held onto their faith in the warriors. They hadn’t believed the Emperor’s accusations against them, but feared speaking up in the Jedi’s behalf. Defending such “traitors” would’ve led to dire consequences.

  Ben and Padmay had gone along with their parents on some of these missions when they were very young. Han had watched them while Luke and Leia were busy attending meetings. When the restless younglings grew to be too much for him to handle all alone he’d recruited Chewbacca to act as their babysitter. The beast had handled the mischievous tots with extreme patience while they constantly pestered him to play. They’d climbed all over his massive body, pulling his hair and screaming loudly in his ears. They’d teased and tormented Chewbacca tirelessly. wookiees had violent reputations and were known to lose their tempers without much instigation, but his gentleness while watching over his impetuous charges still amazed Padmay to this day.

  When the twins were a little older, they’d questioned their parents about how Chewbacca got to be their “uncle.” Han explained that he’d rescued Chewie from a life of slavery. The creature felt he owed Han a life-debt. He’d released the wookiee from this obligation when he’d rescued him, but the obstinate beast wouldn’t hear of it. He’d followed Han everywhere which frustrated him. Han tried to leave him behind on more than one occasion, but Chewbacca always tracked him down. He’d finally given up and taught the wookiee how to pilot the Millennium Falcon. They’d been together ever since.

  Chewbacca had protected Padmay’s family for as long as she could remember. He’d acted as a bodyguard for Leia, as well as protecting young Ben and Padmay while the family traveled throughout the galaxy.

  Leia had been an excellent choice as an ambassador for the New Republic. She was very proficient at handling stressful situations and easing people’s anxieties. Many had lost important positions after the Empire fell and worried about their futures under the new government. Most who’d served the Empire were forgiven their transgressions and given pardons to help relieve the tensions. They hadn’t been given much of a choice under the circumstances. These leaders had to submit to the territorial governors that had taken control of their provinces without complaint. If anyone dared to voice their objections their entire families were placed in one of the numerous prison camps that had suddenly sprung up throughout the Empire during Palpatine’s tyrannical regime.

  When Leia faced the citizens of these provinces more than a few spoke up against such traitorous acts by their leaders. They’d rejected the very idea of amnesty, especially those whose family members died in the Rebellion. Most of the officials had profited from their cooperation with the Emperor. Leia made the disgruntled citizens understand their leader’s positions under such a sadistic ruler. She’d made them realize that these pardons, for those who’d deserved it, were crucial for a smooth transition to take place. She’d sworn each individual would be seriously scrutinized before exoneration was granted. Any leader who’d truly benefited would be dealt with accordingly. Leia eventually quieted all their fears.

  Young Padmay didn’t think she would have fared half as well as her mother. The girl had a quick temper and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. Padmay knew she wouldn’t have been able to hold back her opinions of such cowardice and treachery. Senator Hugo reprimanded her many times about keeping her opinions to herself. He’d told her that she had no clue what it was like to live under such conditions. Who knows what she would’ve done in a similar situation?

  Padmay was aware that she wasn’t a good politician. A worthy representative had to have an ear open to all sides. They had to be fair and impartial. One had to keep their personal feelings to themselves. That was something Padmay couldn’t do no matter how hard she tried. She was too opinionated. She couldn’t hide her true feelings regarding cowardly actions. When Padmay felt something was wrong she voiced her opinion. It didn’t matter who she offended. Senator Hugo told her that her outbursts would be her undoing.

  Padmay had been Senator Hugo’s aide for over three standard years now. It seemed a lifetime to her. Most of her classmates had gone on and achieved a much higher status. She often thought the only reason she was given this position was because of her family name. After all, if her parents hadn’t been a big part of the Rebellion there probably wouldn’t even be a New Republic. Not that the Alliance hadn’t plagued Emperor Palpatine, but their assaults hadn’t done much to harm the Empire. Without her family’s assistance the entire galaxy would probably still be suffering under Palpatine’s tyranny.

  While waiting for the rotunda to come to order, Padmay thought about the changes the New Republic made since democracy was reestablished. Groups from each and every system were elected to represent their planet’s issues before going before the Grand Committee to be voted on. Representatives all agreed not to have one Supreme Chancellor after Palpatine. He’d abused the position through bribery and corruption. He’d used his authority to establish himself as Emperor. No one person should have such power. They’d never risk losing their liberty to such an oppressive ruler again. Education, medical research, technology, personal worship and other freedoms were taken from them while under his rule.

  There were many atrocities committed while the systems suffered under Palpatine’s reign of terror. Those who uttered resistance were murdered without a second thought. Thousands of innocents had been sent to prisons which were nothing more than death camps. They’d been put to work supplying the Imperial Forces with its needs in order to keep the dictatorial Empire in control. Rape and torture were every day occurrences. When these captives could no longer work due to starvation and disease, they were put to death in the most horrendous ways. Padmay wept at what these tormented souls had to endure during their imprisonment.

  Her parents had escaped those horrors, thankfully. Her father had been a smuggler and avoided the Empire’s notice before he took part in the Rebellion. Leia had been adopted by Bail Organa and hidden from Emperor Palpatine before her role in the resistance was discovered. Bail had helped to organize the rebel forces into the Alliance and undermined Palpatine at every possible opportunity. He’d managed to accomplish this while still holding his seat in the senate. He must’ve been a most resourceful man, Padmay thought. It was a shame she never had the chance to meet Bail. He’d been killed on Alderaan
when the first Death Star destroyed the planet.

  Padmay realized just how fortunate she was that she didn’t have to suffer through such bleak times. She was aware how much her family sacrificed in order to restore democracy. Them, as well as many others. They’d willingly sacrificed themselves not only for her, but for the entire galaxy. Never again would such a suppressive dictatorship take their freedom from them. Not as long as she could help it. Padmay would do everything in her power to help keep the peace and freedom so many had given their lives for. She vowed that as long as she held breath in her body, a dictator would never rise to power again.

  *

  The Senate meeting finally over for the day, Padmay went home and joined her brother for dinner. Though not really interested due to another headache, she asked him how his day had been.

  “It was a great day,” Ben answered as he grinned from ear to ear.

  “I can see that by your lopsided smile. Why are you so happy?”

  “Captain Rutger thinks I’ll make a good starpilot. He says I have natural talent.”

  “I see. Now I understand that look of satisfaction on your face. I’m glad to hear it Ben. I’m happy for you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you looking so fit and sure of yourself.”

  “I’d probably be a fat, lazy, miserable hypocrite by now if I hadn’t quit politics.”

  “I guess it’s a good thing you decided to quit then. I’d hate to see you so obese that you’d have to attend sessions in a repulsorchair,” Padmay teased.

  “Very funny dear sister, but you’d better start watching your own diet. You haven’t given up your position yet. How many times have I come home and had to listen to your complaints? How many times have you told me you were going to quit? I know you don’t enjoy being a part of that pretentious atmosphere any more than I did.”

  “Who doesn’t complain about their job? Everyone has a bad day once in a while. I don’t imagine I’ll be quitting any time soon. What else could I do? Besides, maybe I can make a difference some day. Who knows?”