Komari did not know what the queen meant by these last words, and she had no other preoccupation than to think of it. Because she was currently in the royal limousine of the Alderaan family, sitting next to Bail Organa and facing the king and queen of Alderaan without really understanding how or why she had gotten there.

  At the loud insistence of the two male figures of the Organa family, the queen grabbed him by the arm and stuffed him into the car without asking his opinion. It was almost a kidnapping!

  So, she rubbed shoulders with the Organa while facing the queen who had not said a word since their last exchange. Instead, Bail and his father were making conversation with an energy that was almost exhausting for their interlocutor.

  Komari didn't understand how they could so easily accept a stranger who obviously didn't have the same social status as them, or why he wanted to take her with them.

  Komari's instinctive paranoia quickly analyzed all possibilities, from the worst to the least likely. But none of the finishes really, explained his presence in the royal limousine.

  "Excuse me?" she began, raising a hand and drawing the attention of the whole family to herself. "But where are you taking me?" she asked.

  It was Bail's father who replied, "We are invited to the Senate for a party organized in honor of the Chancellor."

  Komari nodded, "Okay, but why are you taking me?" again, the question seemed to surprise both father and son.

  "Well, we owe me a debt and we have an obligation to help you. After this party, we will find a way to accompany you home or to a place where you will be safe. It's not easy to wander the street, even a child as resourceful as you. He said, supported by his son's vigorous nods.

  Komari blinked several times as she realized that they had decided that she would be their responsibility, something she surely hadn't accepted, but the move was honorable. Taking care of a child who came out of nowhere and offering her shelter without question was something unexpected and deeply benevolent.

  This seemingly noble family seemed to be more than just social barriers, and Komari understood why the man Bail Organa could threaten the Sith to the point that they would want his life. She could see in his eyes an uncommon honesty and righteousness. Something that she herself lacked.

  Mazicia Organa's gaze was particularly disturbing, the queen had not taken her eyes off him since the beginning of the journey. There was something disturbing about this woman, or at least something that Komari couldn't understand. Like a link.

  Having read among the very, very, very many mandatory documentations of initiates in training within the order. That some people were sensitive to the force without showing the signs of it, no one with whom the force interacted in a different way than with the Jedi or the Sith.

  A much less demonstrative way. The reasons for this different interaction did not seem clear, or at least were debated by many professors and researchers within the temple.

  And whatever the reason, Komari couldn't understand the connection she felt to the Queen of Alderaan. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but not in an aggressive or oppressive sense, rather one she couldn't control.

  Mazicia Organa had not yet said anything about her husband's move to offer Komari the Organa family asylum, all the green-eyed girl felt at the queen's house was astonishment and a little confusion. Komari was certain that the queen was aware that she had mastered the force, yet she did not question her about her past or her possible connection to the Jedi order.

  Looking out the window of the limousine, she could see that the Galactic Senate was getting closer. It was a simply massive building. It was one of those few buildings on Coruscant that towered over all the others along with the Jedi temple. It was the putrid heart of the Galactic Republic, the place of all corruption, all the vile exchanges, and all the illusions.

  The Senate Rotunda or Senate Dogma was not the primary place of governance of the Republic, but it had served as the official center of the Galactic Republic since the end of the Great Sith War.

  Seeing the Senate from afar was already impressive, but Komari didn't realize its true size until he stepped out of the Organa's limousine at the foot of the building. They were ants on the steps of the Senate. From a vulgar being insignificant in the face of representation, in front of the embodiment of the power of the most powerful force in the galaxy, the Senate of the Republic. An organization affecting the future of billions of living beings for better, but especially for worse.

  Komari shuddered when she followed the Organa inside. His whole being was screaming at him to be extremely careful! The lanes screamed their hatred of the place, but also their fear of this Komari could not discern.

  She regretted at that moment that she had not taken with her the sword that Plo Koon had lent her. For all her defence, she had only her mother's vibrator blade, which never left her.

  Those fingers quickly found the cold touch of the blade, and some of the tension she had felt up to that point was soothed, but not her alertness.

  Komari accompanied the Organa to the reception venue, chatting with Bail without letting anything of what she had just felt.

  She was speechless at the ostentatious luxury of the reception room, there were gilding, finery and other luxury elements on all the walls. The room was illuminated by beautiful crystal chandeliers.

  Komari had never seen so much food wasted in one place, there was enough to feed an entire neighborhood in Nar Shadda's lower town for a year on the reception tables. Dishes so elaborate that she doubted they were edible, they looked more like works of art than food.

  She curses her bad luck, not being able to swallow any of the food present there because of the deplorable state of her stomach. Of course, a small part of her told her to gorge herself and then reject the consequences.

  But while tempting, Komari didn't want to spend the evening vomiting his guts on the luxurious carpets of the Senate.

  Without letting her guard down, she let herself be pulled by the arm by Bail, who was scanning the food with greedy eyes. Together, they fell on the alcohol table with the same idea in their eyes, they looked at each other and then smiled.

  Bail was a lovely person, even by Komari's somewhat biased standards. Not only was he totally unaware of the class difference between them, but he was also careful not to fall into false modesty.

  Their conversation quickly turned to the Prince of Alderaan's family, with Komari later learning that the Prince of Alderaan had three older sisters and a younger sister. Three of his sisters had remained on Alderaan and she understood from Bail's tone and emotions that he felt sorry for one of his sisters, so they avoided talking about it.

  Avoiding the heavy subject, they began to talk about Coruscant. His parents had brought him to the heart of the galaxy to learn about galactic politics.

  During the evening, as they walked back and forth among the guests, Komari was surprised to recognize some of the senators she had seen in her visions.

  Strangely, she knew that some of them would become the leaders of the opposition to the Republic in the years to come. Inwardly, she offered them her sympathy.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Despite her initial caution, she gradually let herself go to the friendly atmosphere of the place and let her guard down a little. Komari was well aware that something was wrong, but it was more about the Senate venue itself than the reception. There was a diffuse presence in the force surrounding the Galactic Senate, an unfriendly and rather oppressive presence.

  If she had time, she should investigate how she felt in this place. It was better to know than to be ignorant.

  While Komari and Bail joked about the style of some, a tall Wookiee senator who was with a Muun banker from the banking clan shifted away.

  When she saw Mace Windu's shiny bald head, Komari swallowed his drink askew and began to choke. Why on earth was he here and why was force always playing tricks on him? Growling at his bad luck, Komari quickly hid behind Bail without the latter catching the situation.

  The Jedi Master was in conversation with none other than... the king and queen of Alderaan to the great misfortune of Komari.

  She could hear Windu's voice growling in disbelief at the monarchs' words.

  "Your son was saved by a child who jumped from a ten-meter-high footbridge on her attacker? What child would be crazy enough to do that? ?

  Komari turned his head praying to all the gods that they could exist in the galaxy, but none answered those prayers when Mazicia Organa's voice rose into the air.

  "Lease my darling, please bring our young friend here," she asked with a hint of irony in her voice, as if she knew what to expect from the confrontation to come.

  Before Komari could slip away, she was grabbed by her comrade who pulled her along with him, only too happy to meet a Jedi master and unaware that the girl with the fluorescent green eyes was beginning to insult an entire generation of the honorable monarchs of Alderaan.

  When Mace Windu saw her, Komari could see a vein swell on the Jedi Master's forehead. In addition to Windu, Master Yoda was there as well, and once again Komari had failed to sense him through the force.

  "Apart from you, of course, Komari. I don't even know why I'm surprised to see you, I should have known better. Windu growled as the vein on his forehead began to grow and deepen.

  Komari thought a little for the precepts of strength that were flouted by such a master in the grip of such emotions. Unfortunately for her, Komari couldn't hold back a sarcastic smile.

  Yoda for his part sneered gently, as if he was not surprised by his presence, "Crazy is a good adjective, but qualified, we must be indomitable."

  The exchange of the two masters somewhat surprised Bail and his father, while the queen seemed unfazed by the situation.

  "Do you know each other?" asked Bail timidly of the two masters.

  "An initiate is Komari," Yoda revealed to them, "Forbidden to go out, novices are," he continued, to the green-eyed girl who gave him an innocent smile.

  The little master approached her to pat her on the shoulder, "Bad with the rules of the temple," and then, in a gesture almost impossible to discern, he took the glass from her hands.

  The thief part in Komari could not help but be impressed and applaud such a mastery of the art of theft. The other party complained that his glass had just been taken away from him. A glass that contained everything a child should not drink.

  "Well, having been around Jedi, I think she looks nothing like her counterparts," the king confessed, carefully observing the child who was Komari talking to Bail.

  The heir of Alderaan gave him no respite, fascinated as he was by his friend's new status. Komari answered his questions while drinking a fruit juice and silently facing Windu's gaze.

  "Komari, who is your Jedi Master?" the queen asked, in order to break up the strange cold war between Windu and the initiate. "Oh no, I know. Let us guess? It can't be Master Windu or Master Yoda, because your behavior is far too different..."

  "Komari is still an initiate, so she doesn't have a Jedi master assigned, for that she will have to pass the initiates' tests and a master will be willing to train her," Windu explained to cut off any speculation on the part of the Organa. "But right now, his guardian is Master Dooku is currently on a mission."

  At his words, Komari saw the queen's eyebrows twitch, a sign that the monarch knew the Jedi Master.

  "Do you know Master Dooku?" asked the green-eyed initiate, curious about the relationship between the Organa and Dooku.

  "Indeed, as a young girl, Master Dooku participated in a mission to protect our family a few years ago. He was of invaluable help in the diplomatic settlements of a past crisis. The king explained with a smile.

  This reminded Komari that the Jedi were regularly brought into contact with the upper echelons of the various states of the galaxy and to participate in the diplomatic settlement.

  Strangely, from what she had read, few Jedi were actually known, at least politically known. they came and went like emissaries. Individuals like Yoda, Windu, and Dooku were peculiar.

  Dooku was known politically as a member of a royal family, the Dukes of Serenno, and for his ability to resolve even the most dangerous crises. She had understood that he had been intervening regularly lately in the worlds of the outer rim.

  Catching the king's slightly incredulous look, she understood that he was trying to make the connection between her, who looked very anarchic, and Dooku, who had a particularly distinguished and classy manner. yes okay, she could have made an effort on her clothing style.

  "Whaaaoouu Komari, you know Master Dooku, it's impressive. It's a legend. Bail yelled far too close to his ear, hopping up and down like a child. Komari listened attentively to the words of his new friend who was over the moon.

  Truth be told, she didn't know much about the Jedi Master's history outside of what her mind had taught her or her readings.

  Bail's narrative took hold of him that Dooku had a real reputation in the galaxy, whether in the core or in the worlds of the Outer Rim. Through his interventions and his political weight, he had, unlike many of his Jedi counterparts, a real impact on the situations he faced.

  His word carried weight, where the word of many Jedi could only be taken as advice that could be ignored.

  His intransigence in defending the worlds of the outer rim earned him the sympathy of many organizations in the political pressure group.

  He also had the reputation of not hesitating to use violence against any person, from the indigent to the senator, who would endanger or threaten the peoples of the Republic.

  "The temple must be in a lot of trouble if one of their initiates is brought to the wall," the queen finally said, smiling at Komari. The initiate felt through the force Windu's discomfort at this situation, and strangely some anger on the part of the queen. Anger not directed at Komari, but at the Jedi.

  "This is a problem that we will solve among ourselves," Windu said, reluctant to talk about the subject and glaring at Komari.

  "And for my part, it's a problem I'm going to be a part of!" the queen growled as she stood between Komari and Windu. "My family owes a debt to them and I intend to pay it."

  A new Cold War broke out all of a sudden, this time not between an initiate and a Jedi master but between a queen and a Jedi master. Truth be told, Komari didn't really understand why the monarch of Alderaan was so protective of her to the point of confronting Windu.

  "Your Highness, I know that you and the Order have differences. I am still constrained by your loss. But the questions of the order are only about the Jedi order. Windu's words did not calm the queen, on the contrary. Komari felt the latter's anger ignite.

  "Don't bring this matter back to the front if you don't want to upset me, Jedi!" the queen's fingers closed abruptly on her glass to the point where cracks began to appear. "If an initiate as young as she starts to make the wall, it's not for pleasure. Something is wrong! When you build the wall, it's because you want to escape something! Not that we feel comfortable. The queen's voice had not risen or fallen, it remained cold, but also terribly harsh.

  "Master Yoda, will you say that the young girl Komari feels comfortable and safe in your temple? Even I see that she is peculiar and I find it hard to believe that your rigid order is capable of watching over the development of such a child. She continued, without giving the Jedi masters time to answer.

  The queen took the time to calm down before continuing by glaring at the Jedi, "Anyway, my house and I offer protection and asylum to this child if she asks for it, and the order has no interest in interfering."

  Then, she planted the Jedi on the spot by going to talk to other people to calm down. Komari did not want to be the target of Windu's displeasure and decided that it was time for her to slip away.

  She didn't know why the queen was so protective of her to the point of confronting the Jedi order. As he cast a questioning glance at Bail, the latter grimaced and shrugged his shoulders.

  "My mother has a score to settle with the order and I think she likes you."

  These were all the explanations Komari could obtain from his friend. The rest of these questions were cut short by the smell of delicious, well-stocked food dishes.

  Ignoring the consequences, she threw herself voraciously on all the dishes within her reach, at worst, she told herself, she would vomit on Windu's shoes. At the point she was, it couldn't be worse.

  At his 20th cake, Komari felt something. It wasn't as she expected, the gastric juices from her belly starting to rise up and gush out of her mouth. No, it was a tiny pressure in the force that told him that something was going to happen.

  Suddenly alert, she began to observe the potential threats around her, without finding anything obvious.

  Letting himself be guided by the force and by the voices in his head, his gaze finally fell on the origin of the threat.

  He was a waiter in every way like the others, serving here and there verses filled with a fluorescent blue alcoholic beverage.

  Komari could sense that the waiter's attention was focused on another individual surrounded by many senators. That waiter was going to kill someone, she's sure of it.

  But she wasn't the latter's target, so it wasn't his business, Komari finally turned away to be able to swallow a new dish.

  Strangely, the force warned him further, yet she decided to ignore him, that a man live or die was not his problem.

  Komari heard, or rather she perceived, thanks to the strength of all the voices, a voice that she knew coming from the crowd of senators, it was the voice of Mazicia Organa.

  Komari turned around hesitantly, although she had only known the Organa for a few hours, they had offered her more sympathy and warmth than the entire Jedi Order had offered her in six months. Of course, Yaya, Tola and Plo koon had welcomed him.

  Komari wasn't sure if Mazicia Organa would be the target of the assassination attempt that was about to unfold, but what was certain was that the queen was in the line of fire.

  Thanks to her small size, she saw the underside of the board and the blaster held by the waiter, a blaster pointing in the direction of the group where Mazicia Organa was standing.

  There was no immediate trace of Jedi.

  Komari quickly weighed the pros of the counter when Mazicia Organa unintentionally placed herself in the shooter's line of sight.

  Komari grabbed the round scrap metal tray from which she had just eaten her last meal and before the assassin began to adjust his aim, she sprang into action.

  With a violent blow, she hit him on the back of the knee. This will throw the waiter off balance and fall backwards while opening fire in the ceiling.

  Immediately, the shooting caused widespread panic and as rubble and plaster flew and screams of terror rose, Komari continued to attack.

  Without paying attention to the scream, Komari smashed the dish of his tray onto the waiter's head. His blow was followed by another blow to the throat with the edge of the board, followed by a dozen other blows to the waiter's skull.

  The whole of his action had taken no more than a few seconds, it had been quick and merciless.

  Out of reflex and awareness, she had continued to hammer the assassin until he could no longer move.

  It was finally the strange silence that forced Komari to raise his head from his work after a last blow more violent than the others on the server.

  She grimaced at the sight of the masters Yoda and Windu, a clear sword protecting the assassin's presumed target. Komari looked at them, then looked at the waiter's body before returning to them.

  "I swear he's still alive if you ask yourself master, and he's the one who started it!!" she exclaimed. All eyes were fixed on the bloody tray she held in her hands, and then on Komari's face covered in the blood of his victim.

  Windu ran a tired hand over his face as he extinguished his sword, and it wasn't long before the blue-clad Senate security arrived.

  Komari had to accompany the Jedi Masters out of the reception, if Master Yoda walked by her side, she could feel Master Windu's piercing eyes on the back of her neck.

  "And that's what happens when you try to be of service!" she growled inwardly.