Saga Ring of Fire - The Final Story in Anakin's Saga - Author's final replies and goodbyes 2/23

Padmé certainly is in a tough spot politically? I particularly liked the way you explored the clash between her long-held values and the more pragmatic new order with Sabé as her foil.

Good to know Typho will be back.

And then there?s that ending? It?s one thing for Padmé to trust Anakin to protect her and their family, but if she doesn?t accept that they may soon be politically at odds over Palpatine?s policies she?ll be in trouble, I think.

 

Padmé, Padmé, Padmé ::smacks self on forehead::.

The whole thing is just insane. She knows Palpatine is up to no good, yet she continues to trust Anakin, even though he works for Palpie. And she throws herself back into the political web. Sheesh!

--MissPadme

 

The suspense of this story is already driving me batty. Which is ridiculous because we already know how it ends, and we?re only a few posts in, but the way you?re weaving the threads together is spellbinding. I can?t seem to be able to help myself hoping that Padme?s trust in Anakin will be justified, that they will somehow overcome all the danger coming from the Emperor, his allies, and Anakin himself. Just a fabulous chapter.

I?ll be waiting on pins and needles until your next post.

 

bright morning

vines and flowers

Theed lay spread out below as far as she could see, familiar and reassuring.

Interesting, juxtaposal imagery, when you consider this:

new, tall flagpoles that pierced the skyline throughout the city

...revealing again and again the symbol of the Republic.

A lesser writer would've made it a rainy day, over-emphasizing the gloom, doom, and dread of the current setting/situation. Methinks this is one of two things, either; showing Padme's characteristic resolve, determination, grit, and ability to focus on the good to get her through the bad...or--and this is slightly more of a downer, here--you're giving her one last wimsical, remeniscient glance at her idyllic world just before it gets irrevocably demolished.

We'll see.

?Difficult doesn?t begin to describe the mess we?re in?

Hafta start somewhere . And Sabe seems more of a realist than a melodramist. 'Difficult' suits just fine, especially if you find yourself having to not only acknowledge a bad situation, but somehow make the best of it.

There was a rather heavy pause.

Someone's sleeping on the couch tonight .

The breeze ruffled her hair again, more insistently this time.

It's a wind...of change, perhaps? [face_(pseudo)witty] *arm pump* Yes! 2 points!

?It never used to be this hard to know whom to trust"

Who can you trust, really, when the entire universe is at war, and everybody's lookin out for Number One?
Pessimist's answer: Nobody
Mr_Black's answer: NOBODY!

"A charge of treason is not a frivolous thing.?

Huh. Good thing Anakin isn't an ambitious intern. And doesn't have a taste for cigars.

That slithering son of the seventh pit

*scoff* Dagnabbit, Padme. Learn some more choice epithets from your flim-flammin' well-versed Darth Sugar Daddy.

Aside Alert!: Way to make exposition compelling, by the way. Even in the "Previously, on Palpatine Knows Worst" sections of this post I was intrigued and entertained. Kudos.

Hello, child.

Luke: Hey ma. So...how's bout them power converters?
Leia: Quiet you! Oh, hello mother. What a spacious uterus you have.
Uncle Owen: You clean those droids yet, boy?
L & L: How'd you get in here?!
(The End?)

I have enemies enough already.

Jeez, Geo. Way to out me. *Takes his evil scheme and expansive collection of nefarious Acme brand doom devices back to the drawing board*

"And we know just how corrupt the Senate is.?

HA! I'd hope so. It's only been used as a tool to undermine, haunt, threaten and intimidate you, yours, and the entire planet you call home for over a decade.

Anakin had been away four long weeks.

Hey, quelling an uprising on Planet PleasureParty takes time, careful planning, and a lotta booze.

Well, this post stands in good company with the rest of the Saga. You like how I started out with a legitimate observation and then exponentially indulged in The Crazy? Seriously, I'm asking. If you find it annoying I'll give you more straightforward litcrit hereafter.

Battin' a thousand so far, G3. Bravo.

 

There's a feeling of dread as I read about Padme's trust in Anakin. I'm sure she'll have faith in him till the end, but trust is another thing. The sad thing is, what can she really do? He already sacrificed alot for her to live. But it's almost as if he's joined the darkside to save her. Tragic (and brilliant too).

 

An interesting assortment of comments, thank you!

Once again, Padmé?s choice to continue to serve her Planet and her higher beliefs brings derision and dismay down on her head. I continue to be fascinated how, over a relatively short period of time (one that is well within my own lifetime) the concept of choosing to serve something larger that oneself rather than serving the self ? a concept not unknown throughout human history ? seems to have become a measure of irresponsibility rather than any kind of a noble goal.

Well, ponderings aside, on to replies.

DarthBreezy Sigh, such an amazing post. I love Padme's fierce loyalty to Anakin, Sabe's blunt honesty... the whole thing... keep it up my friend!

Thank you!

GunraysLawyer Ok, let me say this: It is a great idea for Padme to:

1) continue in the conspiracy that has effectively cost her husband his freedom through his efforts to save her;

I don?t think there is any direct evidence in this post that she plans to continue with the conspiracy. At the moment she?s just trying to get herself back to Coruscant and back to what she was doing before as series of events rocked her world.

2) to keep people around her that don't trust her husband given #1.

It?s all about choices. Do you replace your old family with the new, or do you try to find a way to blend them?

I don't want to seem too hard on her, but she continues in the pattern that got her into this situation. She seems to fail to recognize that the Universe has changed or is in the process of changing. She has sacrificed much, but the truly bad outcomes have generally happened to other people (Bale, Anakin) all for admitted good ideals.

In Padmé?s defense I would just remind you how quickly all these events came about.

Unfortunately, I know the ultimate outcome (we all do), and I just wonder how much of the blame for it lies on her inability to change with the universe.

So- in your ?proper? universe there is no place for idealists and their dreams?

stacysatrip Sorry I didn't respond to the previous post, but I'll do it now. It's as simple as this--the yearning Padmé and Anakin have for each other is touching and beautifully written. But just as importantly, you've conveyed their separate devotion to their duties (even though their duties aren't any longer in the "format" they might have liked...they have very little control over their own destinies now, do they?)

Thank you! I was hoping that would come through. Their new roles are indeed very constricting. On the other hand, so were their old ones (?We live in the real world; come back to it?). So maybe this is what it took for them to be together.

VaderVR64 Another amazing post. I could feel Padme's intense loyalty and her feelings for Anakin. Lovely!

Thank you! I'm glad!

rhonderoo Great post, geo! I love the political intrigue and intensity of Anakin's and Padmé's love and feelings for each other, even in the face of the obstacles they face and the people around them pulling them in different directions.

I?m delighted you?re enjoying it. Thanks very much!

nya Sorry that I haven't replied in a while. I have been moving and have been away from the PC. Anyway, this is a great post. I absolutely love how you portray Anakin's unshaking devotion to his family's safety and Padme's blind devotion to him. I have to agree with GunraysLawyer. Padme is rather unable to flow with the current and it is going to get her into heaps of trouble in the future. A tree that cannot bend in the storm will break. I can see poor Anakin being faced with another life or death decision to choose sides again. Only I truly hope that the next time he won't make a bad decision. Yeah I know, Anakin is destined to fall to darkside, but I have to cross my fingers and hope that he won't.

If it?s any consolation, even the Muse doesn?t know exactly how far I?m going to take this story yet. So there?s always hope?

qinguak

 

Well, that was interesting...never quite been smackdowned so graciously before.

As to your last question...No. There is room for such people.

More later, but for now just know that I have little respect for idealists who actually qualify for the title "Glassey Eyed Men/Women of Destiny" who sacrifice everyone and everything else for their ideals. Good historical examples: William Yancey, and most ideologically committed Maoists.

Don't worry, Padme isn't there, but I also since a certain lack of flexibility in her, admittedly based more on her prior actions in this series.

As I said, more later.

BTW, Congratulations again, and keep up the wonderful, wonderful work.

 

geo3, I think your characterization (for lack of a better word) of Padmé is exactly right. With Padmé, it's duty, always duty. She really just can't help herself. If the Republic is going to crumble around her, she's certainly not one who's going to sit back and allow it to happen. She's going to throw herself right into the fray, to fight and scratch and claw her way through it and do everything she has to do to hold it together. It's just the way Padmé is. She, like her husband, operates under the illusion that if she can't fix the galaxy's problems, no one can. Maybe it's a bit delusional, but in a way it is noble. She's not going to pass what off on someone else what she views as her responsibility because she thinks she's already done her part, paid her dues. As far as she's concerned, she can never do too much.

At the same time, Padmé is not stupid. She knows she has to walk a very fine line, not just for her sake, but for Anakin's and their child's. She knows what he's sacrificed to save her, and she knows the danger they all are in.

It will be interesting to see how deep she gets in to all of this, and of course how her decision to fulfill her Senatorial duties affects her relationship with Anakin, as I'm sure he's not exactly keen on the idea of her standing so close to the political fire.

I can't wait to read more.

 

Tee hee, I didn't realize how amused I'd get reading the comments to this fic... Nice pregnate script there, Black!

Love the embroidery insert; just something Sabe would do! I agree w/ Black that keeping the day warm and sunny is a really sophisticated way of describing the situation. I also love how you twist trust and Anakin together like that... again, elegant and realistic. Tee hee, reading this is like my reward for finishing my homework.

 

Great post!

I like the idea of "sewing" - such a normal handmaiden-former queen pass time activity (poor Sabe, always the warrior, I guess she would enjoy anything else instead of it... )

 

gunraysLawyer Well, that was interesting...never quite been smackdowned so graciously before.

Not a smackdown,my dear - a challenge!

As to your last question...No. There is room for such people.

*whew*

More later, but for now just know that I have little respect for idealists who actually qualify for the title "Glassy Eyed Men/Women of Destiny" who sacrifice everyone and everything else for their ideals. Good historical examples: William Yancey, and most ideologically committed Maoists? Don't worry, Padmé isn't there, but I also since a certain lack of flexibility in her, admittedly based more on her prior actions in this series.

Yes, I remember these discussions well. We never finished with them, did we? It seems as though we?re going to have the opportunity to carry on?

BTW, Congratulations again, and keep up the wonderful, wonderful work.

Thank you!

stacysatrip Thanks for jumping in! I couldn?t agree with your points more.

I also like to keep in mind that these are ?larger than life? characters ? their actions, choices, decisions, the situations in which they find themselves are always going to be ?writ large.? There aren?t the people next door. They aren?t you and me. This is Star Wars!

It will be interesting to see how deep she gets in to all of this, and of course how her decision to fulfill her Senatorial duties affects her relationship with Anakin, as I'm sure he's not exactly keen on the idea of her standing so close to the political fire.

Ah, ?tis the stuff of drama!

bobilll Tee hee, I didn't realize how amused I'd get reading the comments to this fic...

This thread shows promise of being full of surprises?

Love the embroidery insert; just something Sabé would do! I agree w/ Black that keeping the day warm and sunny is a really sophisticated way of describing the situation. I also love how you twist trust and Anakin together like that... again, elegant and realistic. Tee hee, reading this is like my reward for finishing my homework.

Thanks very much! I?m very glad you?re enjoying it!

LadyZ Great post! ?I like the idea of "sewing" - such a normal handmaiden-former queen pass time activity (poor Sabe, always the warrior, I guess she would enjoy anything else instead of it...

Thanks! No, sewing is definitely not Sabé?s thing. As I recall, she has hated wardrobe duty since ?way back in ?Children of Circumstance,? even though she still manages to get saddled with it?

* * *

Well, then, on to the remainder of Chapter 2. When we left Padmé she was feeling quite languid and lightheaded, and Coruscant and all it represented seemed very far away?


Chapter 2. the Inner Circle (PartII)


?She?s dozing again,? Sabé informed her counterpart crisply when Dormé arrived to take over. ?And there?s more sewing to do.?

?Oh, good,? Dormé said happily, picking up the garment that Sabé had been so relieved to put aside. ?I love sewing.?

Without Padmé?s knowledge, her three closest and most trusted advisers had formed a private pact after the events on that horrific day they privately referred to as The Heartbreak ? that darkest of days on Naboo when the military governor had been installed, their Queen had been murdered, their Senator arrested, and many, many loved ones had been torn away from their families only to die in the ensuing riots. All of Naboo had lost much, but Padmé?s tightly-knit, devoted staff was of the opinion that Padmé herself had lost most of all.

Sabé and Dormé had managed to arrange things so that Padmé never was alone. When one of them left, the other found an excuse to remain by her side. Secretly Padmé?s two most trusted Handmaidens took turns sleeping outside of her bedroom door, fully armed and with a priority link to Typho?s security network. They screened her calls. They lobbied on her behalf. They found endless creative ways to cover for Padmé?s recent bouts of sleepiness and loss of concentration. ?It?s normal,? they had assur

 

Maybe it was something about the look in her eye. But she didn?t get a single argument.

I just bet she didn't.

I loved Anakin's intensity. Padmé has always had a very calming affect on him and you highlight this wonderfully.

Great post, geo!

 

Anakin?s reaction to Typho?s re-appointment as Security Chief had been about as enthusiastic as Typho?s reaction to Anakin?s appointment as husband had been.

Hee hee...I loved that.

Great post as always! Padmé and Anakin are almost sick for each other, aren't they? *Sigh* Young love. I also appreciate the detail of Padmé's sleepiness--I remember that oh so well. Poor thing. Wanting to nap around the clock probably makes her duties as a Senator quite difficult--though they're already difficult enough.

Can't wait for more, and an impending A/P reunion!

 

Loved the conversation between Anakin and Padme! I felt bad for both lovers. Another superb post!

 

A great chapter! Padme's handmaidens are watching out for her! to them!

The conversation between husband and wife was very normal. Good for her! Look forward to more!

 

Oh boy an Anakin and Padme meeting is coming. What a lovely chapter. It showed how devoted her friends are and how our couple is on the same wave length. I will anxiously be awatign their reuniion

 

?I have to go,? Anakin interrupted quickly. ?But Padmé, hurry. Please.?

His image vanished.

He needs me.

Oh, I can't wait until they are reunited! And Anakin and Typho's overprotection was sweet.

Upsies!

JS

 

Ahhh, reading this story is like sinking into a warm bubble bath, no matter how tragic the circumstances of our heros are...

 

?Who would have imagined that Jedi Padawans could cause so much trouble??

Heh heh. I also liked the line about Typho's enthusiasm for Anakin's appointment as husband.

A short conversation conveyed the powerful bond between Anakin and Padmé, how nothing can get between them for long.

--MissPadme
(p.s.--Don't worry about your last response. I know what you mean .)

 

Nice post. Dialogue is on target as usual. And I especially liked the imagery in the Padme/Anakin conversation scene...the banners blowing, the blurry holo-projector, etc. Subtle and powerful.

 

Wonderful update! That was a very natural conversation for Padme and Anakin to have. Padme is afraid that he's hurt or in trouble, and because of the short strings Palps keeps on Anakin, he can't tell her anything. The best thing for a relationship is honesty and openness. I wonder if that is also what Palps has been devising as well: to facilitate a wedge between them. I hope Anakin can learn to see beyond that. I am forever the optimist

Looking forward to your next Chapter!

 

Ah, very interesting what Sabe and Dorme have there. Love how Dorme sews and Sabe just can't stand it. And the whole Anakin/Padme conversation was very interesting how they kept it a secret and all. Tee hee,love how you included the Delia bit in there so subtly.

 

All right, I have begun to think that I have been too hard on Padme, but I still think that she needs to get her staff with the program, so to speak. I hardly think it viable for her to have an inner staff that distrusts her husband, and counsel distrust of him.

It really is an irreconcilible conflict, and really out of bounds for her staff to think it correct to act on their thoughts in this direction. Then again, perhaps she has never told them exactly the sacrifices that he has made for her...

I do not really look forward to the Typho-Anakin confrontation if the good Captain tries to interfer in any way....

One other thing: Dorme. Now, I have this little project wherein I have spent a lot of time thinking about and developing this Character. Needless to say, my Dorme and yours are utterly different. Given that you have been closely exposed to both, I am impressed that none of the almost inevitable subconscious bleed over has taken place.

Then again, that is probably simply symptomatic of your level of skill: exceedingly high.

More later.

 

Huh, how come I always have to find out about your new stories second- and third-hand?

Brilliant as usual, geo - seamless meld of charactization, imagery, and dialogue.

I've been especially intrigued with Padme's characterization, and the points that Gunray's Lawyer brings up makes it more so. Before AOTC, I never pictured Padme as being particularly idealistic - in fact, I figured that her experience with the Trade Federation would bave burned that from her, given the Republic's distinct lack of ability (or willingness) to help Naboo. I thought that she would be much more of a maverick, willing to work with the Republic when it suited her, but going it alone when that's what it took to accomplish her goals (sound familiar?). In this case, I think it's less idealism and inflexibility than it is fear. Fear for herself, her husband, and her unborn child. She already recognizes that the Republic is not the great entity it once was.

Sabé raised one elegant eyebrow. ?Who would have imagined that Jedi Padawans could cause so much trouble??

Now I can't help thinking of Sabe and her own Jedi Padawan, though I'm not sure if that's officially part of this story arc.

 

Well, well? It seems we have ourselves a Shadow Senator. Of course, I suspect it?s not fooling Padmé for a moment, but she?s wise enough to let Sabé get away with it (for now) because it?s in everyone?s best interest.

Dellia? ?I have a bad feeling about this??

And the desperation in Anakin?s voice? I don?t like that either. Something is definitely up, and I don?t think it?s just a little wistful longing. Not good.

You?re sure starting us off with a bang on the dramatic tension!

Looking forward to more.