Consequences

***Glimpse of the future***

Leia frowned. Her current mood was as depressed as her surroundings. She had come to this planet to seek a mentor; one knowledgeable in the **** but so far she had only succeeded in getting mud on her boots. That was her vanity talking. She didn’t mind getting dirty but knew it would be a pain to clean off later. All around her the city bustled around, the common folk and downtrodden milling about. Leia could have sworn it was the same group of people just moving in one giant circle. The city was bleak, with a layer of dust that extended to its citizens. The woman sighed. What teacher would live here? Spying a bar, Leia made her way over and pushed her way inside.

The bar was not an improvement. If anything it was worse; a concentration of the filth outside. Leia swept past tables covered in dust, pushing away a Drall with a lecherous grin. She slammed a fist into the bar. “Bartender!”

A human that appeared to have been assembled from cast away parts from others plodded over. “What’ll it be sweet cheeks?”

Leia bristled at the comment but suppressed her anger. Below her waist she felt her small cock jump slightly. The futanari adjusted her belt to cover her endowment and turned her charm up to max. She smiled sweetly. “Can you help me? I’m looking for someone.”

He laughed. “There are many someone’s here.”

Her eyes narrowed. “A teacher.”

His laughter bellowed across the bar. “A teacher? Here? You won’t find one anywhere near this part of Eriadu. Best try the library sweety.”

“Thanks.” Leia moved to leave but halted as the bartender coughed. He made a gesture with his fingers.

“Information ain’t free.”

Leia sighed and threw a credit chit behind her; surprised when she didn’t hear it hit the bar. Disappointed, but knowing it wouldn’t be so easy, she left the bar.

“You don’t belong here.” A voice rang out to her left as she adjusted her white outfit.

The futanari turned to see a figure cloaked in long robes, layers of dust ground into the fabric, looking at her. Stray strands of silver hair peeked out from her hood. Leia thought she saw silver eyes as well. “Where do I belong?”

“Not here.” The voice was decidedly feminine though aged. The woman walked towards her, leaning heavily on a cane. “You’re looking for a teacher?”

Leia’s eyes narrowed. “Yes.”

“I can teach you, if you’re willing to learn.” She was within reach of the princess. Leia could feel a waft of her stale scent.

“I don’t think you can teach me what I want.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” She considered, cocking her head to one side then the other. “I can show you to one who can though.”

“Really?” Leia felt incredulous.

“For a price.”

Leia rolled her eyes. “Of course.”

“We will remove ourselves from this world. Your ship will be sufficient.” Already the figure was walking towards the space port.

Leia chased after her. “How’d you know I had a ship?”

“One does not get on Eriadu looking like you without a personal ship.”

“Oh.” Inconspicuous travel was not her strong suit. “Do you have a name?”

The woman laughed. “I’ve had several over my life. Maybe you’ll learn one. Since you are a student, you may call me the teacher.”

Leia gritted her teeth. “Yes, teacher.”

“Now, let’s be off. You want to learn, and we have a destination.”

***

“My hands are tied.”

Mace refused the explanation. “The Jedi are still investigating!”

“Your investigation has gone on for weeks and produced nothing.” Palpatine absently swirled a finger around her desk. “I’m trying my best, but some of the more...radical elements within the senate are demanding answers. One in particular said ‘if the Jedi can not control themselves then the senate will.’”

“We’ve always faithfully served the Republic.” Mace replied automatically.

“Quite so.” Palpatine managed a smile, secretly relishing she caught the Jedi back pedaling.

“What about Senator Amidala?”

The secret Sith Lord raised an eyebrow, “What about her?”

“Didn’t she go visit the young woman?”

“Oh,” Palpatine didn’t like this conversational shift. She rotated to face the window and the commanding overlook of the Coruscant sky. “She did. In fact, did you hear the news?”

Macey frowned. “What news?”

“You may have a new Jedi recruit in a few months. The Diktat’s daughter is pregnant.”

***

A sharp breath of air and Padme was awake. Her eyes blinked rapidly as she took in her surroundings. She was not surrounded on all sides by stone walls, nor was an armored attacker breathing down on her. Her vision was filled with the near blinding white of her ship. Beside her, Leyta sighed in relief. “You had us worried mistress.”

Padme reached out with the ****, but strangely felt nothing, not even Leyta kneeling beside her. A cold touch grasped her. Fear. “What happened?”

“I don’t know, mistress. We were beginning to get worried after you had been gone for several hours. Defa was ready to go look for you when you stumbled into the clearing.”

“Stumbled?” Padme rubbed her head, trying to organize her thoughts and emotions.

Leyta nodded. “You murmured something about a dark lord and passed out. We carried you back here.”

“How long was I out?”

“At least a day.” Padme groaned at that line and carefully pushed herself upright. Leyta offered a hand to guide her and she took it; both grateful and annoyed she needed it.

“Anything else?” She half stumbled forward, halted only by her maiden’s hand.

“A message came for you.”

“What did it say?” Her leg tingled like it was asleep.

“It’s not our place to read it mistress.”

Good girl. “Very well, I shall review it and decide.”

Padme dismissed Leyta and steadily pushed herself into the cockpit, dropping herself into the comms center. She flipped a switch and Palpatine’s visage flickered into view.

“To my errant daughter. I ask where you traipsed off to and when you shall return. The senate has decided to move forward and a vote will be held on the Corellian affair. Since you’re so close on the matter, I assume you can make an appearance if you do desire.”

The message cutoff and Padme bristled. How dare she! Annoyed as she was, Padme realized she needed to head back to Coruscant.