Bitter Rival
by Jess Ka Muroc
Naboo was a beautiful planet. That was what everyone said. They also said that Theed, the capitol city, was one of the loveliest cities in the whole universe. However, right now a young girl named Arana could care less about the prettiness of Theed. She was so depressed, she could hardly care about the prettiness of anything.
"Traitor," Arana growled beneath her breath as she stomped dejectedly down a back road of Theed. It was so out of the way, it was only made of dirt. But it was a road Arana had traveled down many times before. She came here when she was depressed. And boy, was she depressed now. After all, her dirty, rotten sister had betrayed her!
Arana and Amidala were twins, but it soon became known that Amidala was "the popular one." Although the girls looked and sounded exactly alike, it was Amidala who had all the friends, it was Amidala who had all the boys chasing her, it was Amidala who was picked for everything. Arana had just been another face in the crowd...until Drynon had spotted her.
Drynon had been the King of Naboo, and he had taken a liking to Arana soon after they had met. Arana had liked him, as well. The elderly man was very kind, and took Arana under his wing, teaching her everything about the wisdom needed to run a planet. Arana had been at his side when he had died, just a little while ago, while Amidala had been off gallivanting with her friends.
After that, there had been much speculation on who was going to be the next ruler until the governor of Naboo, Sio Bibble, put it to a vote. Arana had had some hope she would be chosen-after all, Drynon had taught her everything there was to know. But when the polls closed and the votes were tallied up, no one had been more surprised than Arana to find out that Amidala was the new Queen!
And that was why Arana was stalking the back roads of Theed, muttering curses at her sister, her long brown hair bouncing down her back with each angry stomp of her feet. Arana shook her head in anger. She just couldn't believe Amidala was the new Queen well, technically, she wasn't; not yet. The official coronation was to happen the next day. But Arana did not intend to go. She wouldn't dare see her traitorous sister take the title that Arana deserved!
A building in the distance made Arana slow her steps. As she drew closer, the young girl realized she was approaching a droid yard. Arana had to smile. She was a lover of droids, especially astrodroids. They were so small and had such expression; it was almost as if they were live people.
"Hello," said Arana cordially to the shop owner once she arrived at the yard. She was trying to keep her still-bubbling anger from overflowing and making a scene. She really should have just passed right on by, but the draw of the droids was just too strong. "Can I please look at the astrodroids?"
"Certainly." The shop owner led her back to where five R2 units sat, seemingly waiting for her. Arana smiled again at the sight of them. Oh, she really loved droids. She didn't know why, exactly; they had just always seemed to be there for her. It was very strange, really.
Arana walked, looking at the R2 units. She paused in front of a silver and blue one. The droid whistled at her plaintively, and Arana stared. She didn't know...there was something about this droid...something important. Arana didn't fully understand, but she did know that she needed to buy this droid.
"What is this droid's number?" she questioned the shop owner.
The owner bent to look at something on the R2 unit's side, then straightened again. "Artoo-Detoo, miss," he answered.
Arana studied him again. "How much?"
The owner gave a price, and Arana quickly paid it with Republic credits. Then she motioned for the droid to follow her down the road again, toward her house.
Arana had gotten halfway down the road before seriously wondering what, exactly, had made her buy this particular droid.
Back at her home, Arana began to fiddle with her new droid-what had the shop owner said its name was? "Oh, yes; Artoo-Detoo." Arana smiled as she screwed a restraining bolt onto the droid's front. "Well, nice to meet you. I'm Arana."
Artoo blipped a greeting as Arana finished screwing the restraining bolt on. Then the blue astrodroid began to move about, inspecting his surroundings. Arana had to laugh-she loved droids so much; they gave her such a happy feeling. She didn't truly understand it. She supposed she never would. Oh, well. Anyway, it was something to think about.
Just then, Artoo let out a loud beep of surprise. Arana looked over at him-and gasped. One of his compartment doors had fallen open, and two things had rolled out onto the floor. One was a silvery handle-like thing; the other, a small batch of papers.
"What the--?" Arana wondered aloud, coming over to the things on the floor and inspecting them closely. She picked up the handle and, with a start, realized it was a lightsaber. "Jedi use these," she murmered. "Only Jedi."
Arana then picked up the batch of papers and opened them. She gasped again, louder this time, for, on the very top of the first page, it said her name, in bold type:
ARANA,
"Oh." Arana felt faint for a moment when she realized this batch of papers was a letter-to her. But how could that be? No one had known she would buy this droid-no one! Not even herself until that last moment! Then she remembered the strange feeling she had had when buying the droid-as if something was telling her Artoo-Detoo was important. With trembling hands, Arana read the rest of the note:
ARANA,
You will be, I think, very surprised to read this letter. After all, I am dead. You see, my dear, this is a letter from Drynon-your beloved mentor Drynon. Oh, my dear, I have seen what they've done to you. They have elected your sister, Amidala, to be Queen! That horrid girl-she has no right for the title of Queen, I must tell you!
Arana, you deserve that title more than anyone else on Naboo does. And yet, your sister-your flesh and blood-has betrayed you by rigging the elections! Yes, my dear girl, your sister has cheated you of your right! You must gain back what is really yours!
I have a simple plan for you, really. All you must do is use this lightsaber-it was an old friend of mine's; he taught me how to use it a bit-to strike down your sister. It will be easy enough-after all, she will not have a lightsaber. I have included some simple instructions on how to use it behind this letter. Read them carefully, my girl, and do not wait. Just go to the palace as quietly as you can, kill your sister, and call yourself Amidala! Since you are identical twins, they will not suspect a thing, I promise. Now go, my dear! And make haste, for the more they get to know Amidala's selfish ways, the harder it will be for you to take her place.
Drynon, Former King of the Naboo
Arana, shaken, put down the letter. This was crazy! This was insane! A letter, from her old, dead, mentor, stuck inside a droid, along with the weapon of a Jedi? This was unbelievable! And yet...Arana knew she deserved the title of Queen of Naboo more so than anyone else...especially her sister, who was so flighty she could hardly decide on what the have for dinner, much less on what would be right for a planet!
Arana frowned. She looked at the letter, then at the lightsaber, then at the letter again...and it clicked. Arana knew what she had to do. It was not going to be a pretty sight to see, and Arana would cringe while doing it, but she had to kill her sister and take the throne herself. It was the only way.
Arana stood near the front of a madly cheering crowd the next day, struggling to hide her growing anger as her twin sister, Amidala, was crowned Queen of the Naboo. A cluster of Amidala's friends were next to her, letting out screeches every few moments that reminded Arana of a large squawking flock of birds. Every few seconds the group would turn to give Arana a disapproving look, and whenever that happened, Arana would nearly go into hysterics and think, They know! They know about my plan!
But of course that was ridiculous. No one knew about her plan-not even Artoo, and he had been carrying the papers. The only other person who would know about Arana's plan to take her rightful place was Drynon, and he was dead. End of story.
Arana, the night before, as she was playing with her new red lightsaber, had briefly wondered how Drynon had managed to get the note and lightsaber into Artoo, but she had brushed it off. It really wasn't any of her concern, and anyway, she felt as though she wasn't meant to know.
Amidala's group screeched again, and Arana looked toward the front of the royal palace, where Amidala had just been crowned Queen. She looked very pretty, Arana had to admit-wearing a lovely red velvet dress and a headpiece of woven cloth horns with red tassels hanging down, she actually looked quite royal. However, she would not be royal for a very long time. Arana let a small smile creep onto her face. That night, she would murder her defenseless sister with a lightsaber. And then she would take her rightful place as the Queen of the Naboo-even if it would be under Amidala's name.
That night, cloaked in a long black silk dress, Arana crept through the halls of the palace. She had her lightsaber underneath it, hanging at her waist. She wasn't very good with the lightsaber at all, but was fairly confident that she could manage to slice her sister in half. After all, Amidala wouldn't have a lightsaber. The most she would have would be a blaster, if she were lucky. Another smile crept across Arana's face as she reached her sister's closed bedroom door. This would not be Amidala's lucky night.
Arana then knocked twice on Amidala's door.
"Who is it?" called Amidala's voice from the opposite side. Arana's smile turned into a scowl. Her voice sounded happy and go-lucky-not at all the way a stern and powerful leader should sound!
Arana forced down her anger enough to manage a civil reply. "It's me. Arana," she added.
"Come in!" was Amidala's jovial reply.
Arana opened the door to find her sister exuberantly waltzing around her room. Arana's scowl deepened. Her sister was acting like a complete fool, that much was certain. This was the kind of Queen the Naboo wanted?
No, it wasn't, she reminded herself. Amidala had rigged the elections. The Naboo people wanted a strong, knowledgeable leader-not her sister! They wanted someone like Arana. And they were going to get her.
"Hello, Amidala," said Arana coolly.
"Hey, sis!" Amidala cried gaily. "Did you see my coronation?"
"Yes," was Arana's frosty reply.
"Wasn't it grand?" Amidala waltzed around the room again. "They gave me this headpiece." She pointed to the red tasseled crown she had worn earlier. "It's what I'm supposed to wear to important things, they say." Amidala made a face. "I'm wearing it all the time!"
Arana was fed up by now. There was no time for idle talk! She quickly produced her lightsaber and ignited it. The ruby red blade glowed brightly.
When Amidala saw it, her eyes went wide. "Whoa, Arana," she said. "What--?"
"Time for you to go," said Arana quietly, moving closer to Amidala.
Amidala suddenly got it. "But-why? I'm your sister!" she gasped. "Sisters don't do dastardly things to each other!"
"Oh, and rigging the elections isn't dastardly?" Arana couldn't keep the note of sarcasm out of her voice.
Amidala's face went so pale, any doubt Arana may have had about her innocence flew out the window. "But-but-" she sputtered, but it was too late. Arana's red blade came sweeping through Amidala's midsection, cutting her cleanly in half.
Arana calmly put her lightsaber away. Then she turned toward the headdress, picked it up, and daintily and neatly placed it upon her head. Then Arana looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. Perfect. Now this was what a queen should look like.
Arana gazed at her reflection for a long moment before proclaiming to the empty room, " I will never again go by the name Arana. From now on I am Amidala!" And with that, a rich, throaty laugh made it's way out of Arana-Amidala's-mouth and soared throughout the room, giving the true Queen of Naboo her own royal coronation.
THE END
