Padmé had never been nervous when she had to speak in public. She could face all the senators and present her ideas without hesitation, but this was different. Satine was by her side, encouraging her with a smile, as were Bail Organa and the queen. Anakin took both of Padmé's hands and comforted her.
"Everything will be alright," Anakin said, smiling at her, proud of her. "Go and convince them all."
"And if something goes wrong?" Padmé asked, hugging him before walking to lead the meeting.
"Nothing will go wrong," Anakin smiled tenderly. Padmé was rarely seen nervous, and being the one there to support her made him feel complete. "And if something does go wrong, we'll all be there to defend you," Anakin whispered, gesturing to Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Luke, Leia, Mara, and many others who would undoubtedly support her.
When Bail Organa signaled, Padmé stepped forward to the center, fearless, for all those present were her friends.
"All of us gathered here today share a common goal," Padmé said, looking at the audience assembled on Alderaan. "Lord Sidious," she said, and a deep, confused murmur could be heard.
Some voices shouted, "Why Lord Sidious if their real objective was to overthrow Palpatine for his mismanagement of the Galactic Republic?" Others even wondered who Lord Sidious was. Padmé looked at Anakin, who nodded, then at Yoda, who also nodded.
"Some of you know this name," she said, looking at the Jedi. "The Jedi have fought valiantly to halt the advance of the dark side and stop the wars, yet every effort seems in vain, and every victory ends up turning into defeat. That is because all of us here, and even those who have not joined our cause, have been deceived."
"We are here to overthrow the chancellor and the power he has acquired in the Senate, Senator Amidala," Lux Bonteri said, and Ahsoka could have killed him with a look right there, but instead Padmé only gave him a sweet smile that made him feel ashamed of his interruption.
"I ask that you let me speak, without interruptions. Some of you already know and can attest that everything I say is true," Padmé said, and all those who knew the truth moved to the right. Bail Organa did the same, taking his place next to Leia and Anakin.
Padmé sighed. What came next wouldn't be easy. She had to talk about her marriage, about her children. It would be difficult to convince everyone that what she was saying was true. Who would believe that someone came from the future? The Jedi believed her; they could use the Force to see her, but convincing the senators was much more difficult.
"A few months ago, I received disturbing news. The Jedi can attest that everything I say now is true," Padmé said, and Master Yoda nodded.
"So can we," said Bail Organa, advancing alongside Duchess Satine.
"The people I will mention now have come from the future," Padmé said, and a murmur of disbelief spread. "Their names are Mara Jade, Han Solo, Luke, and also Leia, who has represented me in our meetings for a long time."
Those mentioned moved nervously forward, especially the twins.
"As I said before, all the Jedi can attest to this, Duchess Satine and now also Viceroy Organa," Padmé said, and the Jedi's disbelieving murmurs subsided, giving way to confused, even terrified, looks at the statement.
"I trust these people completely," Padmé said, giving Anakin a brief glance. Smiling, he nodded. "I'm currently pregnant," she said, pointing to her belly, her face flushed and her cheeks showing nervousness. "And two of them, along with my twin children, have come from the future to change the terror it brings us." By then, the silence in the audience was profound.
"They are," Padmé breathed, "Luke and Leia Skywalker." Padmé said, and saw dozens of eyes widen in surprise. Everyone knew that name. "The fruit of my marriage to the Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker." If everyone had been surprised before, now they were utterly astonished. Their gazes shifted between Padmé and Anakin, and between Anakin and his children.
To the surprise of everyone present, Master Mundi stepped forward to clarify the new rules of the council.
"We have permitted this marriage and many others among our members," the Jedi Master said. "Attachment is no longer forbidden for Jedi, as many of you already know." He smiled, knowing that many Jedi also had secret marriages with important members of the Senate.
After Padmé's explanation and confession, everyone began to believe what she was saying. First, everyone there trusted the Jedi completely, and second, Luke and Leia were undoubtedly the spitting image of Anakin and Padmé, and given their ages, the only remaining possibility was that they came from the future.
"They have informed us of a deception in which we have been complicit," Padmé said when the attention shifted back to her and away from Anakin. "Chancellor Palpatine is not who we think he is," she said, and the serious looks on their faces encouraged her to continue. "Chancellor Palpatine is the one behind the conflict with the Separatists. Chancellor Palpatine is Lord Sidious," Padmé said, and once again the audience fell into complete silence.
"Senator Amidala, how can the Chancellor be Lord Sidious? Would this mean that there isn't really a conflict between the Republic and the Separatists?" asked Mon Mothma, a senator who had worked closely with Padmé in recent years.
"My daughter will speak to explain this," she said, looking at Leia with a smile. Leia nervously took a breath and stepped forward; she could do this.
Leia began to explain everything that was happening in the future, including what was happening to Anakin and Alderaan. Contrary to what Anakin had expected, no one judged him. They had all been deceived by the Chancellor, and no one could blame him for believing him. Initially, the meeting had been held to overthrow the Chancellor, but now it wasn't just the Chancellor they needed to overthrow; they needed to eliminate the most powerful Sith Lord.
"We have undoubtedly succeeded in taking away his most powerful future ally," said Bail Organa, looking at Anakin, who smiled briefly. "But this doesn't mean we've won. Despite our progress, we are far from victory," he said, and Padmé stepped forward again.
"I have here the proof we've been looking for, proof that the Chancellor is actually Lord Sidious," she said, showing the recording. "But Palpatine isn't all-powerful. With the help of the Jedi, I've been able to deceive him for a long time. He considers me his ally; he even revealed his true identity to me."
Nervously, Padmé showed the hologram of what had happened that day with the Chancellor. Everyone watched in astonishment as the Chancellor didn't deny being Lord Sidious, but what froze everyone was what happened at the end: how Palpatine had tortured the pregnant senator. Padmé tried to stop the recording, but Bail Organa placed a hand over hers, telling her not to, that everyone had to see what Sidious was capable of.
"The price to pay was necessary," Padmé said when the recording ended, a little embarrassed.
"You have seen with your own eyes what this man, or monster, is capable of. He has ruthlessly harmed a pregnant woman to bring the Jedi he wants as his ally to the dark side," Bail Organa said again, looking at Anakin.
To Anakin's surprise, who was the only one unaware of what was about to happen, Obi-Wan Kenobi spoke.
"On our behalf, Anakin Skywalker will speak," Obi-Wan said, smiling. Anakin turned around, staring wide-eyed at the other Jedi. He could have sworn Mace Windu was amused by his predicament.
"Master," he whispered almost inaudibly, "What are you doing?" he asked, and Mace Windu, reveling in his discomfort, spoke.
"Given that your family alerted us, given that everyone prevented you from becoming a villain, and given that many here call you the fearless hero, you must speak on our behalf," Mace Windu said with a cynical smile. It was already unsettling enough to see him smile for Anakin, but he knew it wasn't a genuine smile; he was enjoying his confusion.
"Of course," he said, stepping forward. This time, Padmé briefly touched his hand to encourage him.
"I apologize if my words aren't quite right. No one warned me about this," he said with his characteristic sarcasm, making everyone laugh.
"The Jedi Council has been aware of this for some time. We've been working hard to destroy Separatist droid factories and weaponry, but as my wife said before"—he said, feeling proud to be able to say it freely and in front of everyone—"our enemy is not the Separatists, and as my daughter said"—he smiled, looking at Leia—"the Separatists, like us, have only been pawns in this war created by Lord Sidious. Their only aspiration is power, and they cannot achieve it without war"—Anakin said. "But it's not political matters I can explain, but rather the measures we Jedi are taking, which we have been able to achieve once again thanks to my wife"—he smiled sweetly and lovingly, and Padmé blushed.
"The Separatists, like us, have only been pawns in this war created by Lord Sidious. Their only aspiration is power, and they cannot achieve it without war"—"But it's not political matters I can explain, but rather the measures we Jedi are taking, which we have been able to accomplish again thanks to my wife"—he smiled sweetly and lovingly, and Padmé blushed.
"We have no enemies." Anakin explained what had happened with the clones, how they had a chip that would force them to kill the Jedi, and how Padme had managed to change the codes so that they were removed from the clones; even the clones were unaware of this, and the clones present looked gratefully at Padme.
"As you can see, the military power of the future empire is overwhelming. If we don't destroy it strategically, I'll be blunt: we cannot win. We've taken away part of their army," he said, referring to the clones. "But it's not just their army we should fear, but their superior weaponry. My daughter has told you about this weapon capable of destroying planets. When it was built, my daughter said it almost meant the end of the rebellion in the future. Our rebellion only begins today. Our main task is to prevent the creation of these weapons. They have come from another time to warn us. We cannot let this opportunity slip away," Anakin said, withdrawing with satisfaction after hearing all the murmurs of support he received.
"Well done," Obi-Wan said, patting him on the shoulder.
Padmé walked forward again, accompanied by Satine and Bail Organa.
"Mandalore has rejoined the Republic so that Padmé could gain the Chancellor's trust. She has undoubtedly succeeded, but at a very high price," Satine said, looking at Padmé. "Mandalore's position remains pacifist, but it is our duty to support the rebellion. This rebellion is not the Republic's against the Separatists; this rebellion must be everyone's against our one common enemy, Lord Sidious."
"Are you saying we should ally with the Separatists, Duchess?" Mon Mothma asked.
"I'm saying we must observe and consider who might become our allies. Let us remember that they, like us, have been deceived, and their end is undoubtedly tragic," Satine said, recalling Leia's words about the deaths of the Separatist leaders.
" "As Satine says, we must consider this option. However, we cannot trust their leader. Count Dooku is an enemy of the Jedi and a Sith Lord, currently known as Lord Tyranus. If we want to join the Separatists, we must strike a decisive blow against their leaders."
"How can we achieve that, Senator Amidala?" asked Bail Organa.
"The only way to stop the Empire and destabilize Palpatine's deceitful government is by declaring war on our true enemy, Lord Sidious."
"I firmly believe it is time we stop working in the shadows. I know we all desire peace after these wars, but the peace I so long for will only be achieved when the Empire is stopped," said Satine, surprising everyone. The fact that the Duchess, a well-known pacifist idealist, was proposing to declare war on the Empire was a far more powerful motivation than she herself could have imagined.
"The economic crisis in the Republic has left us in a vulnerable position. Our people on our planets are dying every day, starving, suffering hardship. These are sacrifices made for this war, and I deeply regret to say that we have been deceived. But we cannot let that sacrifice be in vain. We cannot let our people suffer an even worse future than this. We cannot let our planets obey simply out of fear of a weapon that could destroy every planet that opposed it. We must confront the Empire," Padmé said.
The reaction was immediate. Hundreds of claps erupted. Padmé smiled. They had done it.
"The Separatists have Dooku representing them. Our Republic used to have the Chancellor, but we know that's just a facade. We can't even officially remove him from power. We are not the majority, far from it," Bail Organa said sadly. "We need a leader who represents us. We need someone who can inspire confidence and strength, someone who is a role model."
"We need a leader who represents us. We need someone who can inspire confidence and strength, someone who is an example to follow."
"We need a leader who represents us." "I've worked with her for many years, and I dare to suggest a name," Padmé said, smiling. "I propose Senator Mon Mothma." Mon Mothma smiled gratefully; it was a great honor, but she had something to say, something she knew everyone would support.
Mon Mothma stepped forward, smiled at Bail Organa, whom she knew shared her opinion, smiled at the audience, and spoke.
"I appreciate the honor of Senator Amidala's proposal, but I cannot accept a position I do not deserve," Mon Mothma said, and everyone fell silent. "Senator Organa has said it: our representative must be someone who inspires confidence, someone who truly represents us, an example to follow, a person of strength. After everything we've discussed today, only one name comes to mind, and I know you will all agree." Mon Mothma smiled. "I believe that our representative can be none other than Padmé Amidala, who has sacrificed herself for us, even enduring the tortures of the future emperor, who, along with her family, has fought to prevent this future empire. I know you agree with me, so I will ask, to ensure a democratic decision, not only the senators and politicians present, but everyone here, because a government is not created solely by politicians; a government is based on everyone." She looked at the Jedi and soldiers present. "Who agrees that Padmé Amidala should be our representative?"
Padmé was surprised, and even more so when everyone raised their hands, creating a completely unanimous vote. Jedi, politicians, and soldiers all supported her as their representative. She watched Satine smile at her, then saw Anakin smiling proudly. She had been chosen to represent the greatest rebellion seen in her time. Luke and Leia had tears in their eyes. The rebellion had begun, with their mother leading it. They had finally become true rivals to the Empire.
After long minutes in which Padmé still couldn't believe what was happening, she moved forward almost timidly, gathering courage only when Anakin used the Force to calm her. Then she knew: if she was going to represent the rebellion, she would do it the way she had always wanted to be known.
"I have no words to express what I feel," she said, tears of emotion welling in her eyes. "I will continue fighting the Empire, today and for the rest of my days, until the Empire is destroyed. There will be no easy days ahead. I cannot promise that peace will be easy to achieve. I won't deny it; I am as afraid as I know we all are here," she said, looking at the nodding audience. "But we will succeed. We will do it for those we love, for those who suffer on our planets. We will do it because we refuse to be deceived any longer," Padmé said, and applause erupted. "But I cannot do it the way I have done it until now," she said, and the applause stopped. Everyone stared at her, confused, except for her children and Satine, who understood almost immediately. "When the Clone Wars began, so did my marriage to a man who has inspired courage in us all," Padmé said, and Anakin blushed furiously. Obi-Wan placed a hand on his back to calm him. "I always wanted to be able to do this, but laws and secrecy have prevented me until now," he said. Padmé, with a radiant smile, said, "When I was Queen of Naboo, my name became Padmé Amidala Naberrie. I've used the name Amidala even though I'm no longer queen; my true surname is Naberrie. However, I've always wished to follow my mother's tradition, and today I want to do so. From now on, my surname will be neither Amidala nor Naberrie." She said, surprised, and everyone smiled in understanding, except for Anakin, who was gasping like a fish out of water. "I want to adopt the surname that, according to Naboo tradition, is rightfully mine. I want to show that I'm proud of the man I married and that I love him, love him, and will love him forever," Padmé said, tears of happiness streaming down her face. "My surname will now be the one it should have been from the beginning of the Clone Wars. My surname will be my husband's." Padmé finished, and Anakin looked at her in surprise. He never thought Padmé would follow Naboo tradition; he always thought she was proud to use her maiden name. But without a doubt, this was the greatest honor he had ever received. No battle, no victory could have given him the warmth he felt now, seeing his wife say she loved him like that.
"Congratulations to Senator Skywalker," said Bail Organa, and everyone applauded.
"The rebellion is born today," Padmé said, smiling, and on impulse, she ran into Anakin's arms, who embraced her and kissed her sweetly.
That was the beginning of the rebellion, a rebellion made possible by Luke and Leia's intervention. They had accomplished much of their purpose in the past; now, the most important task remained: to prevent the birth of the Empire.
Only a few days of peace remained before the real war began. Before leaving Alderaan, they would prepare their next move. Then, they would confront the Chancellor. They couldn't assassinate him, not yet, not while the Republic still protected him. They would likely be considered traitors, and a massive three-front war would erupt. But if they could get a large portion of the Separatists to join them, they could gain ground in that difficult war.