Today I board the Halcyon starcruiser.
Anika: a Star Wars Story
Naboo
I have one answer to any question posed about Star Wars planets. What’s the prettiest planet in the galaxy far, far away? Naboo. Which do I most want to visit? Naboo. What planet do I want to live on? Naboo. Where do I want to be from? Naboo. It’s partly my affection for Padmé, partly the sweeping visuals in Attack of the Clones, partly my interest in the Gungan-Naboolian cultural histories, partly the fairy tale kingdom aesthetic, and partly my extensive headcanons about the Handmaiden program. So of course the backstory I came up with for my trip to Disney starts with Naboo.
Setting
The starcruiser’s story takes place in the sequel era, when the galaxy is under control of the First Order. Sadly, Naboo does not appear in the sequel trilogy, not even after Rey’s secret connection to the planet is revealed (whhhhhy). But when life gives you broken droid parts you build C-3PO. In other words, protecting Rey and Ben, both children of Naboo, is now part of my Handmaiden Network story.
The Handmaidens
On Naboo the monarch is elected and the senator is appointed. And they tend to elect teenage girls but prior to Padmé, the appointed senator was an old white guy who was secretly evil like too many old white guys in politics are. Seems backwards to me, but that’s why the politics of Naboo are so interesting. Anyway, because they elect so many young women it is only natural that they have a patented Girl Assassin Program (see also: Black Widow, Hanna, Barely Lethal, etc.).
Knowing what they were capable of, Emperor Palpatine disbanded the program when he took over the galaxy. Thus the Handmaidens of Naboo were an underground faction during Imperial rule and part of the Rebellion. They remain a part of the Resistance.
My Mission
The Halcyon is a luxury starliner populated by the elite. I am accompanying a family as bodyguard, along with a gray Jedi who was trained by Master Grogu. Grogu was raised by a Mandalorian bounty hunter and passed on his skills in addition to those of the Jedi.
While on the starcruiser and at the post of Batuu, I will be gathering intel on the First Order and looking for sympathizers of the Resistance. I am to watch for Supreme Leader Kylo Ren. While he must be defeated, the Handmaidens wish to capture rather than kill him, as he is the grandson of one of our own. We are also aware that one of Sheev Palpatine’s clones had a child. We lost track of her ten years ago but the young woman Rey of Jakku, a powerful Force user, is a person of interest. There are rumors that Emperor Palpatine is alive so it is now vital that we discover the truth.