Chapter Text
6 ABY
Space was a curious thing; curious and mysterious.
The expanses of space are studied meticulously, searching for new phenomenon and using science and knowledge to create a place for them in the current understanding. Because of this, far away dots are now stars, systems, planets. Stars are now hot balls of gas. Planets are inhabited by civilized beings, all unique in their physique and culture. The coordination and diplomatic relations between planets are the systems they functioned in. The connections between all living elements was the Force at work. All explained.
With new knowledge comes new technologies. The ability to fly through space, communicate with other beings from parsecs away, to travel at the speed of light. With new technologies comes new challenges. How to connect this now interconnected galaxy? Through a structured government. Democracy or autocracy?
Both systems of government had been tried and both had failed. The democracy of the Old Republic falling under the authoritarian Empire and the Empire falling under the insurgence of hope. Hope for a galaxy built on equal representation and not on fear.
Hope prevailed, democracy ruled, and the galaxy was at peace.
Emperor Palpatine had breathed his final breath, ending the chaos and inequity of autocracy. A new order rose.
A capital was constructed, new leadership elected, new dynamics between the planets. New questions were asked and debated. Should an elected member be chosen to represent and make decisions for the entire galaxy? What powers should this individual be bestowed? Did this model give too much authority to one individual? Could this cause the rise of another Palpatine?
Everyone had answers to these questions. It was just unfortunate that the answers were completely contradictory.
Though there were strong debates, there was a growing sense of true peace. Not the immediate calm that occurs right after the final battle of Jakku where everyone was still holding their breaths, waiting for the next uprising to come and completely annihilate everything they had worked and fought for.
No, there was security in this peace. One years after the final battle, the galaxy was once again stable, understood, known.
However, the moment you think space has been explored to its fullest, leaving no stone unturned, something unexplainable happens to pique curiosities once again…
The small blue-green planet lazed through it’s orbit, appearing larger than it was for the amount of responsibility that had now been placed on this single system. The planet itself hosted many life forms as well as beautiful cinematic views of the calm seas and rolling green hills. But the new value placed there made it the heart of the galaxy.
Chandrila, capital, and also the location of a curious incident.
The heat of the day was maddening in Hanna City. Most days the weather was not a problem on this mild planet, but this was not one of those days. The famously tall spacescrapers looked as if they were growing taller just to escape the heat. The narrow streets and speeder paths made the heat feel that much more limiting, like you were lacking air in your lungs, heaving for a full breath.
The weather couldn’t stop the hustle and bustle of the city from waking. Kaff shops had lines out the door as they handed out their morning brew to customers. Workers were seen rushing into building with a comm in their hand as they took their first virtual meeting of the day. The hangers had a steady stream of ships blasting through the planet’s sky, off on their space adventures. The large military base was already awake with trainings and practice drills occurring as usual.
The morning traffic proceeded as normal, some creatures choosing to walk on the narrow pathways as they elbowed other passers by. Speeders moved freely in some areas whereas they were backed up to a halt in other places.
It was in one of these speeders where our two persons of interest sat.
He in the drivers seat, she beside him. Both were in their normal, weekday clothes. She wore a flowing, elegant dress of a sheer sky blue, the high neck parting at her clavicle as it flowed over her shoulders. He wore a cream shirt tucked into his belted pants with his sleeves rolled past the elbows and a light, black vest. Her intricately braided locks woven high on her head almost comically countered his sandy, scruffy hair that looked like it hadn’t been brushed for a week.
Despite the contrasts, their faces showed contentment, happiness.
With one hand on the steering mechanism, his other arm reached out to stretch across the back of the seat. Her head gently pillowed in his elbow as she leaned back.
Nothing prepared them for what was about to happen.
He didn’t see it, neither did she. But even if they did, there was nothing either of them could have done to stop it. The speeder was coming behind them too fast and there was no place for them to turn off.
And so it collided with the back of their vehicle. A firm crash that had their bumper completely crushed in an instant. The shriek of the metal on metal impact cried out as the speeder compacted in on itself forcing the front of the vehicle to veer and ram into the stone building in front of them.
In reality, it happened in the blink of an eye, but it seemed like they were moving in slow motion. The combined impacts jostled them, first backwards forcing their necks to extend over the headrest. It was the forward motion that saw the most damage. As the speeder halted to an immediate stop, their bodies continued their forwards motions, slamming their heads into the metal in front of them.
And then… silence. A brief moment before chaos erupted, the medics were called, and the speeder behind them disappeared.
The two unconscious bodies laid forward, almost lifeless… almost. There was blood, only it was hard to see where it was coming from, who it was coming from. And then… movement. Only slight movement as the man’s hand found a last ounce of strength to slid across the smooth seat of the speeder, reaching for something. It just reached her little finger before falling off the seat, dangling with the rest of his body, slipping into oblivion.