Onderon was beautiful by night.

Just beyond the city walls, the trees swayed softly in the wind. The native rupings had returned to their nests in the distant bamboo groves, and their soft, almost haunting cries filled the air like the soothing music of some faraway choir.

Dxun, the planet's largest and closest moon, hung over the horizon like a disk of pale green jade. From behind it rose Evas and Suthre like the majestic twin son and daughter of a primordial king. The fourth moon, Dagri, which the initial settlers of the planet had come to think of as Dxun's ill-fated lover and concubine, would not rise to meet her king until an hour before dawn as per a malevolent curse.

But such ancient legends had been forgotten in all but the songs and late-night stories of deep space pilots. Now, there were far more pressing things to be concerned about than the scenery and beliefs of the forefathers of modern Onderonians.

Lux Bonteri, the Senator for Onderon, knew that better than anyone.

A man on the cusp of twenty years old, he was often told he had the look of someone who had taken on too much responsibility too fast. Although his hair – such a dark brown it was almost black – did not yet sport any grey, his worries showed in the lines on his forehead and in the worn look in his greenish-grey eyes.

But he had never allowed himself to sit idly by and let others decide his fate, even if it seemed like there was nothing he himself could do about it.

Tonight, he had tired quickly of frivolities and pointless small talk, retreating out onto the wide veranda off the main ballroom in Unifar Temple, the seat of all political power on the planet. This whole grand occasion was in honor of the first few countermeasures taken against slavery in space controlled by the Onderonian monarchy, but seeing as they had been but preliminary steps, it all felt quite pointless. Lux would have far preferred forgoing any ceremony and getting back to work until he had abolished the inhumane practice completely.

Lux sighed as he glanced back towards the open doors into the ballroom. He wondered how much longer he could delay here, keeping his own company instead of having that of the insufferably airheaded nobility thrust upon him.

If only Saw had been able to make it – his captain of the guard had been 'called away' on official business at the last minute, but Lux knew he really just didn't want to come. Saw Gerrera had many talents, but having long conversations with people he didn't see fit to converse with was not one of them.

A sudden burst of laughter echoed from inside as Avahla Dendup, the twenty-year-old royal heir, said something the sniveling bureaucrats were trying to make sound exceptionally witty and clever in an effort to gain or stay in favor. She would probably be expecting a dance with him (even though he hated dancing), since Lux's mother Mina had pressed so hard to get him close to her.

Many people speculated that he and the king's grandniece would eventually wed, and Mina Bonteri was especially determined to make that a reality.

The quiet patter of footsteps from behind him caught his attention, and Lux turned around to meet the eyes of Steela Gerrera, Saw's younger sister.

Even at one year his junior, Steela had already grown into a beautiful young woman and was often the life of the party. She was in equal parts political and charming, and Lux genuinely enjoyed her company. But for the past few months, her family had been trying to push an engagement between them, and the true nature of their relationship had grown more complex: while Lux knew she wanted to be his friend, she was still caught up in having to obey her parents' wishes.

"Are you coming back soon?" she asked, the light that caught in her blue eyes making them even more striking than usual against her dark skin. "People are starting to wonder where you've gone."

"Sorry," he said, not meaning it one bit. "I had a lot to think about."

"Of course; of course. I know." She took a step closer, her costly amber skirts swishing around her. "Do you really think the Trade Federation will really take action against the new taxes for ferrying cargo over public hyperspace routes?"

Lux hunched over the railing carved in elegant geometric designs, resting his arms on the cool stone surface. "I don't know. But the fact that it could very well be somewhere in this sector has the King worried."

Steela nodded, and Lux recognized the look in her eyes. The subtle reminder of the fact that he had the King's ear and conversed with him often always caught people's attention.

"But the Trade Federation has made threats with no weight to them following decisions against them before – it's probably the same thing happening here again, just a little closer to home." Lux remembered then that the Gerrera family was very active in commerce and a close partner of the Trade Federation. He had to choose his words carefully. "While the taxation may not be exactly fair, I don't think there's anything to worry about."

Suddenly, there was a flicker of movement on the horizon. Lux was about to dismiss it as one of the cargo dreadnoughts passing by, but started when another followed it. And another. And another!

They both turned to look, and Steela let out a little gasp. There, silhouetted against the moon and glittering all across the sky, was an armada of Trade Federation ships. And they just kept coming; rippling out of hyperspace like great silver creatures out of the water.

"They turned on us," Steela whispered, but Lux heard venom slowly overcoming the shock into her voice. "Those Trade Federation bastards turned on us, their greatest allies in commerce!"

Well, there's no better way to send a message than that.

Whether she was talking about her family specifically or Onderon as a whole, Lux didn't know, but there was no time to reflect on it. "We have to go," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her back inside.

Immediately, a group of bureaucrats formed up around them, surrounding them in a swirling vortex of glasses of champagne, sparkling jewelry and smiles too wide to be genuine. Putting diplomacy on the backburner, Lux shouldered right through them, taking Steela with him. He didn't stop until they had reached the royal heir and her entourage.

"Senator Bonteri," Lady Avahla welcomed him, "so nice of you to–"

"I would speak with you," he hissed. But before he could say anything, a group of guards hurried up and spirited her away. The music stopped and the emergency lights came on, and the wealthy nobility looked around in confusion.

"The whole palace is going into lockdown." Steela glanced over at him, crossing her arms to mask her unease. "Nothing to worry about, huh?"

Lux didn't bother himself with coming up with a witty reply. "I have to contact the Senate. Chancellor Valorum can help. And if not him, then Senator Palpatine. The Naboo are sworn by the terms of our alliance to come to our aid."

Steela nodded. "I'll come with you."

"No. You stay here and keep everyone calm. That's the most important thing. These people are easily excitable, and we can't let things go over the edge."

Steela nodded, and Lux took off running down the hallway towards the communications center, sending a message for Saw to meet him there as he did. He could only hope things weren't as bad as they looked.