Padme: Settling In

Padme sits on the couch, staring out the window, a margarita in her hand. She has a far-off look in her eyes and thinly disguised smile on her face.

“Penny for your thoughts.” A deep, strong, distinguished voice spoke from behind me.

“Forget the penny, how about another margarita,” I say with a laugh.

Jean-Luc sat down beside me with a glass of wine. Since I arrived on Hacknor, I have gone from feeling apprehensive and regretful to calm and peaceful. And I owe a lot of that transition to Jean-Luc.



I made the decision to join the Last Gladiator Standing for two reasons:

1. I was getting totally annoyed with my job as Senator and I really needed a break to, like, get some perspective or something.

2. Too many people were asking too many questions about my personal life. I needed a place to go where no one really knew me very well.

But when I arrived and met the others I’d be spending time with, I felt so out of place and suddenly homesick. Maybe I had made a mistake.

Then I met Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the Enterprise. He is probably, like, the best listener I’ve ever met. Somehow he could sense that I was having some internal issues and in the few short days we’ve been here, he’s become a trusted friend. Not to mention he is, like, just about the only dignified, highly intelligent person here.

K, so I’m still getting to know everyone else. For this first challenge, I’ve got Earl, er-Tak on my team and the two blue girls that like totally hate each other or something. I’m not getting involved in all that drama. And the robot dude, or whatever he is. And there’s Charles. He seems somewhat normal, but the jury’s still out.

I think we’ve decided on our team name: The Winning Team. Charles likes it. I still like “The Chosen Ones” better, though.

“So what’s on your mind tonight, Senator?” Jean-Luc asks, breaking into my thoughts.

I gaze back out the window. “Someone far away, Picard.” I say sadly. “Someone far, far away…”