Things were not going according to plan, and Palpatine was not pleased.
Oh, the war was going wonderfully, the constructed stalemate grinding on as usual. But the boy, Skywalker, had stopped coming to him for advice, troubled with different sort of dreams that had somehow spooked him so badly he was turning to Kenobi again. His toy was slipping away and exhibiting a distressing degree of autonomy. It was infuriating.
But he had not been expecting her to show up at his door. He knew her face only vaguely, pouting as Skywalker left her behind to come speak with him. He called her Miss Tano and heaped on the compliments, called her brave and a master strategist and a hero in the short initial conversation. "I am afraid I have little clue as to how to entertain such a sophisticated young woman, but if you enjoy the opera, we can speak there. I am sure you need some time to relax, after all."
He had her at sophisticated, he saw, as she puffed her chest out a little and smiled. He knew she was at the age where she wanted to be an adult, so very badly, even if it nearly killed her, after assuming so many adult responsibilities. "That sounds perfect," she chirped, even though throughout the evening she could not hide how bored she was by the airy, ethereal Mon Calamari opera. After frowning in confusion through half of the first act, she finally seemed to break and turned to him. Her back was straight, posture too perfect, trying to be adult, but her eyes were full of worry that was distinctly childish.
It took a few false starts of her being overformal, apologizing for being overformal, stumbling over herself, trying again after being soothed, but she finally got to the point. "Anakin – uh, Master Skywalker – he mentioned that you give good advice. - I would ask Master Kenobi, or Master Koon, but I don't think they would understand. ...Can you keep a secret?"
And he put on his best benevolent smile and nudged the tray of refreshments closer to her. "My dear, I am trusted with the Republic's secrets. Of course, I can and I will. Have a cup of hot chocolate. Your secret is safe with me."
She paused and struggled, obviously thinking that perhaps it was too childish before her own craving took over, and she snatched up a mug and cupped it in her hands before looking down into it as if there were a teleprompter hidden at the bottom. "There's... it's complicated, but... I know I'm not supposed to know. But my Master's gone and done something against the Jedi Code. He... I listened in once when he told me not to, and – he and Senator Amidala, they're..." Her voice held no anger at her master being a rulebreaker, only an odd sort of yearning, almost envy. "In love. She's going to have his child, soon."
He did not stop to read her expression before giving a small noise of approval. "Love is a grand, precious thing," he said, forcing his voice to be wistful. Love was a poison, a falsehood, he knew this, but now was not the time. "I'm very happy for them."
"I am too!" Her head shot up and she seemed almost overenthusiastic to agree. "I am. I really am. But it's against the Code – that's why it's a secret. It's just that -" She paused, mouth open, lip trembling a little. "I've been having nightmares, ever since I figured it out. I think – I think there are going to be twins, I mean, there are two of them, always, when I'm dreaming, and – and everyone's screaming, and they're so young, and I just see them die again and again..."
If she had known she would have been able to pick up on the predatory gleam in his eye, but she was young and ignorant to only see his sympathetic frown. "We are in the middle of a war," he said solemnly.
"I know," she agreed desperately. "I know. But it's just – I don't know. I think it must be a premonition, I guess, for the future. I can't figure out how to... how to make it not happen." What large, desperate, childish eyes, wide with false hope that he would help. "I want them to grow up, so I can visit them and see them grow up. Maybe they'll even call me Aunt Ahsoka or something. That's not selfish, is it? - I don't think it's selfish. I want to help them." But there was that desperate desire for a family underneath it all.
He reached out to pat her arm and smiled kindly. "Of course it's not selfish, Miss Tano. If anything quite the opposite. I am sure Anakin would be very proud to hear you right now, very proud and very grateful." She puffed up her chest a little as the flattery hit home.
"There are, of course, ways to use the Force that I am sure your Master has not mentioned... have you heard the tragedy of Plagueis the Wise?"