Chapter 6: Arrival on Coruscant

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," 'Queen Amidala' teased Padmé, who scowled.

"Next time, just ask Anakin to kiss me," Padmé growled.

"I just asked Eirtaé to get you out of bed and sent Rabé to help," 'Queen Amidala' responded.

"They dumped me on the floor," Padmé replied.

"They're teens and, um, they do that to whoever's still in bed after Queen Amidala gets up," 'Queen Amidala' explained.

"You knew they were going to do that!" Padmé shrieked. "You set me up!"

"Padmé, calm down, no, I didn't think they'd actually do it, since you technically are the queen, but hey, usually pillow fights breakout afterwards," 'Queen Amidala' added.

"That explains why we're always ordering pillows," Padmé muttered, rolling her eyes.

'Queen Amidala' shrugged innocently. "Let's go, but first, you might want to clean the drool off your face," 'Queen Amidala' said evenly.

Blushing, Padmé quickly cleaned up and soon joined the rest of the group. "Padmé!" A happy voice called.

Padmé snapped her eyes up to see Anakin running over to her. She quickly caught him in a hug. "Is this Coruscant?" He asked.

She nodded. "It's so big," he murmured.

"The entire planet's one big city," 'Queen Amidala' said.

"And it's the capital of the Republic," Eirtaé added, "and the home of the Jedi Order."

"Really? Do you think I'll meet anymore Jedi?" Anakin asked eagerly. "That would be totally wizard."

"I don't know, Ani," Padmé replied honestly. "You might, but that's only if Master Qui-Gon and Padawan Kenobi take you to the Jedi Temple, where all the other Jedi live."

Then Rabé glanced out the window and said, "See that man there? That's Senator Palpatine. I hope he hasn't been waiting too long for us."

Most of the party, most of the pilots remained hidden in one of the storage centers of the ship, exited the ship once it landed safely on the landing platform.

"Queen Amidala, it is good to see you," Senator Palpatine walked quickly over to the group.

"It's good to see you too, Senator," 'Queen Amidala' replied stiffly.

"Permit me to present to you Supreme Chancellor Vallorum," Chancellor Vallorum emerged from one two transports there—one was the Senator's and the other was for the Chancellor.

"I finally get to meet the esteemed Queen Amidala," Chancellor Vallorum shook hands with 'Queen Amidala'.

"Thank you, Supreme Chancellor," 'Queen Amidala' replied.

"When we lost contact, we feared the worst," Senator Palpatine added.

"I've called for an emergency Senate meeting to deal with this crisis," Chancellor Vallorum added.

"Thank you, Supreme Chancellor," 'Queen Amidala' replied.

The entire group nodded. The group split up—the Queen, her handmaidens, Anakin Skywalker, R2-D2, Senator Palpatine, Chancellor Vallorum, Jar-Jar Binks, and the Queen's security force all headed for the Senate while Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi headed for the Jedi Temple to report the possible return of the Sith.

Then most of 'Queen Amidala's' party had to sit and discuss an appropriate course of action for dealing with the Trade Federation. Jar-Jar, Anakin, and R2-D2 all wandered around in the Senator's public quarters outside his main office.

"What should we do, Senator?" 'Queen Amidala' asked. "Our people are dying, Senator. We must do something quickly."

"I think our best bet is to call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Vallorum's leadership," Senator Palpatine replied.

"But he's our biggest supporter," 'Queen Amidala' protested. "Chancellor Vallorum seems to think there is hope."

"He doesn't run the Senate," Senator Palpatine replied. "The bureaucrats do."

"What are our other options?" 'Queen Amidala' asked.

"We could enter a plea to the courts," Senator Palpatine suggested.

"They take even longer to decide things than the Senate!" 'Queen Amidala' protested.

"So, our only choice is to call for the vote of no confidence," Senator Palpatine replied, "If we hope to get anything done."

"Senator, we need to hurry," 'Queen Amidala' replied. "Our way of life may be in danger of being destroyed forever."

The group then went to Senator Palpatine's apartment. Anakin had to talk with Master Qui-Gon before going to the Senator's apartment.

He was greeted by one of the members of Queen Amidala's security force and was soon allowed inside the room. "Who is it?" Queen Amidala asked.

"Anakin Skywalker, Your Highness, he wishes to see Padmé," Rabé replied.

Padmé felt her heart shatter as she replied, "I sent Padmé on an errand. But I will deliver a message to her for you."

"OK, I just wanted to say bye. I'm on my way to the Jedi Temple to start my Jedi training, I hope, and I might never see her again," Anakin said evenly.

"I wish you the best, young Skywalker, and know that her heart goes with you," Queen Amidala replied, fighting to keep the heartbreak out of her voice and her face.

She had had a couple of past boyfriends—Palo Reliaz, well, that was just a kiss, and Ian Lago, but they were nothing compared to Anakin—and knowing that she could lose him to the Jedi Order's coldness was devastating for the fourteen-year-old.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Anakin bowed and then left.

Padmé slowly released the breath she'd been holding after Anakin left. "Don't you dare start crying," Sabé warned. "You'll mess up your makeup. And we don't have time for me to fix it if you do."

Padmé nodded. "You really love him, don't you?" Eirtaé asked, softly.

Padmé nodded again, as the shattering of her heart worsened. Now she knew why she'd died when the twins were born—it wasn't the childbirth, it was the heartbreak of losing Anakin. "He is my soulmate," she replied, closing her eyes and regaining her focus.

"Eirtaé, Rabé, keep Jar-Jar out of trouble," she ordered, before exiting the room, accompanied by Sabé and Captain Panaka.

Sabé, Queen Amidala and Captain Panaka all headed for the Senate building, where they were greeted by Senator Palpatine and led to the main Senate chamber and entered the Nubian senate pod.