Supreme Chancellor Palpatine pulled up the image on his datapad after receiving it from his agent. He smiled to himself. This will surely make things quite difficult for a few people, he thought malevolently. He called for Sly Moore and asked her to release the information to the "appropriate people". Once that was done, he settled back into his chair and felt uneasy for no reason that he could discern. He was sure that this move would help set things back in order again, yet the Force was not willing to confirm it. Patience, he thought to himself. He would just have to wait a few more hours to see the impact begin. Then he could start to deal with Dooku, who he was now fully sure wanted to betray his master. Let the games begin, he thought with a smile.
Padme Amidala had had a long talk with Mon Mothma about trying to get a few neutral systems on their side in order to get the Chancellor to drop some of his powers and join the efforts for negotiations. She had already received word from Bail Organa that someone from high up in the Separatists' Command had wanted to speak to them regarding negotiations. He wouldn't reveal who this "someone" was, but she was torn between feeling hopeful and worrying about it being a trap. If it were a trap, then all possibility of negotiations would be lost forever, and she and her cohorts would be labelled as treasonous. She hoped that what was being offered was true - at this point she doubted that many people could even figure out just why the wars had started in the first place and what point they served anymore.
She stepped into her apartment and took off her shoes with a grimace and then a sigh of relief once they were off. She had entered the phase of her pregnancy she had feared the most - foot-swelling. For all of Senator Amidala's sumptuous gowns and all the attention they gathered, she loved her footwear just as much, even if it wasn't always as visible. She knew she would have to endure this for some time, but she had hoped that it wouldn't have started already. Padme sighed as she sat on her sofa and brought her swollen feet up for inspection. She was at an awkward angle since it was already difficult to look straight down, what with her belly being directly in the way. She winced as she saw the cuts that the straps had left over the top of her feet - they hadn't broken the skin, but had she kept them on any longer, they probably would have. Sensible footwear from now on it is, she thought as she leaned back and pulled her datapad toward herself.
She had just finished sending Threepio off to get her some tea, when her comm went off. Padme leaned over and saw that it was Bail Organa. She settled herself in a more professional position and arranged her robes so that they were covering her belly. Once satisfied, she put on a smile and answered: "Hello, Senator Organa. What can I do for you?"
Bail did not smile back. "Senator, I advise you to take a look at the holonet and prepare for some serious media attention. If you wish, I can have extra security arranged for you, if necessary."
Padme's smile died and she turned on the holonet immediately, hoping that nothing major had occurred. The worst thing possible had just occurred: there was a copy of her marriage certificate to Anakin, posted on the holonet for all to see. It had been released from "anonymous sources" who were merely "concerned" with the "lack of transparency" on behalf of one of the Senate's most "ardent supporters for negotiations".
"If Senator Amidala cannot be honest about her own personal transgressions, how can she be trusted as a negotiator on behalf of the Republic? Doesn't this put her entire career into-"
Padme shut off the holonet immediately and took some deep breaths to calm herself. She jumped when she heard Bail address her: "Padme? Are you alright?"
She had forgotten all about him in her state of panic. "No, no I'm not alright. I don't understand how this happened…" she trailed off in confusion. What was the fallout going to be now? What would happen to negotiations? Her position? Anakin's? They had been so stupid and selfish to think that they could keep a secret like this for so long.
"I am coming over, and bringing extra security," Bail said after she had stayed quiet for too long for his comfort.
"No, no to the extra security. Please," she stumbled. "I would not mind your company, but I do not want extra attention being driven here, if possible. Please come in through the secret entrance and all should be fine."
"As you wish," Bail nodded and cut off the transmission. He would need to be discreet as he left his office and make sure he wasn't followed by anyone. There had already been media inquiries into his "relationship" with Padme from the gossip hounds, so there was no doubt that they wouldn't let that go. They would probably try to cook up a love triangle if possible, if I'm not careful, he grimaced in distaste. He had his security check around his office and the hangar where his speeder was. Of course, swarming with those malicious gossips. Why don't they take this kind of interest on things that actually matter? He thought despondently.
"Alternative transportation is strongly advised Senator", his head of security let him know in his usual dispassionate tone. Bail could still sense the man's higher than usual level of tension due to his body language. He nodded once in agreement and followed him to the lesser known exits where there would likely be only one or two, if they were lucky, media droids.
As luck would have it, Senator Mothma and Bail Organa nearly collided on their way to the same exit. "Are you heading where I think you are?" she asked quietly yet urgently. Bail only nodded. "Then let me go first, to distract anyone who might be there. Send her my regards as well," Mothma smiled briefly and then surged ahead. Bail felt a wealth of gratitude towards the young woman. She will be a fine Supreme Chancellor one day, one that I'm not sure that the Republic as is currently deserves, he thought bittersweetly.
Once his security had ascertained that Mothma had the media's attention, they whisked him through briskly, having gotten the speeder up as close as possible to the exit. Bail Organa quickly entered and made sure to put his head down as the speeder took off at a near suicidal speed. He inanely wondered if Padme had been subjected to this before with Skywalker, knowing of his love for speed.
"Where to sir?" the driver asked neutrally yet tightly.
"Republica 500. But to the secret entrance," he replied. A beat. "I suggest taking the scenic route just in case anyone noticed our hasty departure and wishes to head us off and make things complicated for us."
"Yes sir," the driver nodded and proceeded without another word.
Bail sighed and leaned back against his seat, fighting the headache he felt coming on. He had been in contact secretly with Count Dooku for the last few days, and he had warned Bail that Palpatine was planning something to destabilize everything, that Palpatine could not be trusted. Bail had scoffed at first, wondering if it was a trap, but he wondered if this was what he had meant. Why would Palpatine have done such a thing in the first place? To undermine the negotiations? That would be treasonous in and of itself - to keep prolonging a war that the public had long gotten tired of. But, in a strange way, it made sense - torpedoing Padme Amidala was a sure way to get everyone's attention in the worst way possible and throw negotiations off even if they were sound - if only due to the publicity surrounding her.
Once they got through the secret entrance and past Padme's security, he had his men stand sentry near the veranda and raced through the apartment, as he saw that Padme was not in the main entry awaiting him. He was concerned for her in her condition - he was not blind, and he had not missed the malicious gossip directed at themselves over it. He was most concerned about the unborn child, since that was an innocent life, and he knew from personal experience how devastating the loss of a child was.
He nearly mowed over Padme as she exited the fresher and she gasped as she threw her hands up to her chest. "Oh my goodness, Bail! You scared me!" she rasped out as her breath came back to her.
"I am so sorry, Padme. I was worried about you in your condition, and thought that maybe you had taken ill due to the stress-"
"It's ok," she said with relief. "I am so glad you are here. Thank you so much for being here with me right now," she said as she struggled to hold her tears in.
"Is there anyone else here with you right now?" he asked her lowly, carefully.
"No, it's just Threepio and myself. My security guards are outside the front entrance. I dismissed my handmaiden earlier in the day, before all of this occurred," she said rather quickly. "Why? Whatever is the matter?"
"I do not think it is safe to speak here. Your security may be compromised."
Padme scoffed, "That's ridiculous, Bail. The only thing that has turned up is an old document, which unfortunately proves what it says. But, there's no recordings from this place that have turned up."
"I would have to submit to you that just because nothing else has turned up doesn't mean that it won't. That could just be the first warning for all you know. I believe it would be safer for you physically as well as psychologically to be away from here. I can only imagine what the press presence will be like in the morning."
Padme's shoulders dropped. She saw the reason in what he was saying. "Where to then?"
"Senator Mothma has arranged a room for you not too far from the Senate, but in accommodations that are probably not quite up to your standards, unfortunately," he said as he discreetly showed Padme the message from Mon Mothma.
She nodded her head slowly. "Let me gather some belongings. I don't know how many days I will have to hide out or what will occur in the morning. I'm sure at the very least my resignation will be requested by the Queen," she said in a distant voice.
Bail stepped back and gave her some space to let her pack and deal with the current situation as it now stood. He had given her a task, and that would keep her mind occupied for a few moments. Hopefully by getting her away from her home and from the unbearable media storm that was coming, she would be able to think more lucidly about her predicament and where that left their negotiation efforts. He also wanted to make sure that the Jedi didn't suddenly express an interest in or harass her just yet. He was a friend of the Jedi, but he knew that they would not take kindly to this violation of their Code, and whether they suspected her condition or not, that conversation should not occur at this very delicate moment for her sake.
Padme reappeared with her bag, which they briefly tussled over, until she conceded and let him carry it. "If you will just give me a moment, let me notify Captain Typho that I will be leaving-"
"No!" Bail said a little too loudly. He cringed momentarily and then lowered his voice again - he wasn't trying to scare her, but he needed her to understand the severity of what this one piece of released information meant. "Trust no one right now. The less people who know where you are, the better."
"What do you mean? Captain Typho is trustworthy. He has been my head of security for years. I trust him with my life!" Padme replied in indignation as she took a step back.
"Did he know?" Bail asked pointedly. Padme shook her head. "Who all knew?"
"Just Anakin, myself, the holy man, and Artoo and Threepio. We told no one, not even my family," she said sadly. She dreaded that conversation as well. Her family would be furious and mortified, no doubt.
"If no one knew, then how did it get out?" he asked gently, yet shrewdly. Padme shook her head after opening and closing her mouth a few times. She had puzzled over that in her panic as well. The holy man had been deceased for over a year, due to old age, and there had been no record filed or kept anywhere - she had made sure of it in her initial paranoia.
"Then it's safe to say that someone close to you or who was observing you let it out. I don't believe that this apartment is safe, or that anyone close to you with a connection to Naboo is safe," he finished, and hoped that she could figure out the clues for herself without him needing to name anyone. It would not do if her apartment was bugged for him to name Palpatine as the saboteur without any proof except for Dooku's vague intimations.
Padme's eyes widened with offense: "My handmaidens would never do such a thing! And as I already said, I trust Captain Typho with my life!" she seethed.
"Yes, I'm certain that you do feel that way. But, where was that marriage license issued?" he paused for a beat. "Where else would a copy be if not on Naboo, then here in this apartment?" another beat. "Who all has access to this apartment?"
Padme finally seemed to catch on as her eyes widened even more in horror. She swallowed hard and nodded. Yes, as far as she knew, she was the only individual with a copy of their license. She had made sure of it. Anakin could obviously not have been the keeper of such a thing, so it had fallen to her. And someone had failed her for some reason, someone with a Naboo connection. And it just so happened to occur when negotiations with the neutral systems were starting up again to fortify the cause for negotiations with the Separatists. She couldn't fathom that the disgust she had felt earlier could have risen, but it just had. If Palpatine was well and truly behind this, then she had a lot more trouble than just her marriage being exposed publicly.
Padme nodded once in agreement and started to follow Bail towards the door. She instructed Threepio to shut down and not reactivate until Master Anakin had come by and let him know that she was safe. No one else was to know anything at all about her no matter what. That done, she followed Bail Organa uncertainly into her new life. For she knew, that it had all been completely upended and there was no going back to the way things were.