"All aboard!" shouted Anakin as he stood on the loading ramp of the sleek, chrome-plated spaceship that would be providing the transportation to Naboo.

"No, I don't need any help, really," Padmé said sarcastically, staggering under the weight of three suitcases while simultaneously attempting to push the babies' stroller.

Anakin rushed over and relieved her of the suitcases, and they were able to board without any further trouble.

"This is Anakin Skywalker, captain of the Silver Bullet," Anakin said into his headset. "We are ready for takeoff."

Padmé rolled her eyes. "You are such a geek."

"Why, because I came up with a catchy name for your spaceship?" wondered Anakin. "You're just jealous that you didn't think of it first."

Padmé opened her mouth to argue, but decided that it wasn't worth the effort. Anakin received clearance for departure over his headset, and the ship soared off into the clear blue sky.

"Oh, crap," said Anakin, having made the jump to hyperspace moments before.

"What's wrong?" Padmé asked worriedly.

"Um, I may have made a slight miscalculation," Anakin confessed.

"Slight?" Padmé repeated.

Anakin shifted uncomfortably. "We're gonna end up in the middle of the planet."

"You mean like the core?"

"Somewhere in that vicinity, yeah."

Padmé groaned. "Anakin!"

"What? It's okay," Anakin attempted to console her. "Naboo's core is made of water, right?"

"Yeah," Padmé agreed. "So?"

"Well, I heard that death by drowning actually isn't that bad."

Padmé sighed; by this point, she was on the verge of tears.

Anakin giggled. "Just kidding!"

Padmé punched him on the shoulder. "That wasn't funny," she said with a glare.

"I thought it was," Anakin muttered under his breath.

Padmé ignored the comment and stood up. "I'm gonna go feed the twins," she informed him. "Want to help?"

"Only if you promise not to hit me anymore," replied Anakin, rubbing his sore shoulder.

"I won't have to as long as you don't say anything stupid," Padmé quipped as she left the cockpit.

Anakin sighed and followed her out.

"Anakin," said Padmé.

"Hmm?" he replied absent-mindedly as he fed baby Luke.

"That bottle has been empty for ten minutes."

Anakin looked down and saw that Luke was indeed sucking futilely on a bottle that was completely drained of milk.

"Oh." He set the bottle down and shifted the infant to burping position. "Did you tell your parents that we were coming?" he asked Padmé.

"Duh," she replied.

Anakin waited for her to elaborate, but she chose not to. "And?" he prompted.

"They were...surprised," Padmé answered evasively. "They did offer to let us stay with them, if we want to."

Anakin shrugged indifferently. "Whatever."

"How long do you think your assignment will take?"

"It depends on the number of droids," Anakin explained. "Probably ten, twenty minutes at the most."

"Why don't you just-"

"Eww!" exclaimed Anakin as Luke spit up all over him.

Padmé giggled.

"How come you always get the good one?" Anakin asked, looking jealously at Leia, who was dozing peacefully in her mother's arms.

"Want to trade?" offered Padmé.

"I'd love to, but I've gotta go fly a spaceship," Anakin replied, handing Luke over to Padmé and cleaning himself off.

Padmé took the baby and began gently rocking him to sleep. "Have fun."

"I'm sorry, who did you say you were again?" the air traffic controller's voice came over the ship's intercom.

"Our ship is called the Silver Bullet," Anakin explained for the third time, "carrying passengers Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala."

"Sorry, but you don't have landing clearance," the controller informed him.

"Are you kidding?" exclaimed Padmé. "I used to be queen of this whole freakin' planet, and now I can't even land my spaceship here?"

The controller recognized Padmé's voice immediately. "Senator Amidala," he acknowledged her humbly, "of course you may. Our scanners are picking up four life signs, though; did you bring any pets or anything?"

"Yes, those are our pet children," Anakin replied impatiently. "Now could we please just land?"

"Go ahead," the controller confirmed. "Thank you for visiting Naboo; please enjoy your stay."

Voila! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your reviews; it is so exciting to hear from new readers as well as regulars. I am planning to post a much more substantial chapter on Sunday or Monday, then school starts on Tuesday (Augh!) and we'll see what happens. In the meantime, won't you please review? Thanks! -Luna