Padme sat at her desk, typing away- or trying to at least. She had read her speech over and over again, but something about it didn't click. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that less and less was making sense as the days passed. Padme pushed her seat back and stood up from her desk, stretching and hearing her joints pop. She wasn't that old- but sitting in one position for so long did make her feel older than she was. She turned to look out of the window and saw the spires of the Jedi temple in the distance, her train of thought now focused on her husband.

It wasn't that he didn't try to contact her- he did. All the time now that he was on Coruscant. But when Obi-Wan had told her about the extent of his injuries from their last mission, she agreed that it was better that he stay at the temple and recover. Even though she loved hearing him talk, the way the smoke and flames had ravaged his voice made her wince in sympathy. She knew that it had to hurt to talk, especially when his voice gave out after a while. She sighed- at least Anakin was getting better. As the days passed, his voice got stronger and the burns and scars continued to fade away. He even brought Ahsoka over one time with him.

But having the extra alone time gave her time with her thoughts. And right now, she couldn't stop thinking about what Anakin had said to her about the Chancellor. How could she write this speech, if she was not sure if she supported the man that was once her mentor anymore?

"Mistress Padme," C-3PO began, "Senator Organa is here to visit." Padme turned around to see the protocol droid walking up towards her.

"Let him in." She responded. The doors to her office opened, and Bail Organa walked in, his dark blue robes billowing out behind him.

"Padme." Bail said with a slight smile. "I hope you are doing well. You looked troubled during our meeting earlier today with the relief funds committee."

Padme sighed. "Can you be honest with me?"

"Of course."

"What do you think about the Chancellor?" Padme asked softly, looking away.

"What do you mean?" Bail questioned. "I think… he has good intentions at heart." Bail began tentatively.

Padme looked back at him and narrowed her eyes. "Be honest with me." He sighed.

"I think that he ihas/i good intentions, but this war has dragged on for too long. The senate keeps agreeing to give Palpatine emergency powers, and I fear that if we continue down this path…" he trailed off.

"That our voices would be silenced." Padme finished. They shared a glance.

"Do you think that?" Bail asked her. "The Chancellor has been your mentor for years, Padme."

"I know, it's just- it's just that I don't think everything is as it seems. Something else is going on here."

"And what makes you say that?" Bail replied. Padme laced her fingers together to stop herself from playing with the sleeves of her dress.

"Is giving him all of this power worth it? We keep voting yes, but the war still drags on, with no end in sight."

"I think, that letting democracy prevail, and not allowing one person to gain too much power is what is worth it." Bail said with a determined expression.

"And do you think that is what the Chancellor is trying to do?" Padme asked as she turned back to look out the window, watching as the sky got darker as the sun slowly disappeared. A moment of silence passed before Bail spoke again.

"Yes." He whispered. "Yes." He repeated, louder. "Everything that the chancellor has done so far is perfectly legal, and that is what is so frightening about it. He can, will, and has used the war to gain more political power. He has also recently gained control over the courts as well."

"What?" Padme exclaimed as she turned around. "What do you mean?" Bail sighed.

"He now can overrule any decision made by the Republic courts- and has upped the charges for treason against the republic, citing the war as a reason."

"So, what happens if you commit treason?" Padme asked softly.

"Execution."

"No, he can't! He wouldn't!" Padme replied, horrified. "We heard nothing about this! How could he make such a… such a bold decision without consulting the senate? How do you know about this?"

"Master Kenobi told me. The Jedi are the only independent part of the judicial system left."

"And they are being stretched thin by the war…" Padme muttered as she sat back down at her seat. She gestured to a chair by her desk and Bail sat down as well. She looked back at the speech that she was typing and deleted it.

"What were you working on?" Bail asked.

"A speech for the Chancellor." She spat out. "He had asked me to write a speech, in support of him gaining more emergency powers." She sighed and placed her head in her hands.

"When did you speak to Obi-Wan?" She asked, her voice sounding far away.

"He had visited me earlier today. We were simply catching up." He replied.

"Padme, what made you start to change your mind about the Chancellor?" He asked after a moment. Padme raised her head and looked at him. Her eye makeup was now slightly smudged, but it was late, and he was a close friend so she didn't really care.

"I was talking to Anakin about it." Bail raised an eyebrow.

"Skywalker? I heard that he has been recovering well from his most recent mission." Padme nodded, and then bit her lip, thankful that she had gotten smudge-proof lipstick.

"I thought that Skywalker and the chancellor were close." Bail said. Padme nodded.

"They are. Which is what made what he said so disturbing. He said… that the Chancellor was no better than Dooku." She whispered.

"What?" Bail exclaimed. "No, that's… that's impossible." Padme looked at him.

"Is it? Bail listen to me. I started looking through old records- and I mean old."

"And what about them?"

"The chancellor and Dooku used to be friends, years ago, before the war. Before I had even become queen of Naboo."

"And we used to be friends with separatists' leaders as well, but we are not anymore, since it is… considered treason now." He replied.

"Yes, but something about it is just… wrong to me. The chancellor has never spoken about his past with Dooku."

"Maybe because it would cause too much of a controversy?" He suggested.

"But then why would he make it illegal to talk to the separatists if he himself used to be friendly with them?" Padme questioned. "Something doesn't add up. And I want to get to the bottom of it."

"Are you suggesting treason?" Bail asked softly, raising an eyebrow.

"Something like that." Padme whispered.

Back at the temple, Obi-Wan stood next to Anakin on their balcony.

"How was your visit with Senator Organa?" Anakin asked. Obi-Wan shrugged.

"It was fine. He and his family are well." Obi-Wan replied, staring out at the senate building in the distance. Anakin didn't respond, but Obi-Wan could feel his unease, and a strange sense of guilt when he mentioned Organa. But he didn't say anything about it, and they stood there together, watching as the sun set behind the senate building.