Padme stood at the base of the cruiser's boarding ramp. Dressed in the armour, she addressed the crowd in front of her.

"While we are now free, there are many other systems that need freeing. For that, we shall need allies. I believe our neighbour Tatooine can help us there. So that is where I go now." she said.

There was a half hearted cheer but also a murmuring. Why Tatooine? It was a dump. Not even formerly part of The Republic? Why not go to Coruscant?

Padme agreed. It made no sense. She should go to Coruscant. Contact any government in exile and together seek the aid of the Senate.

'If those fools have not sent aid yet, why would they do so now? Go to Tatooine. Find this Anakin.'

'Why are you agreeing to this?'

'We agree on things! Besides, you will be confronting your past. Bound to be therapeutic.'

'Therapeutic?'

'Karan's rubbing off on me. Where is he?'

'He's not coming.'

'What? Like hell he's not. I want our squire.'

'For the last time, he is not ours.'

'Really? See that? Mine. That? Also mine. That man pushing through the crowd to come with us? Definitely mine.'

Padme looked where Artura had prompted to see Karan making his way through the crowd. He made his way to just in front of her and bowed.

"I wish to come to assist you in bringing freedom to Tatooine." said Karan.

Padme looked at Karan. She couldn't bring him. She wanted him safe on Naboo and never exposed to that hell world. She, just, couldn't.

'Okay, great. Everyone having a crisis sit down.'

"Excellent, just in time. Was wondering where you had got to. Get aboard." said Artura.

Karan nodded and hurried aboard. Artura turned to the crowd.

"I see some of you have doubts. Banish them. We need to send our enemies a message. That we come for them. That it is they who shall know fear. That their days are numbered! Tatooine is a target of opportunity and I shall seize it!" said Artura.

The crowd cheered wholeheartedly. Artura turned and walked up the ramp. Moments later the cruiser ascended to orbit.

Inside the cruiser Artura quickly located Karan.

"Attend me." she ordered and walked past him, heading for her suite.

Karan followed. Soon they reached a door and went inside.

"I want to speak to Padme." said Karan.

"No. Help me with the armour." said Atura extending an arm.

"No?" said Karan. He paused.

"Padme is, being Padme. Current panic attack based on taking you along to see him. Myself, I want my third best squire about. Hurry up. Do you think I wear this for fun?" said Artura.

Karan assisted Artura with the armour, then turned round while she changed.

"There's something I don't understand. How did she almost get you to stay behind without me knowing?" said Artura.

Karan kept quiet.

"Oh, have it your way. I will find out. You can turn round now, by the way." said Artura.

Karan turned round. Artura, for a change was actually dressed modestly. Still in red and black, which, he had to admit did look good on them. When did they become a them?

"Why are you here? Especially when you were asked to stay behind?" said Artura.

"Who else is going to help without stabbing you?" said Karan.

Artura nodded.

"They tell me it's six to eight hours these days. Lot faster than in my day. I could of gone raiding any time I had a spare few days. Barely enough time for a nap." said Artura. She regarded the bed thoughtfully and then looked back at Karan.

"I will find you a reader." said Karan as he left.

Artura grimaced but lay down, settled and was soon asleep. Never know what a new planet could bring. Best to be rested. She did not notice when Karan retured with a reader, set it on the side table and departed.

Padme woke with a start of someone knocking. Where was she?

'On a ship bound for Tatooine. Sounds like we're here.'

Right. Was she doing the right thing? What if he wasn't there? What if he was dead?

"Ma'am? You're needed on the bridge." came a voice.

The voice prompted to action. She rose, smoothed out the clothes and stood up.

'Fetch our squire. We need arming.'

'We're not invading. I am here to, to.'

'I recommend being able to speak your intended's name as key component in a relationship.'

'How is that working out with Karan? Maybe if you used his name he would be more amenable.'

'That's different. I am not in love with him.'

'Really? Have you ever been in love?'

Silence. The almost constant presence for the last half year was gone.

'Artura?'

More silence. Was she gone?

'Artura. I'm sorry. Where are you?'

Artura may of been an overbearing maniac but she pushed her, drove her on. She was strong, Padme had come to rely on that strength.

'Artura!'

The person at the door knocked again.

"Ma'am, we need to know where we are landing." they said.

There was nothing for it. She would have to do this on her own. Padme opened the door and headed for the bridge.

Artura regarded the man held within the pain amplifier. His once handsome features broken and bruised, perfect skin marred by cuts, sores and welts. She pressed the activator. The man writhed and screamed as energies coursed through him. Eventually she released the switch. The man whimpered.

"Tell me why." Artura demanded.

The man raised his head and winced at the effort.

"I cannot. I never betrayed you. Never." he said.

"Liar!" screamed Artura. She reactivates the switch. The man screams and screams and screams.

Padme stood on the bridge of the cruiser. About her the spacers worked quietly to bring the ship into orbit. There was a brief flash visible through the viewscreen.

"Lot of debris about. Looks like there's been fighting here." said Harria on shield control.

"Who would fight over Tatooine?" said Daph working the sensors. "There's other traffic but nothing heading our way."

"Good, good. Where do you want us to land?" said Captain Lorik

It took Padme a moment to tear her gaze away from the dun planet beneath her. Tatooine was the source of so much pain. Why was she here?

"What? Sorry. I want to land near Mos Espa." Padme said.

"Very well ma'am." said the captain.

It took a few minutes to locate the settlement and change course to land nearby. The cruiser moved in orbit.

"I'm picking up launch flares from the surface! Looks like, three fighters on intercept." called Daph.

"Attention unknown vessel. You are in violation of FPR Space. State your intentions." came a voice.

Padme froze. Even distorted by the comm system she recognised the voice.

"Unknown vessel. State your intention or leave our skies. Now." said the voice again."

"This is the Naboo Defence Force Victory. We intend to land at Mos Espa. We wish to assist in freeing your world." said Padme. There, technically true.

There was a pause.

"Okay Victory. I guess that counts as peaceful intentions. We'll guide you down. You're probably going to want to meet the council. Um, don't shoot anything."

The fighters met up with the descending cruiser, turned and followed it down to a very bare bones star port. It was little more than reinforced landing pits, a fuel storage area, control bunker and defence batteries. It had a hastily assembled look to it all.

The cruiser landed in the larger pit and the ramp descended. Padme looked out once more at the hellworld. Any doubts or fears evaporated when she saw him at the base of the ramp. Dressed in a motley flight suit he looked up at her.

"Why, hello there..." he began before Padme ran down, enveloped him in a hug and kissed him. "My name is Anakin. Do I know you? Is this a traditional greeting wherever you're from?" he said.

There was a commotion near the entrance to the landing pit as a small party arrived. At the head was a young woman. She stopped as she took in the tableau.

"What the hell? Get your hands off my husband!" she said.

Padme fell back in surprise, stumbled and landed sitting down on the ramp. Husband? He was married? That shock was secondary to the scream in her mind.

'Kill her! Kill her now!" demanded Artura.

Her hand slapped against her thigh where she normally would carry a blaster when out of armour. Had Padme foolishly gone somewhere unarmed again?

'Where is our weapon?' Artura asked.

"Anakin! Who is, this woman?" said the woman as she strode towards them

"Um, well. Hey. Do you have a name?" said Anakin reaching down to help Padme up.

'Never mind I can kill her with my bare hands.'

'No.'

'What do you mean no? She stole him from me. She is doing it again. Let's stop her.'

"Anakin. What are you doing?" said the woman. Anakin decided to withdraw his hand.

'Let me kill her now.'

'No.'

The woman was now standing over Padme. She looked down.

"My name is Cassandra. Head counsellor for the Free People's Republic of Tatooine. Who the hell are you?"

Padme shifted and stood up to face Cassandra. She was taller, more attractive with bright blue eyes...

'I doubt she would be as pretty after a quick strike to the throat. Let me.'

Padme fought the impulse to act on Artura's demands. She was angry and embarrassed, but murderous?

'Does it matter? She stands in your way to him! Let me kill her.'

"I am Padme, I guess I am the head of the liberation movement to free my planet. I thought you may need help." she said.

'It matters to me. This is a shock, but I won't murder someone just for that.'

Cassandra folded her arms.

"Padme? Sounds Exchalali." said Cassandra.

"Naboo." said Padme.

"Whatever." Cassandra turned to Anakin, "Just how do you know this woman?" she said.

Anakin took several steps back and raised his hands.

"I've never seen her before in my life. Trust me, I would remember." he said.

'I remember them both. I was right. I will have my revenge.'

Padme took a deep breath. Ignoring Artura she tried to soothe this mess out.

"I am sorry. Until recently I was a prisoner. Someone, who looked like your husband helped free me. I mistook Anakin for him. It remains that we need to work together to maintain our freedom."

"There is that. Very well. Let us both take time to reassess and meet again tomorrow morning. I will send someone to collect you." said Cassandra. She then turned and left.

Anakin gave Padme one last look as if confused and followed Cassandra. Padme retreated back up the ramp.

Managing to deflect the confused questions of the crew Padme convinced everyone she needed time to work on a proposal to present the Free People's Republic. As soon as she reached her cabin she sank into a chair and groaned. She was such an idiot. What did she think this was? A holo drama? Some universe where the heroine did end up with dashing hero? She didn't live in that one. obviously. She lived in the one where everything had gone wrong.

'I'm quite proud of you actually.' said Artura.

'You are?'

'Yes. You handled this situation yourself.'

'You call that handled? It was a disaster.'

'We are not collapsed in a heap for all to see'

'Thank you. I think. Who are all these people to you? How do you know Anakin and, that woman.'

'How much do you know about me?'

'Not much. There are the stories of course, but so much of that seems embellished.'

Artura sniffed, as much as that was possible for a disembodied voice. 'Ha! If anything the stories do not do my life justice. The shape of things is broadly correct. I unified our world with the aid of my knights, one of whom bears a striking resemblance to your pilot.'

'He's not mine.'

'Enough snivelling. It does not become us. So, this young man. We were close. I thought he had betrayed me and set in motion a rebellion. At the end I learned what I believed was the truth. That he had not.'

To call those few sentences a concise summary of one of Naboo's oldest tales was an understatement. Still, it was the most Artura had revealed about herself.

'And this woman?'

'Was the cause of it all. This confirms what I knew. He did betray me!'

'Are you sure? These are different people. They have different lives.'

'Then why are they together? Why throw that in my face like that?'

Padme took a deep breath. Then she went to find a pad and stylus. She was only allowed to work in silence for a short while.

'What are you doing?'

'What does it look like? What needs to be done. Look, I don't have to like it and I don't, but we need to do this.'

'I like my plan better.'

Padme ignored Artura's protests and continued working.

Despite the initial hiccup the negotiations between the two revolutionary groups proceeded apace. Despite their dislike of each other Padme and Cassandra managed to sort out a working agreement of sorts. With communication with the Republic cut off they would need to see to their own defence. Eventually the Hutts would notice the growing unrest and they would have to be ready. They had both agreed they would need to attack and secure Carrinos, a nearby Zone system with sufficient resources to fuel their defensive efforts.

Padme trudged back to the cruiser after a long planning session. While she, or rather Artura had a flair for planning offensives it was still draining. She was surprised when someone reached out from an alleyway. She was about to call out when her assailant put a finger to his lips. It was Anakin.

"Quiet. Sorry to startle you but I can't get you out of my head. No one kisses a complete stranger like that. Who are you?" he said.

In the tight confines of the alley she was pressed up against him. She could feel his breath, his warmth.

No. She shifted slightly to separate herself.

'No? What the hell?'

"No. Not like this. What are you thinking?" she said.

'You idiot! He's right there!'

"I don't know what to think. All I know is I can't get you out of my head. Why did you kiss me like that?" he said.

'Give him another. This is perfect!'

"I will explain. In time. Right now there is too much at stake." said Padme and left before Anakin could respond. She moved quickly, nearly running back to the cruiser. Why was this so complicated?

'Complicated? I call it exciting.'

'Shut up!'