The shipping company, just as the superintendent had informed, was indeed not far from the dock. With Satine's status, we were allowed to enter right away. We follow an employee through the stylized building to the office of Siddiq.

In the office sat a man with graying brown hair. After relaying the problem, he was still indifferent. "Sure, I bribed a school official. What's the problem?" Siddiq asks, putting his feet on his desk and crossing his arms behind his head.

"What you've done is illegal," Padmé remarks.

"There's a war going on," he begins with hand gestures. "As long as my company imports goods, most people turn a blind eye to anything else."

I shift my weight on my legs as I watch the interaction. "We are not 'most people', Mr. Siddiq," Satine points out.

"My corporate contracts protect me, Duchess," Siddiq drawls out. "So I'll play your little game. Look, I'm sorry there are sick children, I truly am." Yes, we totally believe that. "But I'm just a messenger." There's the kicker.

"Where'd you get the tea?" Satine inquires forcefully.

"From Mooga, the Commerce Guild controls it," he answers, sitting up in his chair. "Here, I have nothing to hide." He types away on his data pad. "Here we are, shipping schedules from Mooga." He spins his data pad around so Satine can look. "Right there, the highlighted ones."

"And a customs offical reports these to the government," Padmé says, to see if she's wrong or if he knows anything else.

"As far as I know," Siddiq replies.

"Are these all for the ones bringing in the tea?" Satine asks.

The worker rubs the back of his head. "No, I'd have to narrow that down." Satine looks at him sternly to get results. "Okay, okay, no problem." He spins his data pad back around as Padmé glances at me with an exasperated expression. It takes all of my concentration not to chuckle. "Here you go." Siddiq shows Satine again. "Look, they're actually bringing in a shipment tonight. You wanna know which dock?" Satine and Padmé nod at each other before nodding to Siddiq.

The ride to the dock was longer than we would have liked, but we got there in time. Together, Satine, Padmé and I follow a guard through the maze of large crates to not announce our presence just yet.

"I must say, when I came to visit I hadn't pictured us in such an informal setting," Padmé jokes.

"You should know by now that nothing with you is normal, Padmé," I add.

"Well, from what Master Kenobi tells me, during your tenor as queen you became quite familiar with such excursions," Satine points out. Just how close are Satine and Obi-Wan?

"One can only survive the rigors of court formalities for so long," Padmé explains.

"We are of the same mind," Satine agrees as we go around a corner.

Right as we get to the main part of the dock, a ship lands at the end, it's landing mechanisms making it look like a bug. Aliens begin unloading crates.

"The smugglers," Satine notes.

"We'll soon find out," Padmé reassures, to avoid jumping to conclusions.

"Shall I call in more security?" the guard asks.

Satine rests her hand on his shoulder armor. "No, let's wait and see what transpires," Satine orders. She then points to a Mandalorian. "Look, a customs official."

We can't hear them from our position; however, it was obvious that the official took a bribe before walking back the way he came. Unloading of the shipment continues.

"How can they opperate with such impunity?" Satine inquires, mostly to herself. "I need to found out how far up the chain of command this corruption goes." With Satine's luck, probably all the way to someone on the council.

In the morning, rather a few hours later, the three of us are back in Satine's throne room with a few of her guards and the police captain.

"I'm sorry, Duchess," he apologizes. "But what you're saying is impossible."

Right next to him stood Padmé and I. "Impossible?" Padmé repeats. "We witnessed it with our own eyes."

"Bribery of a customs official at the shipping docks? I'm afraid not," he argues. "The docks are a highly secure area, free of dangerous criminals." Even if he isn't a part of it, he sure is ridiculous.

"But not free of corruption," Satine counters. "The most dangerous weapon in the galaxy is money, Captain."

"Smuggling does not take place on my watch." He gestures to himself for emphasis.

"But you weren't there, were you?" I ask. "What about when you're not watching?"

The captain glares at me in his hideous uniform. "I'm always watching. I'm in charge of the police. Who are you?"

My jaw clenches, but Satine steps in before I say anything else. "Were you watching as children were dying? Who was watching then?" she questions forcefully.

"Duchess, with all due respect-"

"No, Captain," Satine interrupts as she stands up. "If you want my respect, you will arrest these criminals and stop stalling."

"Stalling?" he repeats, obviously offended.

Satine stops right in front of him, looking straight into his eyes. "Why else would you not be down there with a patrol unit making arrests? Unless you're involved?"

He sighs loudly, giving in. "All right. We'll see what's going on." The captain then turns to leave. We all climb into patrol speeders and go to the dock.

As we exit, I spot two guards in front of a storage door. They obviously are not supposed to be there. I nudge Padmé's arm and nod towards the two men. "Satine, what are those guards doing here?" she asks the duchess.

Behind us is the customs captain and more guards. Satine turns to the captain. "Did you order them here?" Satine inquires.

"Duchess, I've been with you the whole time," he answers, exasperated. Together we hurry over to the men. "Guards, let us into this warehouse."

"We're under strict orders not to let anyone in," the guard on the left says.

"Do you know who this is?" the captain asks, gesturing to Satine.

"I command you, open these doors," Satine demands.

I hear a murmur from the guards as the glance at each other before attacking the duchess. Thankfully, the captain is quick and counters it, punching both guards in the face, knocking them to the ground. "Arrest them," he tells Satine's guards. The captain then presses the button to open the door.

Inside the storage unit are the smugglers with weapons and scientists in the process of diluting the tea. The captain's order to stop does nothing, of course, since the Moogan smugglers immediately open fire, causing us to duck behind some crates outside the unit.

The captain raises his hand to get us to stay put while he and to guards go in. That doesn't last long as he gets shot, causing his blaster pistol to land outside closer to us. I make eye contact with Padmé. Knowing what I'm thinking, she shakes her head sternly, but thankfully, she's no longer my boss. I somersault over to grab the blaster and spring up behind the other container. I duck my head out and shoot one of the aliens as the two guards inside carry out the police captain.

I spot Padmé motion to the guards by her to push what I'm assuming is the crate as I shoot into the unit again, but just slightly miss a Moogan. As the guards push the container into the unit, I get behind it for sufficient cover. I shoot each alien as they come out from their hiding spots to shoot us. Guards dispatch the ones I don't get. Once we reach the scientists, I point the blaster at them to make sure they don't try to run.

The two guards, smugglers, and scientists are all arrested by the real guards. I stand next to Padmé and the duchess as the criminals are cuffed and put into the speeders.

Satine turns to the limping captain. "Captain, I want you to burn down this warehouse," she tells him.

"Excuse me?" he asks. "But there's evidence-"

"Burn it down or I'll consider you a part of this conspiracy, Captain," Satine threatens. My eyes widen almost comically at her words. Yesterday I simply thought she was doing her duty to get answers, but now she might be verging on missing one too many starships.

"You heard her, men, burn the warehouse," the captain concedes. The guards get flamethrowers from the speeders and begin burning the building. We stand back from the unit as it goes up in flames, the flames licking the air and the heat kissing our skin.

Once we're back at the palace, I tell Padmé I'm going to pack our belongings to be ready for our departure in the morning. Her and Satine go to inform Prime Minister Almec what had transpired.

Soon after, Padmé joins me in her room as I'm folding one of her dresses. "You know, you don't have to do that anymore," Padmé remarks.

"Do what?" I ask.

"Fold my clothes for one," she replies as she takes her dress from my hands and sets it on the bed. "And you don't have to rush into trouble anymore. That's my job. You should be more careful."

I look at my oldest friend, her brown eyes deep with concern. "I'm always careful, Padmé."

Padmé scoffs. "That's what you call careful? Grabbing a blaster in the midst of gunfire? Impressive shooting, as always, but dangerous nonetheless. And I recall you on Geonosis not being careful as well. Thank you for giving me nightmares."

"I did not intentionally get poisoned," I point out, folding my arms.

"I know, I know." Padmé rubs my arms as she gazes softly at me. "Still, you are pregnant. It's not just your life in danger now. You've always been a fighter, but for the next few months, you've got to set that aside, or at least try to. I won't be the only one devastated."

I bow my head before nodding in agreement. "Okay, I'll try."

That afternoon was slow as we got ready to leave, but eventually we got to the platform to return to Coruscant.

"I'm troubled, Padmé," Satine says quitely as we walk towards the ship.

Padmé turns to the duchess. "You heard Prime Minister Almec say he'll investigate," she reassures.

Satine dons a small smile but still looks sad. "His heart is in the right place, but this corruption."

Padmé place her hands on Satine's. "You must have hope, Satine."

The duchess looks away. "Hope will only go so far," she notes. "The very people conducting this investigation might be corrupt. Perhaps a jedi, working undercover at the academy could be of service to us, and in more ways than one. For if we lose our young, Mandalore will indeed be lost."

"I will speak with Master Yoda," Padmé promises. "Don't lose hope, my friend."

"Senator." Satine nods to Padmé and turns to me. "Cattleya."

Padmé and I nod in return. "Duchess," we say together before boarding the ship.