Padme moved slowly along the balcony, letting the sun shine on her hair, the breeze blow softly at the folds of her gauze dress. Every fibre in her body tried to ignore what Palpatine had said. Military schools. There had been rumours - rumours that nobody had believed - that citizens
were being abducted, then returned to their homes months later, with totally different personalities, intent on only serving the republic,
obedient, biddable, and emotionless. Brainwashed, like living droids. It didn't seem like a far fetched tabloid story anymore.
Dorme was preparing her supper. Not that she wanted to eat, but Dorme took her duties as a Senator's caregiver quite seriously. Dorme was
one of two of Padme's original five handmaidens who were left alive. It had never been more dangerous a job. Corde had been killed during the
assassination attempt. Sabe had died under questionable circumstances while testifying at the trial of Nute Gunray. Eirtae was taken hostage
by a group of disgruntled Spice miners and killed when their demands weren't met. Only Dorme and Sache were left, and Sache was back home
on Naboo, acting as a decoy at the lakeside retreat. Padme was well aware of how vulnerable this left Dorme. If only I could leave it all, she
thought, staring over the dozens of balconies jutting out from the side of the building. Before, there would be Senators who sat out in this kind
of weather. Below hers was the Kashyyyk Senator's quarters, to the right, the Senator from Zolan. She sighed and closed her eyes. The
Wookiee had been killed in the war, the Clawdite had joined the Separatists. Once both had been good friends of hers. Now she was the only
one left, save Organa.
"Dorme, I'll go and say good-bye to Bail Organa."
"Of course, Milady. Wish him all the best for me."
"I will, Dorme."
Organa had been a good Senator. Quiet, often cynical, but he always acted in the best interests of Alderaan. He had also been a good friend
to the Naboo, including Padme and Chancellor Palpatine. With him so active in the war, and Padme so set against the creation of the Army of
the Republic, they rarely saw each other.
She pressed the buzzer. Nothing.
"Bail?"
Suddenly the door opened. She looked around. Nobody was there.
"Bail? Viceroy Organa?"
Then she saw it, him lying on the ground, a drop of blood running from the edge of his mouth.
"Bail! What happened?"
"A speeder...while I was on the balcony. I ducked, but it came by for another pass, and hit me. Sith, i should have known that Palpatine
wouldn't have let me publicly disagree with him..."
"Do you know what you're saying?"
Organa grimly nodded, hobbling as Padme helped him to the couch, "I am saying that Chancellor Palpatine is capable of murdering a Senator.
You too are in danger, Padme. I was lucky it was only a glancing blow..."
"Dorme!" Padme exclaimed.
Leaving Bail Organa on the couch, she sped back to her room. Dorme was nowhere to be found. Had she been kidnapped? Perhaps the
Chancellor thought that he could keep Padme silent by holding Dorme hostage.
"Dorme?" she called out one last time, "Dorme, are you here?"
The supper was still cooking on the stove in the back room, whatever it was now a blackened mess in a pot. The balcony doors were still
open, as Padme had left them. If Dorme was going out, she would have closed them.
Suddenly an alarm went off, and she had no time to think about Dorme. She bolted through the doors, back into Bail's room, and slid her arm
under him. As she grabbed him, the doors to the room slammed shut.
The exits were all locked, and there was only one way out. She grabbed a table, smashed the window, and the two of them climbed out onto
the ledge. Speeders passed by the bleeding Bail and Padme.
"Hey, stop!" Padme shouted, "I am a Senator, and I order you to stop!"
"That's working well," Organa muttered.
Her frustration taking hold, Padme pulled out Bail's rifle. He looked alarmed for a moment, until she pointed it at the closest speeder and
yelled, "If you don't stop, I'll shoot!"
The puzzled looking Bothan slowed his speeder, stopping on the balcony and allowed in the injured Senator and the girl beside him. Once he saw the Stormtroopers marching through the doorway, his foot hit the accelerator, and they shot away from the Imperial Senate.
With a sigh of relief, Padme relaxed for the first time that day.
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