Saché needed all her skills to keep up with Sabé as the young Minister
employed just about every tactic she knew to keep from being followed.
Finally Sabé ducked into a nearby park. Saché couldn't believe her luck. Sabé had been seeking cover for herself and whoever she was to meet, but by choosing a place with such thick foliage, Saché would be able to hide too.
Taking her time, Saché entered the park, keeping as quiet as she could. Soon she was able to hear Sabé speaking in stressed and urgent tones.
"How did you find out so soon?"
A male voice answered. "You know that sooner or later everyone shows up where I work. And they all gossip. The time has come for this to stop. It'll only get worse if I don't come forward now."
"You don't have to do that. We'll find another way. I'm not sure you should be involved at all."
"Sabé, I'm already involved. My testimony is the only hope you have to get out of this quietly. I wouldn't do this for anybody else, but I'll do it for you."
The voice was starting to sound familiar to Saché, but she couldn't quite place it.
"No," Sabé cried. "You could lose everything!"
"So could you! And you have much more to lose than I do now. Your career, your freedom, Obi-Wan, and Meira are at stake here!"
A sigh from Sabé. "I don't know. Let me try to..." She stopped when they heard footsteps on a path nearby.
After the walkers had departed the area, Sabé and the man spoke in whispers, so Saché couldn't make out the rest of the conversation.
In a few moments, Sabé left the area, turning to the right, and a cloaked figure turned to the left. Saché muttered under her breath when she couldn't get a good look at the mystery man. Fighting to impulse to confront her friend, the handmaiden waited until the area was clear before she emerged out into the open.
Amidala wasn't going to like this report one little bit.
*******************
The Queen's stoic monotone burst through the comlink. "Sabé, I need to see you at once!"
The Minister looked up from the small table in the corner of Captain Panaka's office. She raised an eyebrow at Amidala's tone of voice. Something about it was off. "Of course, Your Highness. Where shall I meet you?"
There was a moment's hesitation. "In the handmaidens' quarters."
That raised the other eyebrow.
When Sabé arrived, Amidala was in one of her less formal gowns, but still in the court makeup. Two handmaidens were attending the Queen. Their hoods were up, but Sabé easily recognized them. Eirtaé was on Amidala's right side, her lips in a frown and slightly parted as though she felt great distress, but was still struggling to keep in character. Cordé's mouth and chin were perfectly stoic. Picay was also present, and she sent a cold glare toward the minister.
Sabé sized up the situation and realized this meant the news was not good. Cordé was calm, but that was to be expected; she barely knew Sabé. Eirtaé's demeanor signified that she was aware of what was about to happen, and she wasn't happy with it, but she was there to do a job and enforce protocol; she would perform her duty, no matter what the situation. Picay's look needed no special insight to interpret; she was angry.
Sabé quickly bowed to the Queen. "Your Highness, I am here at your command." She chanced a look at Amidala's eyes. There was anger and sadness reflected back at her. She lifted up her chin, looked Amidala in the face, then spoke. "How may I serve you?"
The Queen was very clipped and businesslike in her reply. "Minister, it has come to Our attention that there is information that you withheld last night. We are sure it is an oversight." She gestured towards the attorney. "Counselor Picay, you may question the Minister."
Picay stood up and looked Sabé in the eye. "Minister, do you recall that I asked you if there was any way you had benefited from the death of Baris Calle, other than assuming his name?"
Sabé nodded. "Yes, Counselor, I remember that question."
"Do you remember what your answer was?"
"My answer was that I had not gained any other benefit from Baris Calle's death."
Picay held her breath for a moment. "Do you stand by that answer? Think carefully, Minister. Everything depends on what you say next."
Sabé looked from Picay's icy stare, to Amidala's pale face. The Queen seemed to be sending a plea to her friend. Sabé knew she could not give Amidala what she wanted this time and it was going to hurt them both. She felt as though a huge weight hit her in the chest as she opened her mouth to speak.
"I can only give you the same answer I gave you last night, Counselor. I have not personally gained anything from Baris Calle's honorable sacrifice for Naboo; I only took his name and that was for the protection of my daughter."
Cordé flinched a bit, but remained silent. A quick gasp escaped Eirtaé.
"Very well, Minister," Picay said, before turning to Amidala. "Your Highness, I respectfully petition you to release me from this case. I cannot work with a client that will not cooperate with me."
Hope was still in Amidala's eyes, which amazed Sabé. The Queen held up a hand to stop the attorney from continuing. "Wait, Counselor. Perhaps there is an explanation. Tell the Minister what you discovered."
Picay reached over, picked up her datapad, and punched a few keys. "Minister, we found evidence that you have been collecting monetary benefits as the widow of Baris Calle on behalf of the child, Meira. Do you deny receiving these funds?"
Sabé steeled herself and looked at Picay. "I do not deny receiving the money. I see you have my signature on the records you have collected." She glanced at the Queen, and was not surprised to see that Amidala's gaze had turned chilly.
At that, Picay almost roared. "Then how, Minister, can you stand here and deny that you have made a personal gain? All the Calles have to do is test the child with a genetic scan, and they have you for fraud!"
"My statement is still true. I collected the funds, but I have not kept one credit of them for myself or Meira."
The Queen stood up. "Counselor, you have not been released from this case yet. I wish to speak to the Minister alone. Eirtaé, Cordé, Picay, leave us."
Eirtaé spoke in a professional tone. "Your Highness, I respectfully remind you that even in a private meeting, it is most irregular for you to be unattended."
"Thank you, Eirtaé. It won't be the first irregular thing I've done and it's not likely to be the last. Wait outside. You will have your quarters back shortly."
Amidala gazed out of a window, her back to Sabé as the other three women left the room.
"We still have a problem," Amidala said. "Even if you gave the money to the true widows and orphans of Naboo, you obtained it under false pretenses. Who did you pass the funds to, Sabé?"
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but I must decline to answer that question at this time."
"I could order you to answer." The Queen gave Sabé a stern glare.
"You could, and if you did so, as a faithful subject of my Queen, I would be compelled to answer. As a friend, I beg that you don't order me to betray a confidence."
Amidala turned away from the window, and Sabé could see a sad smile on her lips. "Still secretive and protective, I see."
Sabé nodded slightly. "Aren't those the qualities of a decoy?"
"Of course." The room was silent for a long moment before the Queen continued. "Didn't you trust me enough to come to me? I'd have helped you like I've helped you with everything else. If we had worked together, it'd have been aboveboard. We could have done this right."
Sabé felt the sting of tears in her eyes. "I couldn't ask you to be involved in this, Your Highness. The way things are now, it's still better that you don't know."
Looking down, the Queen spoke again. "Under these circumstances, I have no choice but to relieve you of duty until the case is resolved. Please gather your things within the hour and leave your credentials with Captain Panaka."
"As you wish, Your Highness," Sabé said, bowing low.
She left the room, wiping her face with her palm.
Saché was waiting in the hallway with a box. "I thought you might want some help."
Gratitude in her eyes, Sabé gave a short nod and let the way to the office.
Finally Sabé ducked into a nearby park. Saché couldn't believe her luck. Sabé had been seeking cover for herself and whoever she was to meet, but by choosing a place with such thick foliage, Saché would be able to hide too.
Taking her time, Saché entered the park, keeping as quiet as she could. Soon she was able to hear Sabé speaking in stressed and urgent tones.
"How did you find out so soon?"
A male voice answered. "You know that sooner or later everyone shows up where I work. And they all gossip. The time has come for this to stop. It'll only get worse if I don't come forward now."
"You don't have to do that. We'll find another way. I'm not sure you should be involved at all."
"Sabé, I'm already involved. My testimony is the only hope you have to get out of this quietly. I wouldn't do this for anybody else, but I'll do it for you."
The voice was starting to sound familiar to Saché, but she couldn't quite place it.
"No," Sabé cried. "You could lose everything!"
"So could you! And you have much more to lose than I do now. Your career, your freedom, Obi-Wan, and Meira are at stake here!"
A sigh from Sabé. "I don't know. Let me try to..." She stopped when they heard footsteps on a path nearby.
After the walkers had departed the area, Sabé and the man spoke in whispers, so Saché couldn't make out the rest of the conversation.
In a few moments, Sabé left the area, turning to the right, and a cloaked figure turned to the left. Saché muttered under her breath when she couldn't get a good look at the mystery man. Fighting to impulse to confront her friend, the handmaiden waited until the area was clear before she emerged out into the open.
Amidala wasn't going to like this report one little bit.
*******************
The Queen's stoic monotone burst through the comlink. "Sabé, I need to see you at once!"
The Minister looked up from the small table in the corner of Captain Panaka's office. She raised an eyebrow at Amidala's tone of voice. Something about it was off. "Of course, Your Highness. Where shall I meet you?"
There was a moment's hesitation. "In the handmaidens' quarters."
That raised the other eyebrow.
When Sabé arrived, Amidala was in one of her less formal gowns, but still in the court makeup. Two handmaidens were attending the Queen. Their hoods were up, but Sabé easily recognized them. Eirtaé was on Amidala's right side, her lips in a frown and slightly parted as though she felt great distress, but was still struggling to keep in character. Cordé's mouth and chin were perfectly stoic. Picay was also present, and she sent a cold glare toward the minister.
Sabé sized up the situation and realized this meant the news was not good. Cordé was calm, but that was to be expected; she barely knew Sabé. Eirtaé's demeanor signified that she was aware of what was about to happen, and she wasn't happy with it, but she was there to do a job and enforce protocol; she would perform her duty, no matter what the situation. Picay's look needed no special insight to interpret; she was angry.
Sabé quickly bowed to the Queen. "Your Highness, I am here at your command." She chanced a look at Amidala's eyes. There was anger and sadness reflected back at her. She lifted up her chin, looked Amidala in the face, then spoke. "How may I serve you?"
The Queen was very clipped and businesslike in her reply. "Minister, it has come to Our attention that there is information that you withheld last night. We are sure it is an oversight." She gestured towards the attorney. "Counselor Picay, you may question the Minister."
Picay stood up and looked Sabé in the eye. "Minister, do you recall that I asked you if there was any way you had benefited from the death of Baris Calle, other than assuming his name?"
Sabé nodded. "Yes, Counselor, I remember that question."
"Do you remember what your answer was?"
"My answer was that I had not gained any other benefit from Baris Calle's death."
Picay held her breath for a moment. "Do you stand by that answer? Think carefully, Minister. Everything depends on what you say next."
Sabé looked from Picay's icy stare, to Amidala's pale face. The Queen seemed to be sending a plea to her friend. Sabé knew she could not give Amidala what she wanted this time and it was going to hurt them both. She felt as though a huge weight hit her in the chest as she opened her mouth to speak.
"I can only give you the same answer I gave you last night, Counselor. I have not personally gained anything from Baris Calle's honorable sacrifice for Naboo; I only took his name and that was for the protection of my daughter."
Cordé flinched a bit, but remained silent. A quick gasp escaped Eirtaé.
"Very well, Minister," Picay said, before turning to Amidala. "Your Highness, I respectfully petition you to release me from this case. I cannot work with a client that will not cooperate with me."
Hope was still in Amidala's eyes, which amazed Sabé. The Queen held up a hand to stop the attorney from continuing. "Wait, Counselor. Perhaps there is an explanation. Tell the Minister what you discovered."
Picay reached over, picked up her datapad, and punched a few keys. "Minister, we found evidence that you have been collecting monetary benefits as the widow of Baris Calle on behalf of the child, Meira. Do you deny receiving these funds?"
Sabé steeled herself and looked at Picay. "I do not deny receiving the money. I see you have my signature on the records you have collected." She glanced at the Queen, and was not surprised to see that Amidala's gaze had turned chilly.
At that, Picay almost roared. "Then how, Minister, can you stand here and deny that you have made a personal gain? All the Calles have to do is test the child with a genetic scan, and they have you for fraud!"
"My statement is still true. I collected the funds, but I have not kept one credit of them for myself or Meira."
The Queen stood up. "Counselor, you have not been released from this case yet. I wish to speak to the Minister alone. Eirtaé, Cordé, Picay, leave us."
Eirtaé spoke in a professional tone. "Your Highness, I respectfully remind you that even in a private meeting, it is most irregular for you to be unattended."
"Thank you, Eirtaé. It won't be the first irregular thing I've done and it's not likely to be the last. Wait outside. You will have your quarters back shortly."
Amidala gazed out of a window, her back to Sabé as the other three women left the room.
"We still have a problem," Amidala said. "Even if you gave the money to the true widows and orphans of Naboo, you obtained it under false pretenses. Who did you pass the funds to, Sabé?"
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but I must decline to answer that question at this time."
"I could order you to answer." The Queen gave Sabé a stern glare.
"You could, and if you did so, as a faithful subject of my Queen, I would be compelled to answer. As a friend, I beg that you don't order me to betray a confidence."
Amidala turned away from the window, and Sabé could see a sad smile on her lips. "Still secretive and protective, I see."
Sabé nodded slightly. "Aren't those the qualities of a decoy?"
"Of course." The room was silent for a long moment before the Queen continued. "Didn't you trust me enough to come to me? I'd have helped you like I've helped you with everything else. If we had worked together, it'd have been aboveboard. We could have done this right."
Sabé felt the sting of tears in her eyes. "I couldn't ask you to be involved in this, Your Highness. The way things are now, it's still better that you don't know."
Looking down, the Queen spoke again. "Under these circumstances, I have no choice but to relieve you of duty until the case is resolved. Please gather your things within the hour and leave your credentials with Captain Panaka."
"As you wish, Your Highness," Sabé said, bowing low.
She left the room, wiping her face with her palm.
Saché was waiting in the hallway with a box. "I thought you might want some help."
Gratitude in her eyes, Sabé gave a short nod and let the way to the office.