Chapter 45
Palo stood for a moment with his heart pounding. "Padmé, you don't mean it," he said. "You can't do this to me! We've known one another so long…"
"Don't even try to appeal to sentimentality," Padmé said angrily. "You used my feelings of friendship, Palo. I'm not charging you as a former friend, I'm charging you as Chancellor. You had your chance to be reasonable, to settle our differences. Anakin apologized to you, despite the fact that he was justified in his actions, and you rejected his apology and any overtures to a peaceful resolution. You've given me no choice, Palo. You went too far, and now you will face the consequences." She looked at the Anakin and nodded.
"Take him away," Anakin said.
"Where are you taking me?" Palo cried as the clones took him by the arms.
"The detention centre," Anakin told him. "You'll remain there until your trial." He nodded to the clones who took him away.
"Thank you," Padmé said, turning to the Jedi council. "I appreciate you dealing with this so quickly."
Obi-Wan smiled. "I'm not sure you needed us here," he said. "You handled him masterfully."
Padmé smiled. "Thank you, Obi-Wan," she said. "Perhaps if I'd done so in the first place this never would have gone so far."
"I think you should order him to record a retraction," Ahsoka suggested. "Something to broadcast on the media."
Anakin nodded. "I like that idea, Snips," he said. "It will also serve to show Jamabie for the lying sleemo that he is," he added.
"Very well," Padmé said. "I will make sure that happens. Perhaps once he's spent a day or two in detention, when he's truly aware of the seriousness of his situation."
Anakin smiled. "Good idea," he said. "He won't be so haughty once he's been forced to wear prison clothes for a couple of days."
"Humbled, he will be," Yoda said, looking up at Padmé. "Sorry I am that this has happened to you, Padmé."
"So am I, Master Yoda," Padmé replied. "But hopefully we will be able to put all this behind us soon enough. Don't you have a big grand opening coming up soon?" she asked with a smile.
"We do," Yoda said. "But delay it, we will, until this matter is resolved."
"I wouldn't want you to do that," Padmé said. "This is an important occasion, after all."
"Master Yoda is right," Anakin said. "I know I'd feel better if Jamabie was dealt with before we opened our doors to the public. We don't want a media circus on our hands."
Padmé nodded. "Of course," she agreed. "Well then, I leave it up to the Council to decide when it would be prudent to proceed."
"Thank you, Milady," Anakin said, giving Padmé smile and a bow.
Later that evening - Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center
"You have a visitor."
Palo looked up at the clone who stood in the doorway to his cell. "Lucky me," he replied sourly.
"This way," the clone said, unfazed by Palo's comment. He was brought to a nearby interrogation room, where Obi-Wan Kenobi was waiting for him, along with the young woman he'd met at Dane Mendicino's office.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Master Jedi," Palo asked sarcastically as he sat down. "Are you here as Skywalker's errand boy?"
Obi-Wan simply smiled. "I wouldn't presume," he said. "We're here for a simply purpose, and that is to record you issuing a retraction to your incendiary comments about the Chancellor."
Palo scowled. "I have nothing to say," he replied.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "You really are obtuse, aren't you?" he said. "You had plenty to say to the reporters, but now all of a sudden you have nothing to say? Please, drop this idiotic charade of the injured party, Jamabie. You've landed yourself in a great deal of trouble. This retraction may help your cause, if you cooperate."
"And you really don't have a choice," Julie spoke up. "Legally speaking you really don't."
"And what guarantee do I have that this will make one iota of difference in my case?" Palo asked.
"You know the Chancellor personally," Obi-Wan pointed out. "You know her to be a fair-minded, decent person."
"I thought I knew her," Palo said petulantly. "Now that I've learned she was involved with Skywalker, I don't think I know her at all."
Obi-Wan was growing frustrated. "They were married, Jamabie, not simply involved. Married. And even now they are very close, and have children together. Your jealousy of Anakin Skywalker is growing quite tiresome. Now prepare yourself, Miss Banks here is going to record you."
"Right now?" Palo asked. "I haven't shaved, and look at what I'm wearing!"
Julie smirked. "Too bad for that," she said. "Are you ready?" she asked, aiming the holocamera at her. "It's show time, Jamabie. Better make sure you know your lines."
Obi-Wan smirked at her comment, and then stood staring at Palo as he made his retraction.
Padmé's apartment - a few hours later
"I wish to …clarify any misconceptions that I may have led certain media outlets to believe. Chancellor Amidala did not have an illicit love affair with Anakin Skywalker. The two of them were married, and uh, their children were born while they were married. I …apologize to the Chancellor for having caused her distress."
"Nice," Anakin said as he sat with Padmé watching the news. "I didn't get an apology, what the hell?"
Padmé smiled. "You didn't really expect him to apologize to you, did you Ani?" she said.
"I guess not," Anakin said, clicking the news off. "Enough of that garbage," he said. "Dane can handle things from now on," he told her as she snuggled into his arms. "I don't ever want to see Palo Jamabie again."
"No, neither do I," Padmé agreed as he drew her close to kiss her. "Ani, have you given any thought to moving into the house together?" she asked.
Anakin looked down at her. "I have," he said. "I think we ought to postpone this until after all this has blown over," he said. "We don't want to give the media any more fodder for gossip."
Padmé sighed. "I suppose you're right," she said. "Does that mean you're open to the idea?" she asked hopefully.
Anakin smiled. "I am very open to the idea," he said, pulling her close again. "Let's go to bed," he said, whispering in her ear.
"Alright," she said smiling up at him. He stood up and held his hand out to her. She took his hand and together they headed into Padmé's bedroom.
The Outlander Club – late that night
Julie and two of her closest friends sat in a booth with some young men they had just met. The music was pulsating loudly, forcing them to shout to have a conversation. Julie had little interest in any of the men, despite their efforts to flirt with her. She had but one man that she was interested in, one perfect, seemingly unattainable man: Anakin Skywalker. And he had spoiled her for every other man, despite never having shown any interest in her at all.
"Come on, let's dance," her friend Aimee said as she and the other stood up. "Julie come on!"
"I don't feel like it," Julie said, and took and another drag of her death stick. "Go ahead."
"That shit'll mess with your mind," Aimee said with a frown. "Why do you do that?"
"Leave me alone, okay?" Julie said. "Just go dance and leave me alone."
Aimee shook her head, and went to the dance floor with the others, leaving Julie alone.
Julie sat for a while, finishing the death stick she'd used a good chunk of her paycheque to purchase. And then she left the table and headed to the back of the club, where the communication booths were. She decided that she needed to let Anakin know how she felt before it was too late.
Padmé's apartment
Anakin and Padmé had fallen asleep, with Anakin spooned up behind her. They were both enjoying a deep sleep, something parents of young children desperately need, when Anakin's commlink began to sound.
"Damn it," Anakin said, cursing himself for not silencing it. He rolled over and reached his hand out to the device, wondering who was contacting him so late at night and why. "Yeah?" he said sleepily as he activated the device.
"Anakin, I need to talk to you," Julie said.
Anakin, who was still half asleep, was wondering if he was dreaming. "Julie?"
She smiled. "Are you in bed?" she asked.
"Well, yeah," Anakin said with a yawn. "It's late. What do you want?"
"I want you," Julie said. "I can't hide my feelings anymore," she said. "I love you."
Anakin groaned and rolled onto his back. "Julie, you're drunk, or stoned," he said. "I don't really care which, frankly. Talk to me when you're sober," he said, and closed the transmission.
"Ani? Who are you talking to?" Padmé asked sleepily.
"Nobody," he said, and turned to her. "Go back to sleep," he said, wrapping his arms around her again. Padmé snuggled up to him and soon they were both fast asleep again.
The Outlander Club
Julie sat in the booth, shaking with emotion. She tried to raise Anakin again, but he wasn't answering. He's with her, she thought angrily. That's why he can't talk…he's with her… It bothered her that Anakin was possibly in Padmé's bed, or her in his; but what that signified didn't register in her narcotic addled brain. Padmé was a problem, a roadblock in what she was certain would be a deep and meaningful relationship with the man of her dreams. There's got to be some way to get rid of her… Julie wandered out of the communication kiosk and headed to the bar. She knew, somewhere at the back of her mind that was still able to form rational thought, that there were undoubtedly individuals who could help her with her problem.
"Help you?" the bartender asked her.
Julie nodded and leaned closer. "You know bounty hunters?" she asked.
"What does a sweet young thing like you need a bounty hunter for?" he asked.
"Never mind why," Julie said. "Just answer my question."
The bartender frowned and nodded his head in the direction of a table in the corner of the bar.
Julie smiled. "Thanks," she said, and laid some credits on the bar for the man. And then she headed in the direction of the table indicated by the bartender. She was almost there when Aimee grabbed her by the arm.
"Julie, have you lost your mind?" Aimee asked, steering her back to their table.
"Leave me alone!" Julie said, yanking her arm free.
"I'm not going to let you make a big mistake," Aimee said. "I know you're wasted, but those are people you don't want to get involved with, believe me."
Julie looked at her friend, and was about to tell her off, when she passed out on the floor.
"Great," Aimee muttered as other club patrons looked over. "Can I get some help here please?"
"What happened?" asked one of the men Aimee had been dancing with earlier.
"She's wasted," Aimee said, trying to get her friend off the floor. "I need to take her home. Can you help me get her to my speeder?"
"Sure," one of the men said. "What's her deal, anyway?"
Aimee shook her head as the men hefted Julie's inert body over his shoulder. "Damned if I know," she muttered. "Thanks. Follow me."