Chapter Four-Bait and Switch

Amidala dressed with especial care for the Reception. She painted her face Nubian-style, and decided to wear her demi-regalia. Full regalia was for only for wholly formal occasions, and the Reception did not qualify. She added a head dress, delicate jewelry, and an elaborately embroidered golden-hued gown. She choose a low-cut one, a not very common mode in haut Nubian style.

She looked in the mirror, and decided that she was thoroughly pleased with the effect. Obi-Wan knew she was a Queen, of course, but he never treated her like one. When they first met, Amidala had been very pleased with his lack of formality; later, she learned he treated everyone the same way. She gradually became annoyed by what had previously seemed so refreshing. But now he would see her at her at her best. He would, she thought, have to take serious notice of her now.

Baiting the trap? her grandmother's sneered in her head. Yes, and so what? Amidala snapped back. Men needed prodding sometimes. She would just assist him to see what was terribly obvious to her.

When she emerged from her web--make that her room, her grandmother was having a bad effect on her--Obi-Wan was waiting. He was wearing his Jedi robes, and looked so handsome, so distinguished, so finished, Amidala felt her heart bound into her throat. She swallowed it, with some difficulty.

"You look very grown-up, Amidala," he said, kindly.

Grown-up, Amidala thought despairingly. Not beautiful. Grown-up. She obviously had work to do.

He had come alone, Amidala was relieved to note. She had feared that he might bring the ever-present Anakin with him. Not that Amidala disliked Obi-Wan's padawan; not at all. She just didn't want his company on this night. She had plans, and they did not include a chaperone.

They arrived at the Reception too quickly for Amidala's liking. She felt a surge of pride as they entered and she heard their names announced. A couple. Amidala felt a smile come to her face.

The smile was erased soon enough. Amidala saw her mother and Godoy pushing forward to greet them. Amidala had carefully rehearsed her response to mother beforehand: she would not get angry. Not in public and not with her mother. Obi-Wan might think her temperamental--or unfilial. Calm and cool were the ticket. She repeated 'calm--cool' to herself like a mantra.

Her resolve failed almost immediately at the sight of her mother. Derzala looked older, smaller, more careworn than Amidala remembered. She suddenly remembered the tall, buxom, laughing mother of her childhood and her conscience smote her.

"Mother," she said, holding out her arms. Derzala gave her a tight hug and a delighted smile.

"Baby!" she exclaimed.

Amidala winced at the silly childish nickname. Yet she made no comment and let her mother hug her again.

"Baby, I've missed you so much--!"

"Yes--yes," Amidala said, "I've missed you, too, mother--"

Derzala kissed her daughter Nubian-style, careful, despite her evident emotion, not to smudge Amidala's ceremonial make-up. Amidala hid a smile. She took the opportunity to present Obi-Wan to her. Derzala, absorbed in her reconciliation with her daughter, did not take him in; she looked rather confused as to his identity. Godoy, Amidala noticed with sudden foreboding, was not.

"Unusual, isn't it," Godoy asked, "for Jedi Masters to attend this sort of party?"

"Not at all," Obi-Wan said urbanely. "The Jedi don't lock themselves away from society. In any case, Queen Amidala asked me to accompany her."

Godoy looked suddenly alert, like a cat at a mouse hole. He hadn't achieved his current status by being deaf to nuance. He inspected Obi-Wan carefully. Obi-Wan looked unconcerned-but Amidala was not. She didn't want Godoy interfering in her pursuit of Obi-Wan and began to fear that this excursion had been a bad idea.

Derzala gave Amidala a nervous smile, and said, "Let's sit down, shall we?"

Amidala wondered what her mother was so nervous about and wished she could read her mind. She could not do it with Obi-Wan present; the Jedi frowned upon invasions of privacy for frivolous reasons, and he would no doubt reprimand her.

Yet even after they were seated at the table, Derzala would not come to the point. Instead, she gave Amidala news of her half-sisters, which her daughter was genuinely glad to hear. She would have enjoyed the chat with her mother if Godoy had been elsewhere. He smirked at her from across the table, no doubt remembering their last encounter. Amidala had sworn then never to be the same room with him again.

Gradually, Amidala became aware of the glances Derzala and Godoy were casting at Obi-Wan. Finally, Godoy said smarmily--because in Amidala's opinion, Godoy could not be anything else--"Master Jedi, would you excuse us? We have some private business to discuss with her Majesty."

Obi-Wan's attention had been wandering a bit, but now he focused again on Godoy. Amidala gave him a pleading glance. He gave her a small shrug, and said: "Of course. I'll take a walk." He smiled politely at Derzala, and rose to leave the table. Amidala half rose with him. Obi-Wan, please! she pleaded mentally, Don't leave me here alone with them!

It's a reasonable request, Amidala, he responded calmly. I can't refuse without seeming disrespectful to your mother. If there's any trouble, just call me: I won't be far away."

So Amidala sat back down. So much for Obi-Wan's protection, she thought bitterly. Her mother looked eager, and Godoy, delighted. And if Godoy looks delighted, Amidala thought darkly, I know I don't want to hear it.

And she didn't. Derzala said, "Dearest, do you like the Jedi Order?"

"Yes. I'm enjoying it here."

"But you'll be of age in three years," Derzala said, rather nervously, and looked at Godoy. He nodded and she went on. Amidala was suddenly alert. She said, "Yes."

"You'll need a Prime Minister--to help you take care of business--when you come of age." Derzala said.

"I suppose so."

"Well, we thought--I thought--"

"You thought what?" Amidala said.

"That you might want to appoint Baron Godoy your Prime Minister."

There was a pause while Amidala repeated 'calm--cool' to herself several times. Then she said, "When the time comes, perhaps. But that's three years away."

"We thought--I mean, Baron Godoy thinks--we both think that you should sign a pledge--"

"A pledge?" Amidala said, her voice rising.

"That you'll appoint him your Prime Minister when the time comes."

Amidala stared at her mother. 'Calm and cool' flew out the window.

"Sign a pledge?" she asked incredulously. "For him?"

Godoy flushed. "Why not?" he asked sharply.

Amidala looked at him. "Do you really want to know?" she asked.

"Amidala!" Derzala cried.

"I want a guarantee," Godoy said tightly. "A guarantee that after I work like a dog to serve your mother, you're not going to discard me like yesterday's trash when you come of age."

Amidala felt herself literally tremble with rage. "Yes, you're serving my mother! And the whole planet's gossiping about how!"

Godoy aimed a blow at Amidala's face, which never landed. Obi-Wan's arm seem to come out of thin air to deflect it.

Derzala struggled to her feet: "Baby--!" she said.

"Don't call me that!" Amidala cried. "Leave me alone!" She turned from the table and fled into the crowd. She would not allow Godoy to see her in tears.

"Steady on," Obi-Wan's voice said from behind her. His hand seized her elbow.

Amidala forgot everything except her humiliation. She wrenched her arm out of Obi-Wan's grip, and charged in the opposite direction.

"Amidala!" Obi-Wan's voice yelled in her head.

She stopped dead, frustrated, and waited for him to catch up to her.

"What happened?" he asked, taking her arm again.

Amidala didn't answer immediately. "Please, Obi-Wan," she said, in a small voice, "take me home."

"Why?" Obi-Wan asked bluntly.

"Why?" she repeated, looking him in the eye. "I thought my mother wanted to see me. Instead it turns out that just wanted me to sign a pledge to keep Godoy in his current position when my mother's regency ends."

"Amidala, it's quite possible that she did want to see you," Obi-Wan said. "Though the pledge was undoubtedly part of it. I take it you don't want to sign?"

"No."

"And why is that?"

"I hate him," Amidala said between her teeth.

Obi-Wan sighed. "That's not a good enough reason, Amidala," he said. "Many unlikeable people are competent at their jobs. Is he?"

Amidala considered this. "I suppose so--but he's corrupt. He's amassed a fortune already, and he wants more, I suppose."

"Then you will have to decide wither his corruption cancels out his competence; or whether you can control one to benefit from the other. But it's never that simple. As you get older, you will discover very few things in life are."

Amidala folded her lips. For the first time, she felt annoyance with Obi-Wan. Corruption was corruption. It was simple. If you couldn't trust a man in one area, how could you trust him in another?"

"You must control your emotions better, Amidala," Obi-Wan said, still patient. "You gave way there--I could sense your anger all the way across the room. And Godoy knows now that you are enemies."

"If he didn't know that before tonight, he's a damn fool."

"You know what I'm saying--"

"Yes, I know. I don't want to argue---I want to go home," Amidala said, white-lipped.

"No," Obi-Wan said firmly. "This is a test. You must control your emotions. Settle down. You are a ruler--behave like one."

Amidala suppressed a desire to hit him. She drew a long breath, and said, "Very well. I'd like something to drink, please."

Amidala could still see Godoy and her mother out of the corner of her eye. She wrenched her gaze away, and followed Obi-Wan to the atrium where the exotic plants of the galaxy were displayed, and where they could have some privacy.

"Self-control is very important--" he began again.

"Self control! Like you had with Hasma?" she asked suddenly.

She had the satisfaction of seeing Obi-Wan's composure crack a little.

"That's none of your business," he said coldly.

"You didn't control your emotions all the way that time," Amidala blurted out. "You moped for months!"

"I did not mope!"

"You did! You moped, you sulked, you pouted! The great Jedi Master!"

Obi-Wan spun around, turning to leave. Amidala despaired, and yet she could not seem to control her tongue. "That's right! You can lose your temper but I can't!"

Obi-Wan spun back and seized both her wrists. "I am not losing my temper," he said very deliberately. And then, just as deliberately, he kissed her.