Padmé had been in agony, knowing she must take some action, yet not sure
what action she should take. She had promised Anakin that she would stay
hidden, so she could not go to the Senate. She thought of her original plan
to meet with Jar-Jar, but discarded it as pointless. A plan flitted through
her brain, but it was so drastic that she didn't even give it a second
thought. At last she decided that she must meet with the Supreme
Chancellor. If she made certain that no one else saw her she would be safe.
Her principles demanded that she take no course of action against a person
or movement until she was certain of their purpose.
Dormé was out buying food for them, so Padmé was alone in the shabby apartment. After the blundered attempt on her life she knew it would not be safe to return to her hidden apartments, so she had rented this little space in Corusant's underbelly. She couldn't appear unnoticed in the Senate building. At least, she could not be unnoticed as herself. Now Dormé. Padmé searched the apartment until she found the suitcase that Dormé had brought with her. A smile played about Padme's lips as she thought of the clever code that she had used to let Dormé know who was calling for her. Padmé rifled through the suitcase, pushing aside several formal gowns until her hand lighted on a familiar object. She wondered why Dormé had brought this gown, a simple flame-colored, hooded dress that Padmé had worn as a disguise during the war with the Trade Federation. It was a bit snug, she had gained some weight in the ten years since she had last worn the gown, but it would serve its purpose. She scribbled a note to Dormé then left the building.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Chancellor Palpatine watched the security monitor with a wry smile. A single clone trooper paced back and forth along the corridor under the watchful eye of the Supreme Chancellor. One might wonder what was going on inside the great leader's head. Did he smile at the irony of a soldier in the halls of this great building, one whose sole purpose was to promote peace? Or was that strange gleam in his eyes one of triumph? Whatever he was thinking, his reverie was interrupted by the buzzing of an intercom on his desk. A lifeless voice droned, "A Dormé is here to see you, sir." He looked up curiously. If he was not mistaken, Dormé was an assistant to Senator Amidala. "Send her in," he clipped.
He settled himself in an imposing manner at his desk and waited until his doors hissed open. The slim girl in red had her head covered in a hood, and her face was down so that he could not see its features. In a whisper she asked, "May I speak with you alone?" He shrugged and waved his hand, dismissing his red-clad guards. When the door shut behind them the girl lifted her head. The Chancellor was surprised not to see the maidservant, but the mistress standing in his office. For one unguarded moment, a look a displeased shock covered his face, but it was immediately smoothed into a delighted smile as he stood and walked toward the former queen of Naboo.
"Senator! How delightful to see you! I did not know that you were on Corusant. You should have told us." He stretched out his hands toward her and she took them distrustfully. His voice was very sincere, and she did not doubt that he was pleased to see her. For a brief moment her heart stabbed her as she looked at the man who had taken such a fatherly interest in her. To distrust him after everything he had done for her and her people seemed the grossest ungratefulness. But then she stiffened with resolve. If he truly was plotting to take over the Republic for his own good, if he had manipulated these things to happen as they had, he did not deserve pity. She smiled a tight formal smile.
"I thought it wise to allow my presence here to go unnoticed. There are still those, Chancellor, who would sooner see me dead then alive." The Chancellor raised his eyebrows in a seemingly shocked expression.
"But Senator, I would have thought that after the Battle of Genosis, those who wished to see you dead would have been satisfied. Or at least, I would think that they would be too preoccupied with other things to bother trying to kill because of an old grudge!" Padmé looked at him as she tried to gauge his emotions and the truth behind his words. At last she answered him.
"It would seem that some grudges are more important and run more deeply then the blood of their people." She paused and looked at him penetratingly. "And some ambition knows no bounds, and will stop at nothing to get what it thinks it deserves."
He stared at her hard. The two of them were sizing each other up. At last he gave a grudging smile. "Sometimes, ambition springs from a desire to do the best for the people. If the present situation is harmful to the populace at large, is it not the duty of the leaders to change the present situation."
"Not if the leaders do not have the permission of the people to change the situation."
"And if the leaders know what is best for the people even when the people do not approve?"
"Then it is the duty of the leader to follow what the people want, and allow them to choose their own destiny."
They looked at each other for another long moment, and it was clear that there were no questions between them. At last the Chancellor spoke. "Ahhh.. Destiny. Such a frail, changing thing."
She shook her head, and a few tears glinted in her eyes. "I fear, Supreme Chancellor, that my destiny lies along a different path then yours. While I thought you upheld the convictions of the Republic, I would have stood with you to the end. Now I know that my first duty is to the ideals of the Republic. I must first protect the essence of that institution, even if I must go against the embodiment of it." She bowed her head sadly. Realizing that the plan she had discarded as too bold was now her only choice.
The Supreme Chancellor frowned at her. "You have been a great help to the Republic, Senator." A malicious grin changed his face. "Or should I say, you have greatly furthered my plans. I am sorry that we can no longer be allies. Good day." He turned and walked to the great windows and Padmé covered her head and fled the building as quickly as she could. After she was gone the Supreme Chancellor walked to his desk and punched a few commands. A blurry holograph appeared before him. It spoke.
"Do you have more news?"
"It would appear that our Senator is not dead."
"I told you that."
"But she is aware of our plans now, and she is not afraid."
The holograph bowed. "Then I shall double my efforts."
Dormé was out buying food for them, so Padmé was alone in the shabby apartment. After the blundered attempt on her life she knew it would not be safe to return to her hidden apartments, so she had rented this little space in Corusant's underbelly. She couldn't appear unnoticed in the Senate building. At least, she could not be unnoticed as herself. Now Dormé. Padmé searched the apartment until she found the suitcase that Dormé had brought with her. A smile played about Padme's lips as she thought of the clever code that she had used to let Dormé know who was calling for her. Padmé rifled through the suitcase, pushing aside several formal gowns until her hand lighted on a familiar object. She wondered why Dormé had brought this gown, a simple flame-colored, hooded dress that Padmé had worn as a disguise during the war with the Trade Federation. It was a bit snug, she had gained some weight in the ten years since she had last worn the gown, but it would serve its purpose. She scribbled a note to Dormé then left the building.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Chancellor Palpatine watched the security monitor with a wry smile. A single clone trooper paced back and forth along the corridor under the watchful eye of the Supreme Chancellor. One might wonder what was going on inside the great leader's head. Did he smile at the irony of a soldier in the halls of this great building, one whose sole purpose was to promote peace? Or was that strange gleam in his eyes one of triumph? Whatever he was thinking, his reverie was interrupted by the buzzing of an intercom on his desk. A lifeless voice droned, "A Dormé is here to see you, sir." He looked up curiously. If he was not mistaken, Dormé was an assistant to Senator Amidala. "Send her in," he clipped.
He settled himself in an imposing manner at his desk and waited until his doors hissed open. The slim girl in red had her head covered in a hood, and her face was down so that he could not see its features. In a whisper she asked, "May I speak with you alone?" He shrugged and waved his hand, dismissing his red-clad guards. When the door shut behind them the girl lifted her head. The Chancellor was surprised not to see the maidservant, but the mistress standing in his office. For one unguarded moment, a look a displeased shock covered his face, but it was immediately smoothed into a delighted smile as he stood and walked toward the former queen of Naboo.
"Senator! How delightful to see you! I did not know that you were on Corusant. You should have told us." He stretched out his hands toward her and she took them distrustfully. His voice was very sincere, and she did not doubt that he was pleased to see her. For a brief moment her heart stabbed her as she looked at the man who had taken such a fatherly interest in her. To distrust him after everything he had done for her and her people seemed the grossest ungratefulness. But then she stiffened with resolve. If he truly was plotting to take over the Republic for his own good, if he had manipulated these things to happen as they had, he did not deserve pity. She smiled a tight formal smile.
"I thought it wise to allow my presence here to go unnoticed. There are still those, Chancellor, who would sooner see me dead then alive." The Chancellor raised his eyebrows in a seemingly shocked expression.
"But Senator, I would have thought that after the Battle of Genosis, those who wished to see you dead would have been satisfied. Or at least, I would think that they would be too preoccupied with other things to bother trying to kill because of an old grudge!" Padmé looked at him as she tried to gauge his emotions and the truth behind his words. At last she answered him.
"It would seem that some grudges are more important and run more deeply then the blood of their people." She paused and looked at him penetratingly. "And some ambition knows no bounds, and will stop at nothing to get what it thinks it deserves."
He stared at her hard. The two of them were sizing each other up. At last he gave a grudging smile. "Sometimes, ambition springs from a desire to do the best for the people. If the present situation is harmful to the populace at large, is it not the duty of the leaders to change the present situation."
"Not if the leaders do not have the permission of the people to change the situation."
"And if the leaders know what is best for the people even when the people do not approve?"
"Then it is the duty of the leader to follow what the people want, and allow them to choose their own destiny."
They looked at each other for another long moment, and it was clear that there were no questions between them. At last the Chancellor spoke. "Ahhh.. Destiny. Such a frail, changing thing."
She shook her head, and a few tears glinted in her eyes. "I fear, Supreme Chancellor, that my destiny lies along a different path then yours. While I thought you upheld the convictions of the Republic, I would have stood with you to the end. Now I know that my first duty is to the ideals of the Republic. I must first protect the essence of that institution, even if I must go against the embodiment of it." She bowed her head sadly. Realizing that the plan she had discarded as too bold was now her only choice.
The Supreme Chancellor frowned at her. "You have been a great help to the Republic, Senator." A malicious grin changed his face. "Or should I say, you have greatly furthered my plans. I am sorry that we can no longer be allies. Good day." He turned and walked to the great windows and Padmé covered her head and fled the building as quickly as she could. After she was gone the Supreme Chancellor walked to his desk and punched a few commands. A blurry holograph appeared before him. It spoke.
"Do you have more news?"
"It would appear that our Senator is not dead."
"I told you that."
"But she is aware of our plans now, and she is not afraid."
The holograph bowed. "Then I shall double my efforts."