Twilight's Conversation

The sun was setting over Coruscant; the vibrant reds, yellows, and pinks enhanced by the chemical cloud of pollution covering the entire planet. The air traffic was light, and Padmé stood out on one of her many balconies watching the sky cycle colors as the sun set. In her hands she held Anakin's Padawan braid; his gift to her when he was awarded the title Jedi Knight. She ran the braid through her hands, lovingly. The soft, silky texture of the woven hair calmed her frayed nerves.

Padmé's mind was racing with thoughts of the day; her conversation with Bail, the meeting with the Senators, the confidence she provided for Yennaj. Padmé was so distracted with her thoughts she didn't hear the footfalls of Anakin as he approached behind her.

"Padmé," Anakin spoke her name softly as he came beside her.

She started, than smiled as she turned and embraced Anakin with such fierce passion. Anakin was taken by surprise, the waves of conflicting emotions radiating off her assaulting his Jedi senses.

"What's the matter?" He pulled back and questioned, his brow deeply furrowed.

Padmé snorted a light laugh as she shook her head in obvious frustration.

"Anakin, so much has happened today, I don't even know where to begin. But we do have a serious issue. One that will effect both of us if we aren't careful," her own eyes clouded with sadness and concern.

A nagging feeling of unease crept into Anakin's heart.

"Tell me," he said, more forcefully than he meant. The two walked to the couch just off the edge of the balcony. Padmé fell onto the couch with a sigh. Anakin sat next to her, taking one of her hands in his. His loose mechanical right hand unconsciously balled into a tight fist at his side, the black leather glove creaking with the power of the fist.

Padmé took a deep breath, and slowly released it. She still held on to his braid with her free hand and as she talked she tucked the treasure away in a small pocket sewn into her gown.

"Anakin, Senator Organa knows about us," Padmé blurted, unsure of how to sugar coat the awful news.

Anakin's jaw clenched, "What do you mean, knows?" he asked quietly, but his Jedi intuition already knew the answer.

"When Bail arrived this afternoon, when you were leaving, he confronted me with a concern. He told me there were rumors in the Senate that a Senator and a Jedi were involved. I played along, asking who the suspected senator and Jedi were when he informed me that he knows you and I are together."

Anakin stared at Padmé, his jaw still clenched.

"Well, I didn't deny it," she admitted.

"What is he going to do," Anakin spoke through his clenched jaw.

Padmé turned sideways to face Anakin, she took her hands and framing his face she raised his head and looked him in the eyes.

"He won't be doing anything," she said with conviction. "He has promised me discretion. And I believe that he won't betray my confidence."

Anakin lowered his head. He laughed almost insanely. Padmé looked at him, a look of hurt growing on her face.

Suddenly Anakin stood and paced the room. "What's really incredible about this whole situation is that it isn't you and I who are under suspicion."

Padmé's eyes widened slightly with surprise. "How are you sure?" She asked cautiously, not ready to betray her own promise of confidentiality to Yennaj.

"The Jedi Council has assigned me and Obi-Wan to our next mission. We are to discover who the senator and Jedi are, as it appears that one of the two in the pair are actually spies for the Separatists," he spoke this with his back still to Padmé. He turned to face her. "So unless you are supplying information to Dooku and his minions, there is no way the rumor in the Senate surrounds you and I."

Padmé struggled with herself. Should she betray Yennaj's council and tell Anakin what she knew? As she weighed the consequences, she found that her sense of duty to the Republic and to Anakin greatly outweighed her promise to a newfound friend.

"Anakin," Padmé stood and walked to meet him, "I have some information."

Anakin looked at her, somewhat confused.

"I met a new Senator from Corellia today," she paused, "I don't believe she is a spy, but she told me she is close to a Jedi Knight that she met on Corellia when the Separatists were there months ago. She didn't tell me the name of the Jedi, but I'm sure with a little research you can discover which Jedi were on Corellia."

"I feel horrible telling you this, because I promised her this would stay between her and I," Padmé added, "but if there is a spy within the Senate or the Jedi, I know you and Obi-Wan will discover them."