"No. I mean it Dorme."
"But Mi'Lady!"
"No! It's too dangerous."
Dorme did not want to have to resort to this, but Padme's stubborness was giving her little choice.
"I risked my freedom," She murmured as she began tidying the living room. "I risked my own life! And for what?"
Padme sat at the nearby dining table reading a Senate report, trying her best to ignore Dorme's outburst.
"She's happy...Oh, SHE'S happy." Dorme continued murmuring as she loudly straightened the votives on an end table. "I ask one little favor...and what do I get?"
"NO!" Padme didn't even bother to look up.
"Fine! I'll just go by myself!"
"You're my best friend - I won't let you!" Padme was on her feet now, glaring at the young woman standing across the room.
"You don't have a choice."
"As your employer then, I won't allow it." This was Padme's last resort. It had to work.
"Then I quit." Dorme swung around and headed to her room to pack her bag.
Padme sat heavily back into her chair, defeated. Dorme had no idea what she was getting herself into! Tatooine isn't a nice place, and the Hutts are even worse. If Dorme only knew the stories that she had heard and the things that she had seen there, she would change her mind. Or would she? Padme had known the young woman for many years as not only her employer, but her close friend. She had never known Dorme to back down from a challenge, and this was possibly the most dangerous thing she had ever known her to attempt.
Dorme was soon storming through the living area, a travel bag in her hand. She stopped momentarily to glance at Padme who sat on the dining chair. "I'm leaving now. I'll be back within the week with Shmi, hopefully before Anakin and Master Obi-Wan return from their mission."
Padme didn't respond and Dorme turned abruptly and left the apartment.
"Damn." Padme blurted out after Dorme had gone.
It had taken some smooth talking on Dorme's part to convince the senator's personal pilot, Ric Olie, to fly her to Tatooine, but he finally agreed to on the condition it was a special assignment from the senator herself. Or so Dorme informed him.
Determined, but disappointed, she sat down on the passenger seat and waited for takeoff. Just as the ramp to the ship began to close she could hear a familiar voice cry out.
"Wait!"
A bag similar to hers was soon flung into the ship and Padme, dressed in her battle uniform with a blaster on her side followed.
"I know I owe you one, but this is above and beyond my call of duty!"
"Thanks for coming." Dorme immediately rose and hugged her friend.
"Obi-Wan's gonna kill me."
The two young woman settled back for the three hour flight to Tatooine.
"So, what's your plan?"
"I don't really have one."
Both of Padme's hands came up to cover her face. "Dorme! What do think you're going to do? Just walk in and demand that Watto give her to you?"
"She's not the property of Watto any longer." Dorme squinted her eyes, preparing herself for the upcoming verbal onslaught.
"How do you know this?"
"I have my...sources."
Her friend never ceased to amaze her. "And who do these 'sources' of yours say owns Shmi?"
Dorme was visibly flinching now as if preparing to be struck by something. "Jabba the Hutt?"
"Ric! Turn the ship around!"
"Mi'Lady, please!"
"No! Absolutely not Dorme! You have no idea what you're getting into! The Hutts are gangsters! They own that planet! You don't just walk in and demand anything from them! We probably won't even be allowed to see Jabba, much less make a deal with him! Are you crazy?"
"More than you know. I actually do have an idea, but you're not going to like it."
"I can believe that." Padme sat facing her friend, her arms crossed with a very stern look on her face.
Dorme reached down for her bag. "According to my mother - she lived on Tatooine years ago you know. I believe she owned a small gambling den, The Betting Bantha, I think it was called. Anyway..."
"You are really going to have to introduce me to your mother someday." Padme interrupted.
"Sure thing! As I was saying - according to my mother, Jabba the Hutt is notorious for his love of owning a certain species of female that he uses for...uhm...entertainment."
Padme's one eyebrow arched.
Dorme reached down into her bag and began to pull out two cans of body paint, one blue and one green, along with two head pieces made from foam, with long tentacles on either side. "The Twi'lek."
Padme's eyes widened as she realized what Dorme's plan was. "Ric! Turn the ship around!"
