"Mi'Lady?"
The voice next to her ear went unheard as Nute Gunray's words repeated in her mind.
What did he mean he didn't know about any ambassadors? Mistaken my ass! Valorum himself told her that Master Qui-Gon would be arriving to negotiate! She had counted on it. How else was she going to get the man to Naboo? Get him to fall in love with her and marry her?
"What's going on?" She mumbled to no one in particular. Sabé, however, who was standing close by picked up on her words.
"Excuse me?"
The queen turned her head to look at her handmaiden with a worried expression. "Did he just say that the ambassadors hadn't arrived?"
"Yes he did, your highness."
"Captain Panaka. Contact Senator Palpatine. We need to find out what's going on."
Padmé listened intently to the holomessage from the Naboo senator informing her that indeed, the Jedi team of Jinn and Kenobi had been sent out to negotiate the treaty over three days ago. They should have already arrived. And then suddenly the senator's image began sputtering and flickering out of focus until he disappeared completely.
What felt like a leaden weight settled into Padmé's stomach as she looked toward her trusted Head of Security. "What's happening?"
But it was Govenor Bibble who said the words she did not want to hear. The Trade Federation was expected to invade their planet at any moment.
Padmé stood abruptly, causing all the officials in the room to rise unexpectantly in order to bow upon her exit.
"Oh, he'd better not!" She mumured to herself as she quickly walked down the long hall toward the main coference room with its many windows facing the main street of Theed. Padmé approached one of the large windows just as the first droid tanks approached the city.
"Oh shit."
"What is it?" Sabé asked as the handmaidens gathered to peer out the window with her.
Padmé counted four tanks and at least three droid carriers before turning to stare at Sabé, who had cocked one eyebrow defiantly.
"Don't say it." She warned the handmaiden.
"Say what? I told you so? Because guess what! I told you so!" Sabé yelled.
Padmé glanced back out the window and moaned. "What am I going to do? And what in the hell is Gunray up to? This is not what we agreed to do!"
The sound of blaster fire erupted in the palace and the handmaidens immediately escorted Padmé into a secure and secret chamber located behind the main conference room. The queen and Sabé then exchanged clothes as well as identities in order to protect the queen.
After contacting Captain Panaka, it was a unanimous decision to give themselves up in order to save as many lives as they could, and to somehow, if possible, stop any violence before it escalated. They would negotiate with the Trade Federation first and see what it is that they wanted.
Before re-entering the main palace, Padmé stopped Sabé with a hand on her arm and gazed intently at her and then each one of the handmaidens.
"I'm sorry for putting you all in danger. But just give me some time. I'll get to the bottom of this. I promise."
As well as find out why Master Jinn hasn't made his appearance, she thought to herself as the group made their way up the flight of stairs that would lead them to the foyer.
The situation was deplorable and was entirely her fault! If only she could get her hands on Nute Gunray!
But one fleeting thought crossed her mind as a group of droids approached their small party with weapons drawn.
If a simple trade negotiation was not enough to get the great Qui-Gon Jinn to Naboo, then perhaps an invasion was just the thing to do it.