"But how do I know what to say? What if they refuse to help us?" Sabé quickly questioned as Padmé and Rabé escorted her to the main senate conference room.
They had just arrived on Coruscant a little over an hour ago and Padmé had been surprised at the expedition of their meeting. Senator Palpatine had tried to warn her that sometimes the senate delayed responding to situations such as theirs, and to not expect too much. He doubted that they would help her as quickly as she desired, but maybe the senator had been wrong. They had been immediately scheduled to appear before the senate and Padmé was rushing to brief Sabé, whom she had decided at the last minute would don a disguise and stand in for her.
"Here." She said as she handed Sabé a tiny ear piece, in order that she may transmit messages to the young handmaiden. "Don't let them push you around. Stand your ground. You are the Queen of Naboo." She motivated the young woman. "I'll be right here in case you get into trouble."
Sabé took a deep breath, putting her trust in the queen. "All right." She said softly. Posing as the queen in various situations had never worried her, but this was a meeting before the Galactic Senate! Already, her stomach was beginning to flutter.
"Are you ready, your highness?" It was the Naboo senator who approached their group, motioning toward the senatorial disk, were Sabé would address the several hundred representatives waiting beyond.
Padmé watched from the entrance to the large domed chamber, noting Chancellor Valorum's podium rise in the center. She smiled as she met his gaze. She had always liked the Chancellor. During her election, he had vouched for her credentials on more than one occasion. But if this meeting didn't go as planned, she couldn't let their friendship stand in the way. Her entire planet was depending upon her.
Padmé was suddenly startled by movement behind her and turned to look up into the face of Master Qui-Gon Jinn. However, she immediately turned back around to monitor the proceedings, choosing to ignore him.
"Did you tell him?" His deep voice asked momentarily, causing Padmé's eyes to roll toward the ceiling.
"Not yet." Padmé shot back. The man was annoyingly persistent. "Master Jinn. I said I would tell him and I will."
At the moment, the Trade Federation representatives had begun complaining about the validity of Sabé's claim that Naboo had been invaded and to her dismay, Chancellor Valorum was faltering. It was obvious that he wasn't going to help them.
Ignoring the slightly intimidating presence behind her, Padmé spoke to Sabé into the small transmitter. "Looks like we don't have a choice. Go ahead and make the motion."
Sabé stole a quick glance up to where Padmé stood, revealing her hesitation.
"Do it." Padmé urged in a friendly tone.
Following the shocking motion to replace the Supreme Chancellor, hoping that another would be elected who would be sympathetic to their plea, Padmé realized that Qui-Gon had moved away without saying a word and was now walking quickly down the hall.
She couldn't understand why he had shown up in the first place. Obi-Wan had said that he and Qui-Gon were supposed to be presenting Anakin to the Jedi Council today.
Turning around, Padmé's eyes once more rolled skyward. The man obviously didn't trust her. But why should he? She hadn't given him any reason to.
But the truth was, she really didn't care. Other than the fact that Qui-Gon was Obi-Wan's Master, it made little difference what the man thought of her.
Qui-Gon hopped on a transport headed back to the Jedi Temple. He hadn't had the time to come to the senate building, but he had felt a strong need to be there.
What he now knew of Padmé Amidala had caused him to doubt her ability to make a rational decision, and he realized that important decisions were to be made today that would affect the success of his mission.
He was surprised that she had taken the responsibility to call for a vote of no confidence in the chancellor. It was a bold move.
Finis Valorum was an old acquiantance of his and Qui-Gon smiled as he recalled the stunned look on the man's face when the motion was made. It seemed that his friend was retiring a little sooner than he had expected.
Good. Qui-Gon thought. The stress of his job had been affecting the man's health and although Finis had often talked about retiring, Qui-Gon doubted that he would ever do it.
Apparently, the young Queen of Naboo had done the man a favor.
As Qui-Gon stepped off the transport and hurried to the Jedi Council Chambers, his mind once more went back to the young queen.
Maybe he had been too rash to judge her. She seemed capable of making decisions, even though a good number of them seemed bad; especially deciding on luring he and his apprentice to Naboo. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became. He clamped down his thoughts as he turned the corner and saw Obi-Wan and Anakin waiting for him.
Obi-Wan had many young admirers in many systems. Padmé Amidala was just another one on his long list of them. Never before had Qui-Gon interfered with Obi-Wan's conquests, and he found himself wondering why he was doing so now. His apprentice wasn't a child any more in need of his guidance. He had passed his twenty-fourth naming day several months ago. And even though Qui-Gon had oftened questioned Obi-Wan's motives for his many one-night stands, he trusted his apprentice.
It wasn't his apprentice that was the problem. It was that young queen! There was something about her that he didn't like. And until she cleared things up with his padawan, he didn't trust her, and he wasn't sure if he ever would.