AN: "aaaa" - talking through a holocomunicator or comlink. 'aaaa' - talking through a bond
Hope you all enjoy today's chapter!
Chapter Eight
When the refugee transport landed on Naboo, Anakin retrieved their luggage from where he had stored it and gave the two lightest pieces to Padmè to carry while he handled the heavier ones. Then they disembarked from the craft and headed out to the main plaza, where they found a speeder bus that would take them to the palace. As soon as they had boarded and stored their luggage, the shuttle took off. Padmè and Anakin each took a seat and discussed in quiet voices where they would be staying after their meeting with the Queen.
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When the speeder bus reached the main plaza that led to the palace courtyard, it stopped, letting them, along with R2 get off. Padmè, who had taken off the golden veil that she had worn while on the freighter and placed it back into one of her lighter suitcases as well as putting on a burgundy coat over her dress, allowed herself to smile as she looked around at Theed's gorgeous architecture. She had so many happy memories of this place.
The palace with its beautiful stained-glass windows, the courtyard filled with the pleasant chatter of content voices, and the garden with all the colorful flowers that had been planted there. Then she glanced at Anakin as they strolled through the main plaza, which had also been the site of the major battle that she, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had fought to gain an entrance to the Palace and regain control of the planet. R2 followed behind them as they walked towards the bridge.
"So, how do you like being back on Naboo?" Padmè asked as she wanted to fill the silence.
"I love it. Out of all the planets I've seen, Naboo is by far my favourite. It's so calm and peaceful, not like Tatooine or Coruscant," Anakin responded. "Before I started my training at the Jedi Temple, I was homesick. I missed my mother even though I knew that she was freed and living here. Both Masters Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan helped me get in control of my feelings and then I started learning all that I needed to if I wanted to be a Jedi." He sighed a little. "Whenever I felt lonely, I would think of Naboo and the palace. I love the way it shimmers in the sunlight and the way the air always smells of flowers."
Padmè softly smiled when she heard his answer as she somehow knew that he had grown to love her home planet just as much as she did. "I love the soft sounds of the water rushing over the Eastern Waterfalls," she said as she got lost in a few of her memories of her time on the planet.
They both reached the stairs and climbed the short amount of steps, then started walking across it.
"Did you enjoy your time as Queen?" Anakin asked.
Padmè nodded. "I did, although I'm pretty sure I wasn't the youngest Queen ever elected. Now that I look back on it, I'm not sure that I was ready for all the responsibility that came with the title."
In her mind, the Senator went over all the things she had gone through as a little girl, in her youth and as Queen, while also going over the things that she had missed out on.
For as long as she could remember Padme had wanted to fight for others, and help them live better lives. When she had been a little girl, her teachers, as well as her family, weren't all that surprised by her natural ability to lead and see through the masks of other people.
When she turned eight, she joined an organization known as the Apprentice Legislature, which was for politically minded youth while she continued to attend school. She then achieved the position of Apprentice Legislator by the time she turned eleven.
In her youth, she volunteered for the Refugee Relief Movement, like her father had done before her. After that, she entered the Legislative Youth Program. When she turned thirteen, she ran for and won the position of Princess of Theed. A few months after her appointment to the position, her parents suggested that she run for Queen since she was becoming popular in everything that she was doing for the city of Theed.
Five months after winning the election and being crowned Queen, the Trade Federation arrived and blockaded the planet. Even though she had used her diplomatic and political means to try and get the Federation to leave, none of what she did worked. Then while she was in her disguise as a handmaiden, she and her retinue were captured and almost placed in a prison camp. Fortunately, they were rescued by the ambassadors that the Chancellor at the time, Valorum, had sent to negotiate with the Neimoidians.
While she and a select group of her handmaidens had been fortunate enough to escape aboard her Royal Starship, the remaining people were forced into prison camps that had been placed all over the planet. After meeting Anakin and making it to Coruscant, she saw for herself that the Senate was going to be unable to help them take back her planet as the Republic was already beginning to show signs of its corruption.
The lesson that she had learned had been a hard one to accept, even for her. While she had been standing at the window in her black, somber Foreign Residence dress, she realized that It was going to take more than just her beauty and youth to defeat the blockade that surrounded her planet and threatened her people. She had been forced to grow up, more so than she had already done. As much as she had wanted to be a normal teenager, she knew that it would never happen. She had dedicated her life to politics and now she wondered if it had all been worth it.
Even though she had been able to help people as a member of the Refugee Relief Movement, and saved her planet with the help of the Gungans as Queen, all that paled when she thought about what she had been forced to miss out on, which was a normal life like the one that her sister Sola had.
"I'm sure you did a great job. In fact, I heard that the people thought so too as they wanted to amend the constitution to keep you in office," Anakin replied.
Padmè softly smiled as she remembered that day. She had been very surprised, flattered, and horrified when she had learned of it as she had been in a meeting with her advisors and Palpatine, who had been elected at the new Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. "They tried to, but I turned it down because that is not what democracy is about. I knew that if I accepted, I would be giving the people what they wanted, not what they needed. Besides, I was considerably relieved when my two terms were over," she told him as they descended the steps on the other side of the bridge and continued on towards the palace. Once they had climbed the steps and were walking along one of the walkways that led to the entrance of the palace, she continued speaking. "But when the new Queen asked me to serve as our planet's Senator, I knew that I wouldn't be able to say no so I accepted as I knew that I could be of more help to my people and the galaxy as a whole."
"I think she was right. I'm glad that you chose to serve your planet as it's Senator," Anakin replied, softly smiling at her.
Padmè smiled back and they both continued talking as R2 trailed behind them.
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They entered the palace and made their way through the grand marble hallways, eventually turning a corner to see a pair of guards standing outside of the doors to the Throne Room.
Padmè smiled and gave each of them a nod as she and Anakin stood before the large doors and handed their bags off to a pair of working staff. Padmè made sure to discreetly inform them that the bags were to be kept safe as they would be heading to her family home in the Lake Country once they were done at the Palace. Once they were ready, the guards pushed the doors open and the one on the right announced, "Her Excellency, Senator Amidala, has arrived, accompanied by a Jedi protector."
Padmè walked in and bowed to Queen Jamillia, with Anakin following her actions. She then went to her seat, which had been placed to the left of the Queen, while Anakin positioned himself behind her.
As he listened to Padmè tell the Queen and the advisers who were there about everything that had happened on Coruscant, he discreetly glanced around the room.
Among those who were already in the room, sitting in their chairs around the Queen's desk, there were also the Queen's handmaidens, who sat still as statues in their chairs behind the throne and around the room. Lining the wall, forming a ring around the room and standing at firm attention, were the guards who were the elite of Naboo's fighting force and had been carefully handpicked to protect the ruling and democratically elected monarch.
"Is there nothing that can be done to stop this spread of war before it engulfs the galaxy?" Queen Jamillia asked.
Padmè shook her head. "No, your Highness, I'm afraid there isn't," she said. "There are many of those in the Senate who are corrupt. All they care about is lining their own pockets with money, not the needs of their own planets and the ones that they have been chosen to represent. I've seen so much of it during my time there, that not even Chancellor Palpatine seems to be clean. The corporations seem to be the ones who are running things now." Then she sighed. "The vote for the Military Creation Act is coming up soon. Even though I, and a few other Senators who have not fallen into the corruption like so many others, have been working tirelessly to defeat this bill, everyone in the Senate is a little on edge with this Separatist movement that is going on right now. So many of them have left to join the faction already. If the Senate votes to create an army, I am sure it will push us into civil war."
"It's unthinkable," Governor Bibble said, causing everyone to look at him. "There hasn't been a full-scale war since the formation of the Republic."
The Queen frowned when she heard what he had to say and turned to Padmè. "Do you see any way through negotiations to bring the Separatists back into the Republic?" She asked.
"Not if they feel threatened," Padmè replied. "The Separatists don't have an army, but if they are provoked, they will need to move quickly if they want to defend themselves. I'm sure of that. And with no time or money to build an army, my guess is they will turn to the Commerce Guilds or the Trade Federation for help."
"It's preposterous!" Governor Bibble interjected. "After four trials in the Supreme Court, Nute Gunray is still in charge of the Trade Federation. I do not believe that the Senate will be able to resolve this crisis."
"We must keep our faith in the Republic," the Queen declared resolutely. Then she rose out of her chair, followed by her handmaidens. Everyone else who was still sitting stood up as well. Jamillia walked around her desk towards Padmè. "The day we stop believing that democracy can work is the day we lose it," she said as they began to walk towards the door with Anakin walking behind Padmè.
"Let us hope that we never have to see that day," Padmè replied solemnly.
"In the meantime, we must consider your own safety," Jamillia continued. Then she glanced at Anakin, who was behind them.
Sio Bibble walked over and in a haughty voice asked, "What is your plan to keep the Senator safe while you are here, Master Jedi?"
Padmè frowned a little as she didn't know why Anakin was being referred to as a Jedi Master when he was still a padawan. Anakin caught her facial expression and knew that he would have some explaining to do later.
"We will be heading to the Senator's villa that her family owns in the Lake Country. I've been told that it is completely isolated so it will be the perfect place for us to stay while we are in hiding," Anakin responded.
The group neared the stairs that led away from the throne room. Queen Jamillia turned to Padmè. "That sounds perfect. I'm glad we have that detail settled," she said.
Padmè and Anakin bowed to the Queen and made their way out of the throne room, followed by R2. After picking up their bags, the Queen offered to let them use two of her spare rooms to change out of their disguises. They accepted and were led to the rooms by a handmaiden. Once they both had changed, Anakin went back into his Jedi robes and Padmè opted to change into something more comfortable for her stay at her family's villa, they departed from the palace.
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Obi-Wan's starfighter, along with the ring that was attached to it, came out of hyperspace. R4, who was his personal astromech, beeped as he detached from the ring, fired up his engines and made his way to the planet.
Kamino was a ball of swirling blue and grey.
From inside the cockpit, the Knight could just make out white flashes of lighting dancing across the surface as it hung in space. "There it is R4," Obi-Wan said as he glanced at the readouts that were in front of him. "Right where it should be. That youngling was right. Someone did erase it from the Archives."
R4 let out what sounded like a series of anxious long, drawn-out beeps.
The Knight smirked to himself, knowing that R4 was just nervous about what they were going to find down there. "Broadcast a signal down to the planet to let them know that a Jedi is here," he said.
A flat beep was issued and again Obi-Wan smiled. That beep meant that R4 had done as he had asked.
Luckily, the planet seemed to be feeling friendly as they sent back a pair of coordinates to help guide Obi-Wan safely through the never-ending storm and land at the one of the cloning facilities that were located on the planet.
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As Obi-Wan landed on the landing platform at the main cloning facility, he powered down his fighter and opened the cockpit. After he got out, he lifted the hood of his cloak over his head and headed towards the building as the cockpit closed behind him.
As soon as the doors opened and Obi-Wan stepped inside, he removed his hood, relieved that he was somewhere dry. He only had to wait for a few minutes before he heard footsteps and then saw the pale being with bluish-almost white skin that was approaching him. As the being came closer, he realized that the creature was a female. She was tall, had a very long neck and large, dark eyes.
"Master Jedi," the Kaminoan said, bowing her head a little. "The Prime Minister has been expecting you."
"I'm expected?" Obi-Wan asked, a little surprised as he didn't know what was going on.
"But of course!" The Kaminoan exclaimed. "He is very anxious to meet you. After all these years, we were beginning to think that no one was ever going to come here. Now please, follow me." She turned to her right and led Obi-Wan down the brightly lit corridor.
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After making their way down several long halls, all of which looked nearly identical to each other, Obi-Wan and the female Kaminoan arrived at what looked like an office. The doors slid open as they approached, allowing them to enter.
As Obi-Wan glanced around, he saw that the room was lit with the same bright lights that he had seen in the hallway.
The Prime Minister, as it turned out, was a male Kaminoan. The two things that distinguished him from the female were the tuft of hair that formed a small strip down the middle of his head and his darker robes. He was seated on a large chair in the center of the room, which appeared to be connected to the ceiling.
The male Kaminoan got up and stepped to the side as they approached him.
"May I present Lama Su, Prime Minister of Kamino," the female said as she introduced the Jedi to the male. Both Obi-Wan and the Prime Minister bowed to each other in greeting before she continued, "And this is Master Jedi…"
Obi-Wan, who noted the lapse quickly jumped in as he supplied, "Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"A pleasure to meet you Master Kenobi," Lama Su said. "I trust that you are going to enjoy your stay. If you would be so kind as to join me here for a small discussion regarding the reason for your visit." He waved his right hand as another egg-shaped chair descended from the ceiling. It matched the chair Lama Su returned to, but swung much lower so as to allow the smaller human male to sit more comfortably.
Both Kaminoans gestured to the chair. Obi-Wan knew he didn't have a choice, so he walked over and sat down while the female remained standing nearby.
"And now to business," Lama Su said, as he took his seat, noting how Obi-Wan looked up at the female and then focused on him. "You will be thrilled to hear that we are on schedule." Upon seeing the visibly confused expression on Obi-Wan's face, he elaborated on the subject. "We have two hundred thousand units that are already finished and ready to be shipped out with a million more on the way."
Obi-Wan nodded a little, glancing up again at the female before speaking, "That is…good news," he said, schooling his face into a neutral expression.
A proud smile graced Lama Su's face as he said, "Please be sure to tell your Master Sifo-Dyas that his order will be finished in full and on time."
"I'm sorry, who?" Obi-Wan asked, as he wasn't quite sure who the Prime Minister was talking about.
"Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas," Lama Su reiterated. "Isn't he still a leading member of your Jedi Council?"
"Master Sifo-Dyas was killed almost ten years ago," Obi-Wan responded.
The Prime Minister's eyes widened slightly in surprise as he leaned back in his seat. "Oh, I'm very sorry to hear that," he said. "I'm sure he would have been proud of the army that we have created for him."
"The army?" Obi-Wan hesitantly asked.
"Yes," Lama Su nods. "A clone army. And I must say, one of the finest we've ever created."
"Tell me, Prime Minister, when Master Sifo-Dyas first contacted you about the clone army, did he say who it was for?" Obi-Wan asked.
"But of course," Lama Su responded. "This army is for the Republic. You must be anxious to inspect the units for yourself."
Obi-Wan glanced up at the female Kaminoan for a third time, then looked back at the Prime Minister. "That is why I came here," he said as he carelessly shrugged his shoulders.
Lama Su stood, and Obi-Wan copied him. The Jedi Knight stayed where he was, letting Lama Su go ahead of him as he gathered his cloak around him. Then he followed behind the Prime Minister as they left the room.
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It was nearly afternoon when Anakin and Padmè arrived by boat to Varykino. As soon as the boat stopped, Anakin grabbed both of the bags and handed them off to the man who had driven the boat. He took them from the Padawan and carried them into the sprawling mansion. He then got out of the boat and turned around, assisting Padmè as she too got out. One of the female servants came down to meet them. She greeted Padmè and told her that their rooms were being prepared for them. Padmè thanked the servant and dismissed her.
Then both the Padawan and Senator made their way up a set of stairs and stepped out onto the large veranda of Padmè's family estate that was located on an island in the Lake Country.
"My family and I would come here every summer when I didn't have to attend school," Padmè said as she and Anakin strolled to the stone railing that ran along the edge of the veranda. Then she pointed to an island that could been seen in the far distance. "We would swim out to that island every day. I love the water. Once we got there, we would lay out on the sand to dry off. There were usually birds flying around and my sister and I would try and guess the names of them as they sang."
"I don't like sand," Anakin said as he looked down at the stone railing. Padmè looked at him, a small smile on her face as she tried not to laugh. "It's coarse, rough, irritating and it tends to get everywhere. Not here though. Here everything is smooth and soft to the touch." He almost reached up and touched Padmè's bare arm, but knew that it wasn't the right thing to do and let his hand drop back to the railing.
The dress that Padmè was wearing exposed her body in such a way that almost caused Anakin to lean in and kiss her. He refrained from doing so, but knew he had to tell her how he felt, as he didn't know when he would see her again after this mission.
"Padmè, there's something I have to tell you," Anakin said, fixing his gaze on the water in the lake that surrounded the island. "I'm not sure how you're going to react to this but the minute I saw you back on Coruscant, my childhood feelings for you resurfaced." Then he sighed and finally looked at her. "I don't know if you even feel that way about me but…"
Padmè stepped closer and placed her left hand over his right one. "Ani, I have feelings for you too, but now is not the right time to be talking about this. How about later tonight? After dinner?"
Anakin nodded, turning away from her as he used his connection to the force to calm his spiraling emotions. Once he was finished, he stretched out and felt Padmè's soothing presence beside him. It was like a cool wave, as it washed over him. He softly smiled as he opened his eyes, finishing with his brief meditation. He didn't say anything as he turned to stand beside Padmè as he didn't want to make a fool of himself.
"Anakin?" Padmè asked, wanting to fill the silence.
"Yes?" Anakin responded.
"Can I ask you something?" She asked, wanting to change the topic of their discussion.
"Go ahead," Anakin replied.
"Earlier in the throne room, Governor Bibble called you Master Jedi even though you're still a padawan," Padmè told him. "Why is that?"
Anakin smiled, glad for the distraction. "It's mostly seen as a sign of respect," he said. "Now if Obi-Wan had been here with us, then I would have been referred to as Padawan Skywalker."
Padmè nodded her head in understanding. "I never did get to talk to you after the celebration that was thrown after the massive battle to retake my planet," she said. "I take it that you enjoyed the parade and the unity of the people, right?"
Anakin nodded. "I did," he said. "In a way, it helped to take my mind off of my mother and the fact that she was still a slave while I was free. I think it was Master Qui-Gon who really came through for me. He convinced the Council to let me become his unofficial apprentice and took me back to Tatooine to begin my training. There, he freed my mother and after we came back to Coruscant, he did something for me that I never thought could happen as he convinced the Council to allow me to stay in touch with her. I'm pretty sure that has had some effect on me as a person."
Padmè smiled, remembering the day that both Qui-Gon and Shimi came to visit her. "I was going to try and free her when my two terms were up," she said. "I'm just relieved that Master Jinn got to her and convinced her to live here on Naboo."
"Thank you for allowing her to live here Padmè," Anakin said, a smile on his face.
"You are very welcome, Ani," Padmè replied.
"I hate having to be away from her, but as long as I know that she isn't a slave any longer is good news for me," Anakin said.
"I'm glad to see you so happy," Padmè said. "Sometimes it takes only one person to change the foundation of a long-standing set of rules that have been in place for thousands of years. I'm glad that the Jedi are allowed to express their emotions as the public's view of the Jedi is very different now to what it was only a few years ago."
Anakin frowned. "I thought the public was fond of the Jedi?" He asked.
"Some of them are and some of them aren't. The fact that the Order took young babies and children from their parents and forbid the parents to not get in touch with their kids when they were older came off as a little mean to the public," Padmè explained carefully. "Don't take this the wrong way Anakin. The Jedi do some wonderful things, but there will always be those who feel that the Jedi will just take any child that is force sensitive, despite the fact that it's the parent's decision. From what I was able to learn from Qui-Gon after he arrived on the ship after his first fight with Maul, I know that your mother chose to let you go even though it meant that she was going to have to stay behind as a slave."
Anakin looked a little sad when he heard that. "I'll always be thankful for what she did," he said. Then his face returned to normal. "How about now? Has the public's perception of the Jedi changed since the Council announced the change to the attachment rule?"
"A little," Padmè responded. "But there will always be those people who don't like the Jedi because they think that you have too much power."
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Obi-Wan kept his hands folded within the sleeves of his Jedi robe as a proper Jedi would. The walkway that he and the two Kaminoans were walking through had the sides and top made of glass so that at any point along the tour, he would be able to simply turn his head one way or the other and see everything. He was very impressed by everything that the Kaminoans had been able to accomplish, but also a little disturbed by the fact that this had been done in secret.
On either side of the walkway were large floating, tubes, each one containing a few tree-like branches with a disk type shape attached to the end of it. On each disk was, if Obi-Wan had to guess, about twenty or so see through, pod-type, glass containers. Each container held an embryo inside each it. From what the Knight could see, it looked like there were thousands of them in the room. He knew that they were being bred to fight for the Republic, but beyond that, he wasn't sure what else they would be needed for.
"Very impressive," Obi-Wan said aloud as he turned to look at Lama Su.
"I had hoped that you would be pleased with what we have created," Lama Su said as they continued down the corridor.
"Our clones can think on their own. They are capable of independent thought and action. You will find them immensely superior to droids in that and many other ways." They walked a little further down, with Obi-Wan continuing to listen to Lama Su. "We take great pride in our combat, education and training programs. No other facility in the galaxy can do what we can."
Obi-Wan stopped walking and looked to his right. Lama Su saw what he was looking at and spoke up. "These clones were created five years ago," he said.
Row upon row of identical young boys were sitting in front of a terminal. Each boy who was sitting at one wore a thin cap with a device that monitored everything from pulse to brain waves. At the bottom of the room stood two Kaminoans. One was watching the group on the left as they were going through their lessons. The other one was speaking to a boy who apparently had a question. Once the boy had his answer, he walked away and the Kaminoan turned and knelt down so he could speak to the other boy who had been waiting for his turn. There was a droid with a spotlight floating throughout the room.
"Growth Acceleration? May I ask what that is used for?" Obi-Wan asked as he looked at the group. They looked to be about ten standard years old.
"Yes, it's essential that we use it," Lama Su said. "Otherwise, a mature clone would take a lifetime to grow. Now we can make a new clone in half that time."
"I see," Obi-Wan said.
They moved on, walking along the corridor into another section of the dome. This room looked like a large cafeteria as it was filled with fully grown clones who were dressed in red clothing, which was the color of diplomatic immunity that the Jedi used. One of the clones eyed his fellow clone's food and then glanced up at the walkway where Obi-Wan and the two Kaminoans were strolling along. Then he looked back down and began eating.
"They are totally obedient," Lama Su said. "They will obey any order that you give them as we modified their genetic structure to make them less independent than the original host."
"Who was the original host?" Obi-Wan asked.
"A bounty hunter whose name is Jango Fett," Lama Su responded.
Obi-Wan stopped walking as he turned to face Lama Su. The female and Lama Su stopped walking as well.
"Do you know where this bounty hunter is now?" He asked, thinking that this Jango Fett might be the person that he was looking for.
"Oh, we keep him here," Lama Su replied. Then they kept walking through the corridor. "Apart from his pay, which is considerable, Fett asked for only one thing. An unaltered clone for himself. Curious, isn't it?"
"He wanted an unaltered clone for himself?" Obi-Wan asked.
Lama Su nodded. "A pure genetic replication," he explained. "We were not allowed to tamper with the structure to make it docile or add in the growth acceleration like we have done with these clones that you see before you."
"I would appreciate it if I was allowed to meet this Jango Fett," Obi-Wan kept his tone light and pleasant.
"I'd be very happy to arrange it for you." The female Kaminoan assured him.
Obi-Wan nodded at her in thanks.
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They came to the end of the corridor and stepped onto a balcony that overlooked a large hanger floor. Obi-Wan walked forward and placed his hands on the balcony railing as below him, a few full squads of clones marched forward into a carrier of some sort, while another group marched out, stopped, executed a right turn and stood at attention. While looking over the sea of white, the Jedi Knight caught flashes of yellow on some of them.
"Magnificent, aren't they?" Lama Su inquires.
Obi-Wan didn't say anything, but he knew that magnificent wasn't the word that he would have used.
AN: Please review and tell me what you think of this chapter!
UP NEXT: Padmè and Anakin continue to enjoy their time on Naboo while Obi-Wan has a chat with Jango Fett. I will also be going into a little detail about the prophecy that Qui-Gon discovered.