Gossip
Duchess Satine Kyrze was in her element. She strolled through the beautiful garden, navigating around small tables draped in embroidered linens, server droids carrying trays full of cocktails and small plates of food, and the gathered diplomats, aides, advisors, lobbyists, lawyers, bankers and traders. There were even a few holonet celebrities sprinkled through the crowd.
At first glance, it all might seem frivolous, and to an extend it was, with expensive decorations, endless food, all the stylish clothes and glittering jewels. But Satine had learned long ago that it was at parties like this, as much as in official government buildings, that true political work was done. If one was careful and attentive, you could learn people's alliances and intentions. It was over drinks and delicacies that people spilled their secrets.
The party had been going on for only an hour and already Satine had identified several potential allies for the new peace deal she was working on. And heard a rumor that, if true, meant she really should reconsider her position on a certain business contract.
Soon Satine found the person she was looking for. Senator Padme Amidala was standing in a group of business investors, who were all debating something quite animatedly. To all appearances, Padme was collected and gracious, but Satine could recognize the tension in her friend. A rescue was in order, she decided.
She moved to cut in to the group, placing a hand on Padme's arm. "Please excuse me," she smiled to the others, "I must borrow the Senator for a moment."
A few in the group nodded, barely pausing their discussion, and Satine pulled Padme away. "Let's take a walk," she said.
Padme smiled, "I'm so glad you came tonight! I was afraid I wouldn't be able to see you before you left for Mandalore."
"We've spent practically the whole week together!" Satine replied. Padme had been mediating one of the negotiation panels that Satine had worked with.
"You know what I mean. I hoped to see you one on one, as friends, not as colleagues. It's been too long," Padme said, snagging a pair of tall glasses from a passing droid and handing one to Satine.
"Yes, much too long!" Satine took a sip of her drink and was pleasantly surprised.
"Wow," Padme said, "They brought out the good stuff for the last night!"
The two friends found an alcove with a bench beside some low shrubs. It was a little quieter but they still had a clear view of the rest of the event space. They chatted, catching up on news from each other's families and home towns before, perhaps inevitably given their profession, turning to the latest political intrigues and frustrations.
Padme was upset that so many Senators seemed completely committed to maintaining the status quo, despite the recent status quo being almost three years of unprecedented war. They were obstructing her efforts every step of the way. And Satine was frustrated by it too, furious even, but she had to keep things in perspective.
"The fact that the ceasefire has lasted as long as it has, and that we're sitting at a table talking with these people, that itself is a sign of progress," Satine said, glancing towards the entrance to the gardens. It sounded a little cynical but she had meant it to be encouraging.
Their conversation was briefly interrupted by a server droid who gathered their empty glasses and, without their asking, replaced them with full ones.
Padme picked up where they'd left off, "Yes, of course it's progress. But until there's a solid treaty, everything can…What is it, Satine?"
"What?" she turned toward Padme.
"Are you looking for someone? You keep looking at the crowd. You've been doing that all night," Padme said.
It was no use to deny it. Padme was too observant and she'd already been caught. "I was just noticing that there were no Jedi tonight. Usually you see a few at this sort of thing."
"Oh," Padme smiled like she knew something, but the expression passed quickly. Then it turned out she did know something, because the next thing she said was, "The 501st and 212th Battle Groups arrived in system from the Outer Rim earlier today. The Jedi should be landing later tonight."
Satine blinked in surprise. She wondered where Padme could have possibly gotten such detailed information, and if it would be rude to ask. She had tried to casually ask around earlier in the week but only been met with non-answers and the usual spiel about operational security and quickly given up.
"General Kenobi is safe, if that's what you were worried about," Padme said. She had that knowing smile again, though she tried to hide it by taking a sip of her drink.
"I…I wasn't…" Satine floundered. She flushed, told herself it was only from the alcohol, tried again, "I didn't say anything about General Kenobi. I was only noticing that there weren't any Jedi in attendance tonight…"
At that moment, Jedi Master Kit Fisto strolled by, pausing to nod politely to the two women.
Padme was openly smirking now, "But that's who you're looking for, isn't it? General Kenobi?"
Satine was not used to being so caught off guard. She found she didn't like it much at all. She fixed her friend with a look, saying, "I don't know where you might have gotten that idea."
"It was only a guess, but judging from your reaction it looks like it was the right one!" Padme grinned animatedly and, Satine thought, perhaps a little tipsy.
Satine decided that the only way out of this particular conversation was through it. So she said, as casually as she could, "Yes, I was looking for him. I haven't heard from General Kenobi in months. I was wondering if he would show up tonight."
She paused, then added, "General Kenobi and I actually go way back. He's an old friend."
That was better. Harmless. Now, to change the topic to something else, like the buffet table. But Padme didn't give her a chance.
"Yes, way back. You knew him in his Padawan days, when he and Master Qui-Gon were sent to protect you from assassins," Padme said, with that knowing smile again.
Now Satine dropped all pretense of casual conversation. She stared at her friend. "How do you know about that?"
Padme's smile faded a fraction. She shifted her eyes away, looking across the crowd, then down at the drink in her hand. She started to raise it to drink, an obvious stalling tactic, but apparently thought better of it and set the drink back down.
"Padme," Satine said, waited for Padme to look at her, asked again, "How do you know about that? I never told you how I knew Obi-Wan back then."
Now it was Padme's turn to pretend that she wasn't flustered. That she hadn't said more than she'd meant to. "Oh, he must have mentioned it one time. You know we're old friends too. We met during the Trade Federation's blockade of Naboo."
"Obi-Wan told you?" Satine didn't know what to make of that. Given Padme's teasing, it was clear that she knew something about what had happened between Obi-Wan and herself all those years ago. Suddenly the alcohol was not sitting well in her stomach. "I…I didn't know you were that close."
"Oh! No! We're not. I mean…" Padme looked lost. "Satine," she said, her tone almost pleading.
"What do you mean then? Tell me," Satine demanded.
"Anakin told me," Padme blurted out, clearly distressed but trying hard to hide it.
It took Satine a few seconds to place the name. "General Skywalker? Obi-Wan's apprentice?"
"Former apprentice," Padme corrected.
Satine took a moment to process. She placed her own drink aside as well. The conversation had already gone this far. No use dancing around it any more. She made sure her voice was calm, friendly, "Padme, talk to me. What exactly did he tell you?"
Padme seemed to regain her composure. She answered, "Hardly anything. He told me that when Obi-Wan was a Padawan, he and Master Qui-Gon were sent to Mandalore to protect you from assassins. That the three of you went on the run, hiding out in the middle of nowhere, not sure what danger each day would bring. The whole thing sounded like a grand adventure. A little romantic, even. That's all."
Satine still got the feeling that Padme knew more than she was letting on, but it was clear that this was as candid as Padme was going to be.
"I didn't mean to make assumptions. I'm sorry," Padme said carefully.
"Of course," Satine said graciously.
Padme smiled, relieved. Satine wasn't ready to let her off that easily though. Not when she was the one who had started this mine field of a conversation.
"Although, I didn't realize that you were so close with General Skywalker. Anakin. I'm surprised he would tell you so much about his former teacher's past."
Padme's composure nearly faltered. That was genuine fear in her eyes, for only a split second, but Satine saw it and almost regretted pushing her.
"Oh, we go way back. To the blockage of Naboo. He's an old friend," Padme said. The air of lightness almost didn't sound forced. Almost.
Satine assessed her friend with a critical eye. She'd never seen Padme act like this. It must be serious then, whatever was going on between her and the young Jedi. What an unexpected turn! Only a moment ago Satine had been panicking that Padme knew about her feelings for Obi-Wan, then for a second even imagining that something was going on between Padme and Obi-Wan. It was such a dramatic shift that Satine couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Padme froze. Satine let her worry. Now it was Satine's turn to smile mischievously. She picked up her drink and took a sip, smirking at her friend.
"What?" Padme's patience broke.
Satine grinned, "So I guess you like them young, huh?"
Padme flushed. Satine almost regretted teasing her. Almost.
"Stop. It's not like that," Padme said, shooting her a glare, "It's not. We're friends, that's all."
"Sure. Of course," Satine agreed. For a second Padme seemed frozen, undecided if she was going to get up and pretend that this whole conversation had never happened, and Satine wouldn't blame her.
Instead Padme's serious expression cracked. A small smile pulled at her lips. She said, in a low voice, "He's only four years younger than me. It's not that much."
"Now," Padme stood up, "Where is that buffet?"