Tarkin straightened his uniform as he awaited an audience with the emperor. It was mid morning, but Palpatine had not gone to the senate today, and Tarkin had to make his formal report on the matter of the Rebel base. He had received further information that the base, as he had suspected, was not the main stronghold. Nevertheless, it still dealt a hard blow to the Alliance; they had an airfield and many supplies there, and the Empire managed to obtain a lot of information from their computer mainframe. It wasn't the victory Tarkin had been hoping for, but it was still a victory.
Turning on his heel as he waited to be admitted to the throne room in the palace, Tarkin noticed Vader approaching from the other end of the hallway. It was odd to see him here; he had been going to the senate every day since his new assignment. Tarkin supposed the Sith Lord had a report to make as well.
Alongside Vader was an Intelligence operative, and the two were talking softly. Tarkin looked out the window once more, leaning closer to the pair. He wanted to hear if Vader was making progress or not; now that the Alliance's base had been attacked, the clock was ticking to find the main stronghold from the information they had collected, courtesy of the destroyed facility's computer… still, it was highly unlikely that they would be able to find the place. The Rebel Alliance had been a thorn in the Empire's side for almost twenty years and they still hadn't found its central leadership. With that track record, Tarkin was fairly certain he wouldn't be able to do the seemingly impossible deed, and so he wanted Vader back in charge to take the fall. It was a cold move, even by Tarkin's standards; he was rather fond of the young Sith. However, it was also a calculated move; Palpatine's temper never flared up quite as tremendously on his apprentice as it did on others… at least not anymore.
Besides, the boy might pull off the improbable and find the Rebel base. Impossible missions were his specialty. Anything was his specialty, so long as the emperor wished for it.
Vader and the agent finally came within earshot. "We're still working on the footage of the trade, milord. And Agent Esor stated last night was quiet; nothing eventful at the apartment."
The Sith Lord nodded, taking the agent's written report. The operative bowed and departed, and Vader stood still, sifting through the information.
Approaching him, Tarkin asked, "How's the mission going?"
"It's progressing," Vader replied without looking up.
Tarkin held back an exasperated sigh. That was the man's way of saying that while it wasn't doing poorly it wasn't doing well, either. They were in a waiting phase. Of all the bizarre ways for Palpatine to get information about the Alliance, why did it have to be through Senator Amidala? Tarkin supposed she would be the most vulnerable since she was the newest of the suspected traitorous politicians, but she still covered her tracks well… and Tarkin was still convinced this was a job for Intelligence rather than Darth Vader, especially since Palpatine had introduced the young man for intimidation's sake. That basically blew out any chance for subtlety. Tarkin didn't see any way for Vader to be able to convince the senator to trust him after that beginning, and the governor almost felt sorry for the Sith Lord. He knew how much it bothered Vader if he couldn't accomplish something for the emperor.
Before Tarkin could make any further remark to Vader, the Red Guard indicated that he could enter. Putting the matter aside, Tarkin organized his thoughts back on the Rebel base and stepped into the throne room.
The noon day temperature was far warmer than anticipated, and Siri blew out an irritated sigh as she fanned herself. She was walking through a huge crowd, and she was starting to grow tired of being shoved around as well as being cooked in the sunlight.
At least she wasn't on any covert mission; she was just trying to get some lunch for herself. Obi-Wan was helping Padmé with some paperwork at the moment; the two still had their duties as senator and representative, after all, despite their almost certain execution and half baked plan to prevent it. And speaking of half baked plans, Obi had convinced Padmé to allow him to accompany her and Vader to lunch.
Just as Siri saw the sandwich bar she was trying to reach, she felt someone slam into her. Stumbling to one side, Siri whirled around to yell at whoever it was, sick of being shoved everywhere and—
It was the Rebel spy.
The Ithorian woman managed to convey her frantic mood with rapidly blinking eyes as she quickly placed her hands on Siri's shoulders and guided her to an alley.
"What's going on?" Siri hissed, both annoyed and worried.
"It's Dantooine," the spy whispered as best she could; four throats and two mouths automatically made Ithorians naturally loud. "The Empire—they—the base—it's gone!"
Siri felt her chest grow tight. The Alliance had finally gotten large and strong enough to have more than one base of operations… Dantooine had been a huge accomplishment, one that made all Rebels proud. They had finally started feeling like they were fighting a real war instead of just throwing stones at the Empire. Oh Sithspit…
"Did they just destroy it or did they get info?" Siri asked frantically.
"We don't know; we lost contact with the base yesterday and a scout ship picked up debris and an Imperial fleet. We've heard from no one who was there."
Before Siri could say anything, the spy quickly added, "You must get in contact with Tlenden! We're moving our main stronghold today, but we had a supply depot on Dantooine, and almost a third of our men were stationed there—we can't keep this up without help—you must talk to Tlenden!"
Siri nodded to calm the poor woman. Ithorians were known for their gentle nature; this spy was obviously new and not used to these situations. Though honestly, Siri herself was pretty panicked too.
As quickly as the spy had appeared, she vanished, and Siri was left standing alone in the alley trying to catch her breath. After a few moments she calmed herself and walked hastily back to the senate tower, all thoughts of food forgotten. She quickly made her way to Padmé's office, praying that no one somehow found out more about Padmé from Dantooine.
Padmé's office was empty, and Siri let out a moan. She and Obi-Wan were with Vader.
The Pampered Palate was rather full today, so the small restaurant sang with the chatter of its many customers. Obi-Wan watched them eat cheerfully and felt inordinately jealous of how simple their lives were. Pushing the matter aside, he returned his attention to his own table. Beside him sat Padmé, and across from them was Darth Vader, who looked far more occupied with his menu than with anything else.
Vader had been unusually quiet in comparison to dinner and even to what Padmé had said of his behavior yesterday. When he had arrived at the office for lunch he didn't speak at all, but simply nodded to them in acknowledgement and walked alongside them. Obi-Wan had figured his silence was an opportunity, and Padmé apparently did as well, so they both had begun to ask him many questions, ranging from generic matters such as the weather to important ones such as what Vader's been doing in the senate tower. All responses had been either gestures or one word only; it was growing both frustrating and unnerving.
Sighing, Obi-Wan looked at Padmé, who glanced at him and shrugged. Well, stars' end to it, then. If Vader wasn't going to talk, then Obi-Wan and Padmé would just do all the talking for him.
"Have you heard anything from Sola lately?" Obi-Wan asked Padmé.
She turned her heard, raising her eyebrow just a tick to question his action. Obi-Wan tipped his head forward slightly, trying to indicate that she should just go with it.
"Not since last week," Padmé replied a little stiffly, not sure what he was doing, and no doubt nervous that he was bringing up family in front of Darth Vader.
Obi-Wan leaned back, sipping his water. Vader glanced up briefly from his menu before looking down once more.
"I was just wondering how things were doing over there. It's been so long since we've been home. Besides, I thought Ryoo had a recital this week."
Padmé looked at Vader and then back at Obi-Wan. Continuing to play along, she commented, "Oh, right, I had forgotten. She's been really nervous about that, hasn't she? I thought it was the beginning of next week, though; the upcoming final recess starts on this coming Katunda, so we could go home and watch."
"Are we allowed to go home?" Obi-Wan asked. "I thought the emperor was being paranoid."
Vader's gaze immediately went to Obi-Wan.
"I suppose we could figure out when the Empire finally decides to handle whatever situation is preventing us from going home," Padmé remarked thoughtfully. "Then we won't be spending the recess twiddling our thumbs in the apartment. I haven't been home in almost a year, so I don't really want to wait."
"What do you think, milord?" Obi-Wan finally turned the conversation on Vader. "Is Naboo safe?"
"Not yet," the Sith Lord replied.
Padmé sighed heavily. "A pity. I was hoping to relax back home."
Vader said nothing, and Obi-Wan held his annoyance in check. He had hoped the Sith might drop a hint as to how matters were going with the Rebels on Naboo, but the man was too clever to be duped, apparently.
Well, no sense in spoiling a good lunch. Ignoring Vader altogether, Obi-Wan continued the conversation, talking about their niece Ryoo's general disdain for music recitals despite her talent. Padmé seemed to understand that Obi-Wan had given up on obtaining any useful information, so she happily went along with it. As the two talked, Vader finally gave up all pretenses and just watched them, but he held no intensity to his gaze. His face was expressionless and his eyes were soft, leaping back and forth between the two speakers without indicating what the Sith Lord was thinking. Honestly, Obi-Wan didn't know what that man was up to, and at this point, he didn't care; they weren't revealing anything useful.
The arrival of their food didn't interrupt their lively talk about silly events that happened with the family. The two would laugh between bites of food and then recall more incidents where their niece had to endure a music recital or when they themselves were in school and had to deal with obnoxious teachers. The conversation went anywhere and everywhere, carefully avoiding anything that wasn't public knowledge (or just known information for Intelligence) while not making the atmosphere tense. Vader was silent through it all.
At the end of lunch the three walked back to the senate tower. Obi-Wan and Padmé bade the Sith Lord a good day, garnering a slight nod in reply, and then made their way to Padmé's office.
"What was that all about?" Obi-Wan muttered under his breath. "You said he at least spoke a little yesterday."
"He wasn't expecting lunch yesterday," Padmé sighed. "But I figured he'd have another interrogation prepared for today rather than… that. I thought maybe I could jolt him to say something, but I couldn't very well start flirting in front of someone else, especially you."
Obi-Wan noted the mild irritation in her tone. "Are you implying this is my fault?"
"If you hadn't come along I might have been able to try something."
"If I hadn't come along he may very well have had an interrogation planned," Obi-Wan retorted softly as the two entered Padmé's office. Siri was there, pacing restlessly back and forth with her arms folded. Obi-Wan immediately felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. "What's wrong?"
"Dantooine's base is gone," Siri said immediately.
Obi-Wan and Padmé paled. How did they—?
"We have to talk to Senator Tlenden," Siri added urgently. "He's our best hope."
"I'll go to him now," Padmé replied firmly, turning to go, but Obi-Wan grabbed her arm.
"Padmé, Vader is back too," he reminded her. "He'll be watching you."
"We can't wait for tomorrow," Padmé said with frustration.
"I can deliver a message to him for you," Siri piped in.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, Tlenden is from Salkende; he'll view that as an insult. He deals directly with people, no matter their station. Simply delivering a message from someone won't mean anything. I'll speak with him."
Padmé looked like she was about to argue, but she thought better of it. Obi-Wan nodded to be sure and then left. This just kept getting better. He felt a headache tease the inside of his temples and he longed to go somewhere quiet and far from all this chaos so he could just sit and think and be alone for a while. Getting his bearings, he walked to a different floor towards the senate arena and located the pod where the senator could be found.
Senator Tlenden was a muscular, tan skinned Human male with golden brown hair tied back and hovering just above his shoulders. He had a thick goatee and heavy eyebrows over sharp brown eyes. The senator stood beside one of his many representatives; the Tsograda Sector had about eight inhabited worlds.
Attempting to put his thoughts together, Obi-Wan sized the man up as he started to walk towards him. He had never been a huge fan of politics, and most especially politicians themselves - the main reason he was a representative was for the Alliance's sake and to keep an eye on his sister. Everyone else associated with the profession left a bad taste in his mouth. They were tolerable, but they most certainly were not trustworthy, except for those who were with the Alliance since they at least had their priorities straight. Obi-Wan didn't know much about Tlenden, but he knew the man could be quite vocal in his displeasure about the Empire. He might be decent.
Obi-Wan approached the senator and bowed deeply. "Senator Tlenden, I wish to speak with you."
The senator watched him for a while before dismissing the other representative. "Do I know you?"
"I am Representative Obi-Wan Naberrie from Naboo," Obi-Wan introduced himself.
"The afternoon session is about to begin," Tlenden noted. "Be brief, representative."
"I'm afraid our discussion cannot be brief," Obi-Wan replied. "I only came here to ask if you would allow me to converse with you after the session."
Tlenden paused, considering the notion, and then gave a curt nod. "Very well."
At that, the senator entered the arena as Obi-Wan bowed to him. Obi-Wan then hastily made his way back to the Chommell Sector's pod. When Padmé noticed his return, she and Siri subtly shifted over to him, and Padmé whispered, "Did you get him to talk to you?"
"He'll speak with me once the session is over," Obi-Wan answered. "My only concern is Vader."
"We'll take care of that," Padmé said, nodding to Siri. "Just worry about yourself."
Tarkin didn't bother listening in on the afternoon senate session. Instead, he walked briskly back to his office and shut himself in there, poring over new Intelligence reports. There was maddeningly little information regarding what they had found at the base; apparently they were still decrypting everything. It wasn't too long before his investigation was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Enter," Tarkin ordered without looking up.
The door opened to reveal Darth Vader, who stepped inside and stood still as it closed behind him. Tarkin glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "Lord Vader, shouldn't you be watching Senator Amidala? You can't be wasting time on this matter; with as incompetent as Intelligence is being right now I could use your help in the field."
He knew his words would go nowhere; Vader cared little or not at all for Tarkin's plight at the moment. It had little to do with his mission, so he wouldn't find it pertinent. Tarkin sipped at his caffa irritably, and just as he had suspected, when Vader spoke it had nothing to do with what had just been said. "Governor, how do you get someone to like you?"
Tarkin almost choked on his drink. Those were not the words he was expecting to hear.
Vader stood patiently still as Tarkin attempted to regain some composure. Once the governor had finally ensured he didn't inhale his entire caffa, he asked, "What sort of question is that?"
Before Vader could answer, Tarkin shot to his feet and pointed to a chair, ordering the man to sit down. To hear such a question from the Sith Lord was like hearing Palpatine say he wanted to give up being emperor, it was like hearing that someone would enjoy listening to a Gamorrean opera, it was just insane. Vader wasn't well. Either that or Tarkin was hallucinating.
After ensuring that Vader sat as told, Tarkin slowly lowered himself to his own seat once more. "Now, why are you asking such a question?"
"Master ordered me to earn Senator Amidala's trust in order to get information from her. He said I should get her to like me. I'm not sure what he means."
Master. Vader never addressed the emperor in that manner unless he was in the palace and speaking either to Palpatine directly or to Tarkin. The fact that he was using the word outside of the palace was a very good indication that this new task made him a little uneasy, whether he himself was aware of the fact or not.
Was Palpatine insane? What was he thinking, ordering such a thing of his apprentice? Darth Vader was capable of many things, but emotionally manipulating someone? The most the man knew was intimidation; he was too brutal for this. If Palpatine wanted to teach him, then he should have kriffing taught him instead of thrown him into it. Tarkin held back a sigh. Sith Lords. He would never understand them.
Intertwining his fingers slowly, Tarkin studied Vader as he said, "Milord, do you know what it means for someone to like someone else?"
"It's an attachment," Vader replied as if he were speaking about a textbook definition. "If a person likes another person you can use that against them."
Again, Tarkin held back a sigh. "No, milord, not in terms of how you can use it… do you just know what it is? Attachment is too vague a term."
Vader looked at his knees, trying to come up with a better understanding, but he didn't seem to have one. Tarkin felt his stomach churn; he knew the man struggled understanding any sort of positive emotion (Tarkin had a suspicion that Vader knew perfectly well about negative emotions like hatred… he was a Sith, after all), but it was just painful to see him sitting there unable to process what it means to just like somebody.
Finally he decided to give the Sith a break and explained it in a manner he might understand. "People who like each other do trust each other, which is why the emperor is suggesting that to you. They rely on each other, speak with each other, and respect each other. If you are to get Senator Amidala to like you, then you must be more… Human."
At this, the Sith Lord looked puzzled. "Explain."
"You must be more open, firstly," Tarkin said. "Be honest with her in whatever you can be. Admit things you normally wouldn't. Obviously you don't want to tell her about the progress of your investigation on her, but other matters that don't sacrifice confidential Imperial information should be fair game. If you must, invent a person in your mind; someone who has likes and dislikes, preferences—"
"How do I pick what to like?"
He couldn't hold back his sigh this time. "Perhaps you should tailor them after what the senator likes."
Vader nodded. "The more I make myself similar to her, the more she'll like me, then?"
"Milord, do bear in mind that your start has been, er, rocky," Tarkin remarked. "You'll have to work quite hard to make her trust you."
"It will be done. The emperor has commanded it."
Ah, back to calling him emperor. He was calmer now. At least Tarkin had done him that much service. Though honestly, was the emperor just trying to make his apprentice have a mental breakdown? There was no way Vader would be able to pull this off, and the thought of failing Palpatine would kill him. The young Sith was no doubt in this perpetual struggle between hating his Master, as was common for Sith (at least to Tarkin's understanding), and doing everything in his power to serve him as best he could. Perhaps this mission would tip the scale in favor of hatred, making Vader less likely to listen to Palpatine.
And maybe it would make him more likely to listen to Tarkin instead. Now that was a nice idea.
Before Tarkin could continue his train of thought, however, Vader stood, seeming satisfied enough with what he'd learned. The Sith Lord bowed and departed.
The rest of the day went by relatively quickly as Tarkin put the matter of the Rebel base aside in favor of reviewing affairs in his own region while his mind whirled with possibilities. It was true that he didn't know the inner workings of Vader's thoughts, but he knew them better than anyone else. If he could outplay Palpatine by manipulating Vader to his way of thinking, then, well… perhaps this "test" would lead to his "graduation" from just being a subordinate. Vader was legally second-in-line to the throne, though that wasn't too well known outside of the palace, and if he served Tarkin, then he would eagerly hand the throne over to the governor. Palpatine would be out of the way, Tarkin would be in charge, and Vader would serve him. Perfect victory.
At the end of the day, Tarkin gathered his things and began to head towards the hangar that would take him back to the palace. On his way, he saw Vader also walking in the same direction and began to walk alongside him.
"Have you managed to put together a persona for the senator?" he asked conversationally.
"I was studying her profile," Vader replied.
Tarkin raised an eyebrow. "I would have thought you already did that considering your mission."
Vader shrugged. "Her personality was of little concern to me until now."
Tarkin nearly groaned. This was only proving his point that Vader was totally clueless when it came to actually dealing with people outside of military purposes. Tarkin himself would definitely have to teach Vader when he wasn't fretting over the Rebels.
As the two walked, Tarkin caught a glimpse of Senator Amidala herself out of the corner of his eye. She was walking alongside a handmaiden, and the pair seemed to be heading towards Vader. However, they stopped abruptly, lingering in the shadows, and did nothing else. They eventually disappeared from view as Tarkin and Vader entered the hangar reserved for people commuting to and from the palace. The two boarded a shuttle and Tarkin sat beside Vader, glancing at him. He wasn't sure if the Sith Lord had noticed the senator, but if he had, he wasn't giving any indication of it.
Finally, Tarkin leaned back in his seat and came to a decision. If Vader wasn't going to speed things up (and this new obstacle Palpatine had thrown in would definitely not help with that), then Tarkin would have to do so. "Milord, perhaps I could offer my services in this matter."
"You've already spoken on a topic I didn't understand. You've served your purpose."
Any other Imperial would take the hint and grow silent. Tarkin, however, was not just any other Imperial… not to Vader. "Lord Vader, the very fact that you had to ask me about it implies that you might need some help. I would not interfere in any capacity that might affect the emperor's wishes. However, we both have the same goal in mind, and the sooner the emperor gets what he wants, the better, is that not so?"
Darth Vader was silent, considering Tarkin's words. One might presume that pride prevented him from agreeing that he needed help; Tarkin wasn't sure if the man had pride, though. He wasn't sure what the man did have, apart from his obsession to serve. Eventually, though, he nodded. "Very well."
"Perfect," Tarkin smiled in satisfaction. "Now, we'll need to discuss the details of your operation, but we can do that when we get back to the palace. In the meantime, I can arrange for one of my spies to go undercover. Perhaps a new handmaiden would help the senator in her duties?"
Vader looked at Tarkin. "Why would she get a new handmaiden?"
"Because she'll need to replace her old one."
The Sith Lord watched him for a millisecond longer before nodding in understanding. "It'll be done."
It wasn't supposed to rain today. The meteorologists had said the day would be warmer than average for the wet season and it would be humid, but it wouldn't rain. The torrential downpour outside seemed to want to prove them wrong. Somehow, though, it fit perfectly; nature knew when everything was falling apart.
Obi-Wan shivered slightly at the thought of just how much things were falling apart.
Senator Tlenden slowly came into view as Obi-Wan walked briskly through the carpeted hallways of the senate tower. The senator noticed his approach and dismissed his representatives with a small wave of his hand. He then nodded to Obi-Wan, who bowed in response.
"What's this all about, representative?" he asked firmly.
"Senator, perhaps we should take this conversation outside?" Obi-Wan suggested, knowing that there were listening devices everywhere.
Tlenden raised an eyebrow. "In the rain?"
"I find the sound of rainfall very therapeutic," Obi-Wan remarked with a smile. "There are plenty of areas where you won't get wet as I'm sure you already know."
"Very well, then."
The two walked outside together in silence, finding a spot near the senate but far enough that no listening device could distinguish their dialogue over the sound of the pouring rain.
"I understand you have little regard for the Empire," Obi-Wan immediately said. Káern Tlenden was a Salkenden, and the people of that world were known not only for their almost blunt nature, but also for their love of honor. It was considered weak, petty, and pathetic to hide one's opinion on a matter, and walking eggshells around the senator would only annoy him.
"You would be correct," Tlenden replied nonchalantly.
"Then why not try to improve upon it?" Obi-Wan offered. "I believe this corrupted government needs a few changes, and the Alliance shares my views. It also seems to share yours, unless I'm mistaken. Why not aid them?"
"I could have you turned in for such words," Tlenden noted, folding his arms.
Obi-Wan smiled. "You would bow down to the Empire you so distaste in order to secure your position? That's not exactly honorable."
Tlenden paused, his brow furrowing. "Do not question my honor, representative."
"I don't." Obi-Wan shook his head. "If I had thought you'd actually be that lowly I would have never approached you."
This made the senator pause, and only the rain was heard for a few moments before he smiled and chuckled deeply. "You seem to have a firm understanding of my culture, representative. However, that doesn't mean I'll join your cause. While I don't like the Empire, and while I and my people may prefer the Alliance, I have too much to worry about at the present moment to be aligning my world with anyone."
Too much to worry about? This didn't sound promising. "What do you mean?"
"Internal matters," Tlenden answered cryptically. "Problems that I have to address before anything else. Urgent problems. It pains me to stand by in this conflict, but I have a conflict of my own. Good evening, Rep. Naberrie."
Before Obi-Wan could say a word, the senator vanished in the throngs of people exiting the senate building. The rain seemed to pour even heavier, mirroring Obi-Wan's mood. What was going on that a Salkenden didn't want to fight or speak up on a matter he thought needed his attention? He certainly wasn't exaggerating when he said he had urgent problems, but for the love of heaven, Obi-Wan couldn't just let this slide. It was fairly obvious from the Rebel spy's emphatic request that the Alliance was hurting for supplies, and Obi-Wan couldn't let them down now.
Still, there was nothing he could do today but go home. Doing just that, Obi-Wan eventually arrived at the family apartment and was quickly met by Siri and Padmé. Siri brought a towel to help dry him, though his cloak and hood had done a pretty good job protecting him from the rain. Padmé held another towel in case it was needed, but she seemed to have more use for it than Obi-Wan since she was wringing it so hard that her knuckles were white.
"Did you keep Vader away?" Obi-Wan asked.
Padmé shook her head silently, looking out at the rain worriedly. Siri said, "He was with Tarkin. We didn't want to attract attention with somebody else around."
Obi-Wan suddenly understood Padmé's concern. For all they knew, the two Imperials could have followed him.
"How'd it go?" Siri pressed on.
"Senator Tlenden apparently has some internal matters that are more pressing than galactic ones, at least to him," Obi-Wan shook his head. "Does either of you know whether something has occurred on Salkende?"
"I don't really know much about the planet at all," Siri remarked. "But I'll find out."
Obi-Wan nodded in reply before glancing at Padmé, who was still staring out the window silently. He and Siri exchanged glances, wordlessly communicating their concerns. Siri took the towel from Obi-Wan and motioned towards his sister as if to say, help her out. There's not much I can do. Or maybe she really had said it. He often heard his wife's voice in his mind, though he was pretty sure that was just him imagining what she'd say to him. In either case, he understood her meaning in her expression, even if he was making up the dialogue in his mind.
He reluctantly nodded once more and watched Siri depart before turning his attention to Padmé. He wanted to help her, but Obi-Wan had never been particularly good at reassurances; explanations that seemed perfectly logical to him slid off of others who were too emotional to register them. Padmé was typically more receptive to him, though, so he'd at least try to help. Slowly walking towards her, Obi-Wan laid his hands on her shoulders. It seemed all her fierce determination and courage was finally beginning to crumble under the pressure. It had been almost a week since Kuna's death. Obi-Wan wasn't sure how much more of this they could stand, at least whilst still on Imperial Center. The senate was going into its final recess for the year in three days, which would possibly give them a bit more freedom to maneuver, but honestly… Obi-Wan would prefer if they could just go to the Alliance's base and never return to Imperial Center. He was sick of the corruption of this world; it felt like a disease, as if he were infected just by breathing the air. In either case, it was obviously taking its toll on Padmé.
"Padmé," Obi-Wan said softly, squeezing her shoulders a little.
"Ever since I became queen," Padmé muttered. "Ever since I became queen they've been after me. I thought I knew what I was getting into. I thought I knew…"
Obi-Wan sighed. "We all thought we understood the risks."
"You warned me," Padmé let out a small, bitter laugh. "I remember. I remember when I won the election, and you just stared at me in horror and I didn't know why. You had said it then; you had said that I was now on the Empire's watch list, and they'd never stop watching."
"Yes, I recall the conversation. But that doesn't mean you were wrong in what you did, Padmé. You're trying to do some good in a galaxy where that word almost doesn't even exist anymore. We're fighting an uphill battle, but not an impossible one."
"Why did they ever kriffing allow this to happen?" Padmé suddenly snapped, growing tense. "Why would anyone ever be stupid enough to allow Palpatine this much power, to allow the Republic to fall so hard, to allow all of this?"
Lowering his hands from her shoulders, Obi-Wan walked in front of her to face her. "People are fools. People are naïve. People make mistakes. Our mistake was to think Kuna's death would somehow miraculously disappear if we tried to get to Darth Vader. We need to rectify that, Padmé. We need to get off-world and stay away from this place."
"Where are we going to go? How are we going to justify it?" Padmé asked desperately. "We have no escape, Obi-Wan!"
"Al is here. Bail sent him." Obi-Wan reassured her. "All we have to do is wait until the final recess and then we can just leave."
"They need someone here in the senate," Padmé shook her head. "Mon is retiring, and Bail is under too much scrutiny. We can't just abandon our responsibilities to the Alliance."
"Padmé, be reasonable," Obi-Wan groaned. "This is why you're so stressed – there's no way we can reconcile our jobs as spies and just how much we're in over our heads."
Padmé gave a sad smile. "I never took you as a defeatist."
"I'm not," Obi-Wan replied. "This isn't us giving up; it's just a new development. There are other ways to aid the Alliance, Padmé. I'm fairly certain the time for diplomacy has passed; Bail is already giving information to the Alliance on matters of the senate. There's nothing more you can do here. It's time for action."
"What about our family? What happens to them when we disappear?"
"The Alliance can protect them. We can get a message to them through Al to get off world. They might even go to Nimo'alke with the other Rebels."
This seemed to help relieve her a little. Nodding, she grunted in agreement, and Obi-Wan smiled at her reassuringly, grasping her forearms. "One more day, Padmé. That's all we'll have to wait. Tomorrow is the last day of the senate session – the next day is a day off, and then the final recess begins after that, so we can go to Salkende and try to speak to Senator Tlenden again—preferably with more information this time—and then we can rejoin with the Alliance."
"What about Vader?"
"Go to lunch tomorrow as usual. You won't see him again after that, anyway. Siri and I will arrange for our transport."
Padmé nodded and the two hugged. Obi-Wan held her tightly, worried about her and about their entire predicament, but hopefully he had finally managed to talk some sense into her. All they had to do was just survive one more day.
Just one more day.