Chapter 2
A/N: Thank you so much to my first readers and reviewers, I really hope you will enjoy the following chapter, your words means a lot to me! Most of the data I use in this story is taken from Wookiepedia, in case you are wondering. And chocolate and kisses to my wonderful beta Ticklesivory, who finds the time to correct my chapters in spite of her busy schedule^^.
The meeting room was too noisy. Padmé was bombarded by fragments of never-ending arguments between the participants. She was rapidly developing a headache and only wished for the whole scene to freeze, just for a second. At this precise moment, she was even wondering why she had accepted the nomination to become Senator, for she felt she had less power of action than when she was Queen of Naboo. It was like she was a mere drop of water in an ocean of conflicts to resolve.
She blinked a few times and focused again on the subject at hand. In spite of how she felt personally, the delegation had managed to settle most of the disagreement. Unfortunately, there was still a big rift concerning the biggest vessel in the fleet. It was the principal spaceship the Trade Federation had ordered, and they had wanted the most lavish flagship ever made. It was the first piece to be built, and the Corellian engineers had gloated about it since then. These men were so proud of the achievements accomplished they had named it "The Heart of Corellia".The young woman barely held back a snort. With so many egos fighting for dominance, she wasn't surprised it was so difficult to set up an arrangement.
All of sudden, Garm Bel Iblis, the Representative of the planet, excused himself. When he came back fifteen minutes later, Padmé could tell something was wrong. When the dark-haired man asked for silence, she held her breath. She had a bad feeling about this.
"I have sad news to announce. The spaceport has just been the target of gunfire. Several people are reported dead. We do not know whether this attack was deliberate."
Everyone in the conference room was speechless. But the diffuse feeling of dread in her chest exploded when Padmé saw the Corellian Senator focus his attention on her.
"Senator Amidala, we have to talk. Please follow me."
Obi-Wan helped the CorSec police officers in taking care of the deceased. The body of Tilan Kor, the Green Jedi, had been respectfully moved away from the crime scene and the Jedi Council had been alerted.
The Coruscant Knight was removing large pieces of broken glass out of the way, when the body of a dead woman caught his attention. She seemed oddly familiar, with her petite silhouette, slightly round face and her long braided dark hair. She was the echo of events which took place several years before, when he met Anakin. He quickly banished the painful thought of the Tatooine boy, and decided to investigate further.
When he saw the young woman up close, he had to bite back a gasp. For a fleeting moment, the image of the young queen of the Naboo came before him. The similarities with the unfortunate victim were unsettling and he really hoped the resemblance was just a trick of his mind.
Once the bodies were all taken care of, Obi-Wan accompanied the CorSec agents to their Headquarters, situated at One CorSec Plaza. The Law Enforcement Agency was a tall and heavily guarded building, with officers of different ranks going in and out.
When he arrived on the fourth floor, Obi-Wan felt relieved. He was eager to discuss the events with the Director and see some members of the Green Jedi. He needed answers; the situation on Corellia seemed to be more complicated than he supposed.
As he neared the Director's office, he noticed some people already waiting outside the door. A man turned to him and shook his hand vigorously.
"Welcome Master Jedi. I am the Senator of Corellia. My name is Garm Bel Iblis. We are fortunate to count you as a witness of these horrific actions."
Obi-Wan bowed and introduced himself to the older man. He felt the woman a few meters from them tense. She turned around, her elegant gown following her movement. Her eyes were wide with surprise but he could also discern a hint of happiness inside her brown orbs.
He bowed again, a light smile forming on his lips as he addressed her formally.
"Senator Amidala, it's been far too long."
TBC