Episode III: Attack of the Clones

Chapter 2: Reunions

Leaving the committee of politicians behind, Amidala and her entourage returned to the public landing platform the remains of her star cruiser was docked on to retrieve whatever valuables survived the explosion. Thankfully, the five suitcases the Senator and her handmaidens brought were unharmed. As they were collected, however, Jar Jar joined the group of four via his own private shuttle, asking if he could come with them to Amidala's penthouse suite at the Five Hundred Republica building.

"It'sa been a long time since mesa seen Obi and Ani. So I thought mesa could come with yousa."

"By all means Jar Jar fine," Amidala said with a trace of irritation. Then struck with a sudden idea, a small smirk came to light her mouth. "You won't mind carrying some of my things then, will you Jar Jar?"

"Oh no," was his overexcited reply. "Mesa doesn't mind."

Gesturing to Arica, the Senator had Jar Jar take the two suitcases her handmaiden had been holding.

The apartment Amidala had acquired at Five Hundred Republica was in the Senate Apartment Complex, located at the summit of the building, and was formerly resided by the former Supreme Chancellor, Finis Valorum. Unlike most politicians who simply rented out the apartments in the complex, Amidala owned the entire floor she lived on. She'd brought it, as a present to herself when she'd became Senator two years ago.

On the way there, Jar Jar kept chatting excitedly about seeing 'Ani and Obi' again, and despite herself she couldn't help but be a tad bit excited herself. As much as she despised the idea of having added security, she had to admit she was looking forward to seeing the Jedi pair again, but preferably Anakin.

Padme still thought of her old friend from time to time, and every once in a while would ask her father how he was, and he'd tell her. The Jedi Apprentice would be nineteen now, nearly fully grown. He was bound to be much taller than her and she began to wonder if he even remembered her. But of course he did. He used to have a crush on her. No one ever forgot his or her first crush. And indeed she never forgot Palo.

Once arriving at the luxurious four-tower complex, the group took a lift up to the Senator's apartment and went inside. It was here that the five occupants parted. While Typho ventured around the living quarters checking on its security systems, the females separately went to their own chambers to put away their brought luggage. Jar Jar, meanwhile, strolled idly around, agape at the elegance and expensiveness of his surroundings.

Antellica and Arica had offered their assistance to Amidala with her things, but she quickly snapped, "I'm quite capable of doing things myself, you know."

And though the twins silently left with a small bow, she sensed irritation from the two because of her not intentional attitude towards them.

"Girls, I'm sorry," she called after them via telepathy, "You can help if you want. I don't much care either way though."

The Senator's handmaidens returned a short time later and did help out with some of the final things that were being settled into her room. Afterwards, the trio ventured out into the vast sitting chambers and took to gazing out the large viewport, which spanned the entire room, displaying all of Coruscant throughout it. Yet Amidala soon found that her attention was drifting onto the twins and off the planet's city-spanning metropolis.

It'd been five years since she took the two into her service, and what a half-decade that had been. They'd changed her world so much that she had a hard time figuring how she'd gotten on without them. But no longer were the twins those adorable eight year olds whom came to the Theed Royal Palace looking for work. They were teenagers, and somewhat unrecognizable to how they were when she met them. Unlike before, Antellica's once shoulder length long blonde hair was presently short in a bob around her head. Arica's once short shoulder length blonde hair, meanwhile, was presently longer, but still in a shoulder length form that bounced in her wake. In height, the twins were taller than her by about four inches at 5' 6' and in combat and politics; both were very much accomplished for their age.

But however much she enjoyed thinking about her twin handmaidens, Amidala's attention soon returned to the galaxy's capital planet. Coruscant was a world she'd always loved ever since being a small child and definitely intended on officially moving here once the war started. She'd kind of have to anyway, what with everything going on within the Senate after that period. All Senators would be stationed on the capital until the conflict was dealt with.

Excitement was something she was sensing not just from herself about the coming events, but from the twins also about something else. Nonetheless, she was sure she had a pretty good idea as to what could be causing their excited feelings: the Jedi. The sisters had never met one before, and being as Amidala had told them all about the events of the Naboo Crisis, but particularly Anakin, the girls thought of the present Jedi Padawan as a hero, and a great person since besides them, Padme had never been nice or showed kindness to anyone.

The Sith Senator's thoughts were then abruptly interrupted, however, by Jar Jar's voice somewhere behind her.

"Obi? Obi! Mesa so excited to seeing you sir."

He was obviously talking to Obi-Wan. Her assumption was confirmed a second later when she heard his Coruscanti accented voice respond, "Good to see you again Jar Jar."

"Senator Padme!" Jar Jar suddenly called out. Amidala and her entourage turned. (Typho had joined she and the twins a moment before Jar Jar started talking).

"Thesa fellows here," the Gungan continued. "Looky looky Senator! Thesa Jedi arrivin'."

With a smile, Amidala proceeded over towards them with her handmaidens and Typho in tow. As she got nearer, she took a better look at Obi-Wan. He basically appeared the same as he had at twenty-five, except for the rust colored beard on his face and the length of his once military cut hair presently reaching to his shoulder blades. But then her attention was being turned away from the Jedi Master and onto the tall figure standing behind him, who was making a show out of hiding its face with a lowered head. It could only be one person.

"It's a great pleasure to see you again milady," Obi-Wan greeted with an extended hand and smile.

Amidala averted her eyes from the figure of a teenage Anakin and back onto Obi-Wan with a smile just as warm as the one he was wearing. She shook his extended hand jovially. "It's been far too long Master Kenobi."

The Senator then returned her gaze to Kenobi's apprentice and greeted the shy smile that was a lit his face with one of happiness; a rare true smile that was usually reserved for the twins and him also when she once knew him as a boy.

"Anakin!" she exclaimed, beckoning him forward with open arms. "Look at you! You've grown so much! Come here and gimme a hug!"

He did so jovially; encasing her in a warm embrace she knew he'd been dying to perform ever since they parted a decade ago. Pulling apart a moment later, he flashed her a smile that made his nineteen-year-old face suddenly appear young and childlike as the nine-year-old he once was again.

"You've grown too," he observed in a mature sounding voice. "But more beautifully."

The Senator laughed. "I see the crush lingers on, even after all these years."

Anakin blushed in semi-embarrassment and directed his gaze onto the carpeted floor to hide his growing red cheeks.

"Hey! It's alright," she said, lifting his downcast head with a hand. "There's nothing wrong with a good, healthy crush. I myself once had one. I'll have to tell you about it sometime. But not now." She directed her attention onto Obi-Wan and gestured he and his apprentice to the two nearby couches, which faced one another to be seated. Typho, Jar Jar, and the twins followed with both handmaidens seating themselves on either side of their mistress. Binks soon joined them on the right couch, sitting down next to Arica. And though she didn't show it outwardly, Padme knew this disgusted the girl. Obi-Wan and Anakin, meanwhile, took the couch across from them. Typho remained standing, and Obi-Wan began to speak

"Our presence here will be invisible milady, I can assure you."

Typho took that moment to introduce himself. "I'm Captain Typho of her majesty's security service. Queen Jamilla has been informed of your assignment. I am grateful you're here Master Kenobi. The situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit."

Antellica gave a sniff, Arica, a few coughs, and Padme noticed Anakin looking at them strangely before he brought his attention back to her. The Senator bit back a snort of disgust at Typho's little speech.

"I don't need more security, I need answers. I wanna know who's trying to kill me."

As if you don't know, Antellica mentally jeered.

Shut up.

"We're here to protect you Senator," Obi-Wan explained. "Not start an investigation."

"We will find out who's trying to kill you Padme," Anakin spoke up softly, looking at her with that unblinking gaze. "I promise you."

"We will not exceed our mandate, my young Padawan learner," Obi-Wan rebuked in irritation.

I thought Jedi were emotionless corpses? Arica queried. Emotion leads to the dark side.

Shut up!

"I meant in the interest of protecting her Master of course," Anakin argued back.

"We will not go through with this exercise again Anakin," Obi-Wan stated, the irritation more than ever heard in his voice. "And you will pay attention to my lead."

"Why?"

"What?"

Padme was completely taken aback by Anakin's defiance. Obi-Wan wasn't the only one who said 'What?', though, she kept hers to herself.

"Why else do you think we were assigned here if not to find the killer?" Anakin continued, clearly angry at Obi-Wan for not seeing his point. "Protection is a job for local security, not Jedi. It's overkill master, investigation is implied in our mandate."

All the while Anakin and Obi-Wan were arguing, Padme noticed Arica making a show out of scouting as far away from Jar Jar as possible. She shot a glare over her direction, to which she got the reply of a sniff and profanity in thought.

"We will do exactly as the Council has instructed," Obi-Wan continued. "And you will learn your place young one."

Anakin seemed to have accepted defeat, and put his head down. Obi-Wan turned his attention back to Amidala, almost apologetically.

"Perhaps by merely your presence, the mystery surrounding this threat will be revealed," she said looking both Jedi in the eye. "And now if you'll excuse me," she rose from her seat, the Jedi across her did the same, "I will retire."

After receiving a respectful nod from both of her 'protectors', she and the Grievous twins returned her blue and gray interior sleeping chambers.

Padme threw herself onto her black-sheeted bed upon entering. "I have got to get out of this senatorial gown," she sighed.

"Well I don't think laying on the bed is going to get you out of them," Antellica said as she and Arica looked down at her.

Padme jumped up. "Of course not."

Arica went over to one of the room's two clothing burrows on either side of the bed, but the one on the left, opened the top drawer, and took out a tropical blue halter top and white shorts. She came back over to her mistress and placed them in front of her in addition to seating herself beside her.

"Change into these. You'll be much more comfortable."

"Thank you Arica," Padme said in appreciation. She then looked around the room, searching for the clock. "What time is it?"

Antellica looked down at her watch. "1430 Hours."

"Wow, I didn't realize it was so late," she commented.

"Well you know what they say," Arica chirped, "time flies when you're having fun."

"Fun?! You call politics fun?!" Padme said in exasperation. "I don't even remember when the last time I had fun was."

After a brief pause, she remembered though. "Oh yeah! It was during the first assassination attempt. Do you remember girls?"

"Of course," they both responded with a laugh.

"That stupendous bounty hunter, whoever he was, came charging into the house and you electrocuted him to death before he could even touch you," Antellica recalled. "That was funny."

Padme smirked. "Glad you think so."

"And then there was the other attempt with that other bounty hunter," Arica remembered. "He snuck into the house late one night, probably thinking you'd be asleep at that hour, but we were watching HV downstairs."

"Yeah," Antellica said, also now remembering. "And then when he was about to strike you from behind, you whipped around and choked him to death via the Force."

All three females laughed lightly at this.

"Well Padme, you change into these clothes and we'll make dinner," Arica said getting off the bed.

"All right," she agreed. "I like that idea."

With a wave, the two dashed off. Padme, on the other hand, changed into the halter-shorts, kicked back, and relaxed.

A half-hour later, 1500 Hours, the meal, which Antellica and Arica had prepared, was done: Corellian potatoes topped with Neonan red cheese and Corellian Seed Poppers, a type of garnish seasoning. To go with it was an interesting Bothan fish called Salar. It naturally had a bland taste, but topped with with right ingredients and it tasted wonderful.

The three of them ate in the dining hall, talking and laughing in-between.

When they finished, while the girls cleaned up in the kitchen, Padme returned to her bedroom to prepare a speech for tomorrow's Senate meeting.

What she really needed was to continue making her sound argument against the Republic's Military Creation Act. The Republic didn't need an army. Why bother? After all, the Jedi called themselves 'the Republic's Keepers of the Peace.' So if war broke out, they'd simply continue keeping the peace in the galaxy by fighting in the war. It'd be no different than any other assignment to them. They'd become full-fledged warriors, soldiers in battle, and that would be that. And nothing could be done about it because, after all, they were the 'Keepers of the Peace'. It was their responsibility to keep the Republic's member systems safe from any threats, rather they liked it or not.

This would lead to the death of many in their ranks, which would further lead to their eventual extinction.

Looking over the speech she had planned, sans the Jedi extinction part, Amidala was quite proud of the argument she had, and couldn't wait to present it fully tomorrow. It'd get an interesting reaction, because unlike before, she wouldn't be discreet when it came to the matter of the Jedi, in a sense, being the Republic's protection source. She'd come all the way out with it, not caring what anyone, including the Jedi, thought on the matter.

Slipping the sheet of paper she'd written the speech on in a folder, she went to see what the girls were up to.

Arica was curled up on her bed reading, while Antellica was hollering and hooping in front of her own Holovision, egging the athletes on the screen on.

Padme left them both, neither noticed her presence, and returned to her own room.

These days there wasn't much on the HV box that interested her. It was all stupid nonsense about either hooking up, staying thin, or punching someone – though that she found to be slightly interesting. But after a while, even that got old so she switched it to one of the music channels. Most of the music these days sucked, yet she really didn't have anything else to do so watched it anyway.

Eventually, Antellica and Arica moseyed their way into the room and joined her. By that time, however, she'd grown tired of watching pasty faced idiots and freaky aliens attempting to sing and rap when they couldn't, and turned the HV off in irritation, only to have Antellica turn it back on a moment later and switch it to one of the other music stations. One in which real non-pasty faces and freaks, were singing and raping hardcore stuff.

Arica rose from the bed in excitement. "Now this is something worth getting into!"

Antellica and Padme quickly got up to join her.

The HV was turned up to max, and since it was connected to the stereo that made it even louder. The three girls began to jump up and down on the bed and floor, screaming and singing along to the music.

About an hour or so into this, Antellica heard a loud knock on the door, and so answered it.

Anakin Skywalker was standing in the doorway when she opened the door. He glanced at her briefly before looking over her shoulder into the room.

"Hi!" Antellica shouted over the music.

"Hi." Anakin said back, still looking over her shoulder.

Antellica turned around to see what Anakin was staring at. Amidala was still jumping up and down on the bed with Arica, screaming her head off.

When Antellica looked back at Anakin, she saw he had a look of utmost shock on his face.

"You know, it's not nice to not look at someone when you're talking to them," Antellica said to him crossly.

"What? Oh I'm sorry," Anakin said finally looking at her, before glancing over her shoulder again, now looking uncomfortable.

"I guess I'll just come back some other time," he said looking at the floor.

"Hell no!" Antellica exclaimed. "Come in and join us! You look like you could use some fun."

She took Anakin's hand and dragged him into the room. "I'm Antellica by the way."

"Anakin," he introduced.

As Antellica went back to close the door, Arica jumped off the bed. "Hiya!" she said approaching Anakin. "I'm Arica." She held out her hand to shake his.

"Anakin," he said shaking the extended hand.

Antellica had made her way back over again, and he looked from Antellica to Arica and back again. "You're twins, aren't you."

"Yup," Arica replied.

"Interesting. I've never met a set of twins before," he said. "Always wanted too though. So uh, what are you guys doing?"

"Being goof balls as usual," Amidala said, causing them all to jump. None of them had noticed her approach. After composing themselves, the girls noticed Anakin staring at Padme.

"Um, hi."

"Hello Anakin. So would you like to join us?" She had turned the music down a bit so they didn't have to shout. She found his unblinking gaze on her a bit uncomfortable, but shrugged it off. "We're basically just listening to music and dancing around. You should join us. It's not like you have anything else to do. Besides, aren't Jedi allowed to have fun?"

Anakin seemed to hesitate. "Well yeah, I guess so. Sure."

"All right then."

Arica turned the music back up to max and started dancing on the bed again with Padme and Antellica soon joining her.

For a while, Anakin merely sat in a terminal desk chair, which was in front of Padme's computer terminal, to the right of the stereo system, simply watching them – or should we say Padme. He still looked a bit comfortable though.

Noticing this, the Senator jumped off the bed and turned the music down again before heading towards where he was sitting.

"You know Anakin, you don't have to be shy around me and my sisters."

"Sisters?" Anakin asked in confusion. "I thought you said you were an only child like me?"

"Well in the technical sense, yes. Antellica and Arica aren't blood related to me. I just consider them to be my little sisters."

She then launched into the story of how the three met. By now Antellica and Arica had gotten off the bed and joined them, filling in the tale in little bits here and there.

Afterwards, Padme turned the music back up to max and began dancing again. Antellica and Arica pulled on each of Anakin's arms.

"Come on Anakin. Don't just sit here. Join us. It'll be fun."

"Well…"

"I think Anakin's too shy and afraid to join us," Padme suddenly shouted. "Ha! What a wuss!"

"Wuss?!" Anakin shouted. "I think not."

He then jumped onto the bed next to her and began dancing around.

"All right!" the three girls yelled before Antellica and Arica joined the other two on the bed.

They continued on like this for an hour or so before they all collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion.

"Tell me Anakin," Padme requested, "when was the last time you had fun like this?"

"Hmm…well," he propped his head up on his arm, "fun isn't a liberty that most Jedi are allowed, so I really don't know. I guess I'd probably say when I was on Tatooine podracing."

"Interesting," Arica commented. "You know I've read a lot about that, podracing I mean, in different entertainment and sports books and magazines. It sounds like a very exhilarating, if yet dangerous sport."

"Yup. I was the only human who could do it," Anakin boasted, puffing out his chest.

"Do I detect a note of arrogance Anakin?" Padme playfully reprimanded. "Remember young Skywalker, a path to the dark side, arrogance is," she said in perfect imitation of Yoda.

They all burst out laughing. Antellica then asked, "But don't you have any friends at the Jedi Temple to have fun with?" although she already knew the answer.

The smile that had been a lit Anakin's face a moment before instantly vanished. He stopped laughing and put his head down. "No."

After a brief pause, he continued. "I don't have any friends there. I never have. I basically just keep to myself since no one at the temple seems to like me. I'm guessing it's because I started my training so late, and also because I'm this so-called 'Chosen One'. I always hear them talking about me when they think I'm not listening, or not around."

There was another moment of silence before Arica spoke up. "That's so sad. Everyone needs a friend."

Anakin didn't say anything; he just kept his head down.

"Quite frankly Skywalker, I really don't quite get what you're talking about," Padme suddenly said.

Anakin looked up with a confused expression on his face. "What do you mean?"

"Well you said you don't have any friends."

"I don't."

"What pray tell are we then, Yot beans?"

"I mean if you don't want us to be your friends," Antellica began, catching onto what she was saying.

"We totally understand," Arica continued.

"It's just that, well, we thought we were your friends," Padme ended.

"We are," Anakin said. "At least I know you and I are," he said pointing between himself and the Senator.

"Right Ok. Fine," Arica said in mock anger as she got off the bed.

"Yeah we totally understand if you don't want to be friends with two ditsy blonde girls," Antellica added, following her sister off the bed.

"Hey! Watch who you're calling a ditsy blond girl," Arica said looking offended. "I told you I intend on dyeing my hair brown like Padme's."

"Nah, Arica. You look fine the way you are," Padme objected.

"Yeah, I don't think I could see you with brown hair," Antellica seconded. "You'd look strange."

The two then looked at Anakin with mock hurt expressions on their faces.

"Oh come on now, stop looking at me like that," he exclaimed. "Of course I'd like to be friends with you two. Come here." He opened his arms up as a way to tell them to come over and give him a hug. Antellica and Arica looked at each other a moment and smiled before bounding over to him, jumping into his arms, and collapsing onto the bed once more. They all started laughing again and a pillow fight broke out. This went on for a while before they all collapsed onto the bed again.

After a few moments of silence, Anakin asked what time it was.

"2155 Hours!" Antellica exclaimed jumping up from the bed.

Anakin and Arica also jumped up.

"I didn't realize it was that late!" he exclaimed. "I really should leave. Obi-Wan said he'd be back up around 2200 Hours to see how my security route was going. I should be out there when he arrives."

"And I should be in bed," Arica added. "I'm absolutely exhausted."

Antellica yawned and said goodnight to Padme before heading for the rooms' exit. Arica and Anakin did the same so they all exited together. Padme overheard them all say their goodnights in the hall before parting. Just as she was about to change for bed, she noticed a small holocamera propped up in front of her computer monitor. And from the red light shining, she could tell it was on.

Stalking angrily towards it, she realized Anakin must've put it there while he was sitting at the desk.

Just what I need is a peeping tom.

She sensed from the camera the feeling of being watched. Placing it face down in the desk chair, she placed a blanket atop it so no one could spy on her.

After setting a program in her astromech droid, R2-D2, Padme left her room to inform Anakin, who was in the living room gazing out the floor-to-ceiling window behind the two couches, that she'd covered the camera and programmed R2 to warn he and Obi-Wan if there was an intruder. He turned to her and nodded.

She was just about to leave when suddenly he crossed the moderately large space between them and grabbed her arm to stop her. She was mildly surprised by this and made sure to let it show on her facial expression. "Yes?"

"Um Padme, can I ask you something?" he asked tentatively.

"You just did," she quipped.

He gave a slight chuckle and she laughed as well before they composed themselves. "Of course you can ask me something," she replied to his question. "You ask me anything you want."

"I was…just wondering if you ever thought of me over the past ten years?" he asked in a rush.

"Of course I did; plenty of times. Lots of times I'd ask the Chancellor, who as you know is a dear friend of mine, if he'd seen you at all in recent weeks or months, and he'd tell me either yes or no. Just because I am a former Queen, and current Senator doesn't mean I'd forgotten my little, or in this case now, younger, friend."

Anakin beamed and she smiled back before letting herself go of his arm and going back to her room.

Changing into a white silk nightgown, she said goodnight to R2 – who beeped back at her – and climbed into bed. She fell asleep a short time later.

Padme didn't know how much later it'd been, but it couldn't of been long, when suddenly she was awoken by the sound of a lightsaber activating. Jolting up from her laying position, she saw Anakin on the bed, swinging his lightsaber to kill two worm-like creatures, which had apparently been trying to assassinate her. Sensing danger still at her left window, she looked over at it to find a global shaped black assassin droid about to fly away. Obi-Wan apparently saw the droid as well, for he ran over to the window and (gasp alert!) jumped through the glass, catching the droid as it began to fly away.

Padme sat there with her mouth agape, not believing what she'd just seen. Talk about an adventurous Jedi!

She barely heard Anakin tell her to stay where she was when suddenly she was being bombarded with questions by the figures of Antellica, Arica, and Captain Typho, all of whom raced into the room just as Anakin was running out.

"Are you alright milady?"

"We heard breaking glass!"

"What's going on?"

"Where's the assassin?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes. I'm fine I'm fine. Just a bit shaken that's all." She then explained to them what had happened since she woke, which wasn't much. Afterwards, she asked R2 if he'd alerted the Jedi when he sensed danger like she'd programmed him to do. The Sith Lady could understand and speak droid, so she knew what he said when he answered in beeps.

'No, I didn't sense any danger. I thought I'd heard something earlier, but dismissed it as my imagination. I just saw Anakin burst in here with his lightsaber raised before he killed the two poisonous kouhun worms.'

Padme nodded and repeated what R2 had said to her assembled audience. Antellica and Arica then cleared up the remains of the worms with disgusted looks and lots of tissues before quickly tossing them in the nearby trash bin.

Padme closed her eyes and considered eavesdropping on the Jedi to see what they were up to, but was too tired, and as such wouldn't be able to concentrate and focus fully, so she chose not to.

"Milady, for your own safety, I suggest you sleep the rest of the night on the sofa in the living room," Captain Typho was saying.

"Right, of course, whatever." She climbed out of bed and walked sleepily out of her room.

As soon as she got next to the sofa, she collapsed onto it. Antellica and Arica followed her with pillows and blankets. Antellica put a pillow under Padme's head while Arica put a blanket on top of her. The girls then settled themselves on the floor with more pillows and blankets; she guessed they were going to sleep on the floor to be near her. She smiled at the thought and gesture.

"Thank you girls."

"You're welcome Padme."

Padme yawned yet again, and within five minutes time she was back in peaceful country of pleasant dreams.