Episode III: Attack of the Clones
Chapter 3: Going Into Hiding
The next morning, Padme woke up late. When she stretched out with her senses, she felt that the Jedi were no longer in the building and Antellica and Arica were approaching. A few moments later, the two came in carrying breakfast.
"Good morning girls," she greeted.
"Oh good, you are awake," Antellica said with a smile. "We were going to wake you if you weren't, for as you can see, we brought breakfast."
"We ordered it from Biscuit Baron," Arica explained as they placed the food on the floor before her. "Being as they're a fast food restaurant, they don't deliver. However, once we demanded over and over that they bring the food here to our mistress Senator Amidala, who was practically dying of starvation after the assassination attempt which was done to her last night, they hopped over here faster than you could say, 'Presto.'"
Padme laughed and got off the sofa to join them on the floor. "That's real funny Arica," she appraised. Breakfast was a meat-filled bagel for each person. Fruit juice was the drink of choice.
After taking a shower and dressing, Padme decided to go over her Senatorial report in the living room to help pass the time until that day's Senate session at 1300 Hours.
As she was taking the report out of the folder she'd placed it in yesterday, however, she sensed Sidious' presence enter her apartment.
What is he doing here?
Retrieving her report, she exited her sleeping quarters to find Chancellor Palpatine in the living room, talking to Antellica and Arica. Captain Typho was approaching her.
"Milady, Chancellor Palpatine is here to speak with you."
Well that's obvious, isn't it dimwit. Why else would he be here? But what could he have to say that couldn't have been said through our mental bond?
Palpatine looked up as he saw Amidala approaching.
"My dear Senator," he greeted. "Good morning. I hope the day finds you well."
"As well as can be expected Chancellor." She sat down on one of the sitting room's two sofas and gestured for him to do the same beside her. "What with the assassination attempt last night." She smirked. "I suppose that's why you're here. To present your apologizes once more, and say how sorry you are. That, or you came to gloat about how you were right about the Jedi protecting me. They came in handy after all."
"Well yes, it would seem that they did." He took the seat Amidala had gestured to. "And perhaps I did come over to express how happy I am to see you alive and well. But that's not the only, or shall I say, real reason I came here."
"Oh? And what was your real reason then Chancellor?" she asked as Antellica, Arica, and Typho exited the room, though they all went in separate directions.
Once they were officially gone she spoke again, but this time in a deadly whisper. "Spit it out Chancellor! Why are you here?"
Palpatine merely looked amused as he spoke. "Well Senator, it seems someone wants you dead."
Amidala rolled her eyes. "Obviously. We've had this conversation before."
"Yes, I know we have." Palpatine got up and walked towards the window straight ahead.
Raising her eyebrows at this, she smirked before going over to join him. She knew the only reason he went over there was because the surveillance cameras in the living room weren't aimed towards the window. They wouldn't be seen or overheard.
"This matter must be of quite importance for you to hide from security cameras," she observed.
"Yes, I would say it is." He turned his attention back to the window. "Anakin stopped by my office today."
There was a moment of silence after this pronouncement. Padme stood there, tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for him to continue. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction he wanted by saying, And?
Padme had never been one for patience, and clearly he was testing her on that now. And while for sometime it seemed like she could hold out, eventually she grew tired of the pointless silence and gave in to his nonsense.
"And?"
He gave her a smirk of triumph before walking out onto the nearby balcony and stood. She followed, but still he remained silent, simply gazing out over the shuttles and speeders as they flew by. He was testing her patience to the limit now, and she was getting really angry. This was no time for a Sith patience lesson.
"Well get on with it already," she finally snapped.
She saw his self-satisfied smile. But after a moment he did continue. "It seems the Jedi think you'd be safer hiding on Naboo, compared to staying here."
Padme gave a small laugh. "Do they now?"
"Yes. I'm sure Anakin will be over in a little while to escort you to the refugee ship you'll be taking there."
"Refugee ship?!" she asked in confusion. " What are you talking about? I'm not going back to Naboo. I'm staying right where I am. It's my duty to stay here. And nothing you, or the Jedi say is going to change that."
Palpatine appeared unmoved by Padme's defiance, which only angered her even more.
"I see," he said smoothly. "You are aware Senator, that I can make it an executive order for you to return to Naboo."
Padme swore. "You can't make me do jack!"
"I can." The Chancellor allowed a rare evil grin. "And I will. You will return to Naboo disguised as a refugee. And you will hide out at your lakeside mansion in the lake country. That is an order!"
Padme swore again ("Burn in hell old man!"), but Palpatine merely laughed. "I probably will Senator, I probably will."
Exiting the balcony, he continued to speak. "Well that is all my dear. I shall see you again soon. And I think you can make good use of your time on Naboo, alone with Anakin, if you get my meaning."
With a wink and a dry laugh, the Chancellor left her apartment.
Padme stood and watched him go, livid with rage, hands balled into fists. Oh yes, she knew what he meant all right. And she didn't like it. Not one bit. Yet it's not like she had much of a choice. Stalking back into her room, she found two things different about it:
1) – The window repair droid had arrived to put in a replacement window to the one Kenobi had crashed through the night before, and
2) – Antellica and Arica were busy packing her things.
They looked up when they saw her, but did not speak.
"So, I guess he told you then," she stated.
They both nodded.
Throwing her hands into the air in fury, she stalked over to her intercom and barked for Captain Typho to contact Representative Binks and inform him to come to her residence at once. She then went back into the living room to wait.
When Anakin arrived a few minutes later, she did not look up or speak to him, despite the fact that he'd said hello. She merely continued to examine her fingernails with rude interest. She knew he was watching her, but he didn't say anything else. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him head towards her room.
He obviously must've sensed the girls in there and went in to chat, she thought bitterly.
When Jar Jar arrived a few moments later, she met him at the door.
"Senator Amidalee!" he exclaimed upon entering. "How great to see yousa again. Mesa heard about the assassination attempt last night. And mesa would like to say-"
"Let's keep this brief Jar Jar," she irritably cut across him. He gave a blink of confusion. "I'm taking an extended leave of absence. It'll be your responsibility to take my place in the Senate. I presume I will be able to trust you with this."
"Of course Senator. Mesa is honored to be taking on thisa heavy burden. Mesa accept this with moy moy humility, and ah-"
"Thank you Jar Jar, that will be all," and she proceeded to slam the door in the confused Gungan's face. Padme had abruptly cut him off on purpose. She had no wish to hear him chattering on about nonsense.
Turning, she saw Anakin off at a distance, in her room entranceway, watching her. She huffed and glared at him as she stalked towards and past him in the room.
"I do not like this idea of hiding."
"Don't worry," he said, following her into the room. "Now that the Council's ordered an investigation, it won't be long until Master Obi-Wan finds this bounty hunter."
"I haven't worked for a year to defeat the Military Creation Act, to not be here when it's fate is decided," she argued angrily as she began to snatch particles of clothing out of Antellica and Arica's hands to pack herself.
"Sometimes we must let go of our pride, and do what is requested of us." Anakin simply stated.
She turned to him, her eyes flaring with rage. "How dare you? You arrogant son of bantha! Don't you dare tell me what to do you worthless-"
She abruptly stopped herself at the look of shocked disbelief on Anakin's face and gave a sniff. "Why Anakin, it would appear that someone's finally grown up."
Anakin gave a brief smile at this pronouncement, and then walking over to the window that was still being replaced said, "Master Obi-Wan manages not to see it."
He was a silent a moment before continuing. "Don't get me wrong, Obi-Wan is a great mentor."
Padme suddenly looked up from her suitcase at the feeling of Anakin using the Force. And indeed he was. He was using it to float a little decorative crystal ball she had sitting near the window ledge.
"He's as powerful as Master Yoda, and as wise as Master Windu," he stated and then glanced over as if to make sure she was watching him 'show off' with the crystal ball. Padme was disgusted to see him using the Force so carelessly.
"I am truly thankful to be his apprentice. In some ways. Actually, a lot of ways. I'm really ahead of him. I'm ready for the trials. But he feels that I'm too unpredictable. He won't let me move on."
The Sith Lady found it interesting how he was pouring his heart out to her like this. Obviously, he was expecting her to say something in reply, for he'd stopped talking and was looking at her expectantly.
"That must be frustrating."
"It's worse. He's overly critical. He never listens. He doesn't understand. And it's not fair."
Anakin's voice had taken on an angry sort of whiny tone. Padme felt the powerful urge to give him a tissue and quip, "Aww, poor baby," but didn't. Despite herself, she couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him, cursing the Jedi for treating him like this.
"All mentors seem to have a way to see more of our faults than we would like. It's the only way we grow."
Padme remembered all too well when she'd train with Sidious and he'd always find something that she was doing wrong, never the stuff she was doing right. Thankfully, she was a fast learner so this criticism didn't last very long.
Anakin heaved a sigh and sat down on the edge of the bed next to the suitcase she was presently filling. "I know."
Padme wasn't entirely sure what to say to Anakin, so decided to offer him some regular levelheaded advice.
"Anakin."
He looked up.
"Don't try to grow up too fast."
He stood up to face her. "But I am grown up. You said so yourself."
The look on his face was currently one of longing. And she knew if she didn't stop him, he'd end up kissing her right then and there. She didn't want that.
"Don't look at me like that," she commanded.
"Why not?"
"Because I said so," she said viciously before stalking off, continuing to pack.
"Sorry milady," she heard him mutter. Yet when she turned back to look at him, she noticed he was smirking slightly.
"And you can take that arrogant smirk off your fat face," she spat.
"My face isn't fat," he protested, his smirk becoming more evident by the second.
She continued to glare at him, nevertheless, it didn't at all faze him as he continued to gaze at her with a look that clearly said, 'You know you like me. There's no reason trying to resist it.'
"Arica!" Padme suddenly shouted. This wasn't at all necessary since Arica was in fact standing no further than three feet away from her. Both girls jumped at the shout, but quickly composed themselves.
Arica stepped forward. "Yes, Padme?"
"Escort this arrogant Jedi boy out of here now. And keep him occupied until I finish changing into my," she coughed, "refugee clothes."
"I hear and obey mistress," she said with a mock bow. This brought a laugh from both Anakin and Antellica while Padme merely coughed.
"I can keep Anakin occupied too if you want," Antellica suggested.
"If I had wanted you to keep the Jedi boy (she refused to say his name) occupied until I finished I would have said so. But I didn't, so quiet!"
Antellica seemed a bit taken aback and hurt by her words, but merely nodded sadly and continued to pack.
When Padme looked back at Arica, though, it was to find her looking quite gleeful. She guessed this was because most of the time, out of the two of them, Arica was usually the one that got hollered at. Not that Padme always shouted at the twins, but she was always a very short-tempered person; and would always just let her anger out on people by shouting sometimes. Most said that it wasn't nice, but no one said anything about Padme being a nice person. Quickness to anger came with being on the dark side. Anakin, meanwhile, looked disturbed.
Sniffing, Arica took Anakin's arm and 'escorted' him out the room. They began smirking and whispering among themselves and by the time the door had closed behind them Padme could hear them laughing loudly.
She gave a snort of disgust and turned her attention back to Antellica.
"All your clothes are packed and sorted out milady," she spoke in a soft hurt filled voice. And when she then gave a soft little sniff Padme realized she was crying.
"Oh Antellica!" She walked over and enfolded the girl in a hug. "I'm so sorry."
Although Antellica had a tendency to draw attention to herself, to the extreme that she often overshadowed and looked down on Arica, she was a very sensitive person. And it was hard sometimes to remember this being as Padme thought of Antellica as a younger version of herself. Not in appearance of course, but in attitude. After a few minutes Antellica calmed down.
"I really am sorry Antellica," she said to her. "It's just that I've been so frustrated with everything going on. And Sidious," she gave a sniff of disgust, "he wants me to hook up with Anakin while I'm hiding on Naboo with him."
As Antellica then began to help her into her 'refugee outfit' she continued. "You can't just tell someone to hook up on a whim. I really don't even like him that much. Well maybe a little, but just as a friend."
"But isn't that the reason you were born?" Antellica asked. "To help lure the 'Chosen One' to the dark side by marrying him?"
"Of course. I know that. I just…I don't know. Let's talk about something else."
The fact that Amidala was going into hiding was to remain completely confidential between the Jedi, Chancellor, Captain Typho, her handmaidens, Representative Binks, and the entire opposition against the Military Creation Act. The press and outside public were not to know about it. Because of this, the Senator decided to have Antellica stay on Coruscant acting as her. She'd wear a brunette wig and have a lot of makeup applied to make her look as much like Amidala as possible. The Senator believed they could pull it off and fool the outside public, for a little while anyway. She hoped she wouldn't be gone long.
When she finished changing, she and Antellica picked up her three suitcases and exited the room. Padme was a bit surprised to see that Anakin and Arica were nowhere to be found. Shrugging, she looked over to Captain Typho, who was approaching them.
"Milady, the shuttle which will take you to your transport has arrived."
"Thank you Captain," she said as Typho then took the two suitcases that she was carrying off her hands.
As they rode the elevator down, Padme asked the security captain where Anakin and Arica were. He said they were already down in the shuttle waiting along with Obi-Wan.
She nodded and the elevator doors opened.
After exiting the building and assuring a group of paparazzi and reporters that were waiting for her outside that she was fine and simply going to the Senate Building for an early meeting, they entered the shuttle.
The ride to the transport center was uneventful and spent in silence with the exception of two things:
1) – Amidala nodding and saying "Hello" to Obi-Wan, and him returning the gesture, and
2) – Anakin and Arica chatting quietly in the back of the shuttle about who knows what.
Every once in a while either one, or both of them, would make a loud outburst of laughter and giggles while looking at Antellica, who meanwhile threw the pair of them evil, disgusted looks.
Naturally, Padme could've eavesdropped on their conversation to see what was so humorous, but didn't really see the point.
When they arrived a few minutes later, they all made to exit the shuttle. Captain Typho took that moment to speak. "Be safe milady."
"Thank you Captain," she said with a smile. "Take good care of the girls. The threat's on you three now."
"He'll be safe with us," Arica joked as a way to lighten the mood. Anakin laughed and then proceeded to whisper something to her. She blushed furiously and gave him a mock punch on the arm.
Padme turned away in disgust at the sight of them to find Antellica looking at her with sad nervousness.
"You'll be fine," she assured her.
"It's not me Padme," Antellica protested. "I'm worried about you. What if they realize you've left the capital?"
Padme tried to put on as cheerful a face as possible concerning the situation. "Well then, my Jedi protector will have to prove how good he is."
She turned to smile at Anakin, but he was still conversing in whispers with Arica.
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan suddenly said, breaking up Anakin and Arica's conversation. Arica walked off and Anakin turned towards his master.
Obi-Wan spoke in a commanding tone of voice. "Don't do anything without first consulting either myself, or the Council."
"Yes master," he said humbly nodding before going over to Antellica and giving her a hug while whispering something to her. When they broke apart, Antellica was beaming. Afterwards, he went back over to Arica. Padme quickly turned away and smiled at Obi-Wan. He returned it and assured, "I'll get to the bottom of this plot quickly milady. You'll be back here in no time."
"I will be most grateful for your speed Master Jedi," she said.
He nodded and Anakin spoke to her. "It's time to go."
"I know," for she'd seen the crowds of middle-class and lower life people that were now heading towards the transport across from them.
She hugged both girls and said goodbye to Captain Typho before walking down the shuttle steps and towards the transport with R2 following. Anakin and Obi-Wan said their force be with you goodbyes before Anakin joined her.
"This is my first assignment on my own," Anakin said from beside her. "I'm very excited about it."
Padme smiled. "I'm sure you are Anakin. And I'm happy I get to share your first assignment with you. Even if someone wants me dead."
She gave a dry laugh, to which Anakin soon joined in. R2 gave a little chirp behind them.
"So what are our aliases?" she asked.
"Brian and Kim Staffin from the Thousand Systems," he replied.
"Husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, brother and sister, or cousins?" she asked although she already had a suspicion as to what the answer was.
"Uh, husband and wife," he answered. "If it were boyfriend and girlfriend we'd have different last names."
"Not necessarily," she replied. "Not every one who shares the same last name is related, just like everyone who shares the same first or middle name isn't related. What is your middle name anyway? Or do you even have one?"
"It's Hayden actually."
"Nice. I have two middle names. Zandeleigh and Naberrie, though I usually don't go by Naberrie all that much."
"Fascinating. Naberrie's the same surname as the deceased Naboo Royals," he stated.
"It is actually." Padme was slightly surprised he knew that. "But Naberrie isn't my last name, it's my middle name. Though as I said, I don't publicly use it. It always reminds people of the deceased Royals. How did you know that was their last name anyway?"
"When I was younger, I had to do a history report on ten different planets in the Mid Rim Territories," Anakin explained. "Naboo was one of the planet's I chose. The report required for me to give all sorts of background information about the planet. Habitat. Cultures. The royal family dynasty before Naboo began electing monarchs. To be honest with you, I found their deaths to be quite intriguing. Not the fact of them dying being intriguing," he quickly added at her interested raise of an eyebrow. "No. Just the way it happened. Right after the birth of Princess Maratina's daughter."
Padme really wanted to get off these shaky waters. This reminded her of before when Anakin had simply known her as a handmaiden, when in fact she had been the Queen. And now she was Naboo's Representative in the Senate, when in actuality she was the rightful heiress to the royal throne. Like before, it's not that she didn't want Anakin to know, he'd find out eventually. But now the time just wasn't right.
She simply gave a smile. "Yes, it was a pity about the family. But think of it this way: if the Royal House hadn't of been killed, I doubt you would've ever met me, being as I was Naboo's elected Monarch. If they were still alive, Naboo wouldn't have elected officials."
Anakin nodded. "True."
By now, they were approaching the entrance of the refugee transport and got in line with everyone else. Anakin handed his companion her alias identification card and transport ticket.
They boarded without a problem and headed for the room they were assigned to. It wasn't much of a room, but then Padme hadn't been expecting much. There was a bed, a fresher, and a small lamp atop an equally small nightstand, which a HV sat on. Once they entered and closed the door behind them, Padme asked in disgust, "This is it?"
"Yeah, it's not much. But I guess it'll have to do."
"How long will the flight be?" she asked while putting her things down.
"Eleven and a half hours because of all of the stops."
"Great. So we won't be here that long."
Anakin put his stuff down next to hers and just stood there looking around. She then noticed him eying the Holovision.
"It would appear you'll have something to occupy your time with," she said with a nod to the HV.
"Yeah, I was just thinking that," he said, still eying it.
Upon finishing up with putting down her things she turned to him. "Well Brian, why don't you say we go and get something to eat."
Anakin shrugged. "Why not? Lead the way Kimmy."
Padme offered him her hand, to which he eagerly took, and they made their way to the mess hall with R2.