Chapter Ten – The Plan.
At Padmé's meeting, Sabé stood on her cousin's left side, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. Eirtaé and Rabé had taken up positions on the right and by the door, and were standing as still and silent as she was. She knew that she didn't stand much chance of fooling people, especially Anakin, into believing that she was Padmé as a handmaiden, but she hoped that if she kept still enough nobody would pay her any attention. She had a wonderful view of everyone's feet from underneath her cowl and had spent the past five minutes deciding that Qui-Gon's boots were by no means as shiny as Panaka's. She had been paying a small amount of attention to what Padmé was saying, but she had heard her rehearsing her speech prior to the meeting. It was only when the others began speaking that she began to listen properly.
"As soon as we land, the Federation will arrest you and force you to sign the treaty," Panaka was saying gravely.
"I agree," Qui-Gon put in. "I'm not sure what you wish to accomplish by this."
Padmé didn't like that. "I will take back what's ours," she told them all firmly.
"There are too few of us, Your Highness," Panaka reminded gently. "We have no army."
Sabé rolled her eyes under her cowl. Did he think the Queen of Naboo was completely stupid?
"And I can only protect you, I can't fight a war for you," Qui-Gon said.
It was a comment Sabé found strange. Since when did the formidable team of Jinn and Kenobi become an 'I' rather than a 'we'? She could feel how stung Obi-Wan was. There was a delicate air of tension in the room, displaying the resentment that currently lay between them.
Padmé, deciding to ignore her companions' comments, looked beyond them and called, "Jar Jar Binks?"
"Mesa, Your Highness?" he blurted.
"Yes," came the soft reply. "I need your help."
She explained her plan in calm, simple terms, ensuring that everyone present understood. Jar Jar would speak to his leader on their behalf and then Queen Amidala would discuss an alliance with them. It seemed simple enough, but Sabé knew better than to hope it would proceed as smoothly, especially when the Queen would in fact be saying nothing. It would be her job to convince the Gungan leader and she wasn't at all sure that she was up to it.
"Captain Panaka," Padmé said quietly after her explanation. "Would you confer with the pilot and find a safe place to land in the swamps? Now please, leave us. I must prepare."
The gathered group of men and Gungan bowed and left.
"Rabé, Eirtaé, you know what we need, could you see to it?"
"Of course, Your Highness." Eirtaé bowed.
Padmé turned to her friend as the other two departed.
"Oh Sab," she whispered, revealing for a brief moment how scared she really was. "Are you sure you want to do this? It won't be easy."
"It's not going to be easy whatever we do."
Padmé looked mournful and pulled off her veiled headdress, revealing an unbrushed mass of curls, a sight that made Sabé want to smile. The audience that had just departed had no idea how untidy the apparently perfectly groomed Queen really was.
"True. 'Easy' is too promising a word to use. Remember, you know me and the way I conduct business. This alliance with the Gungans has to work."
"I'll do my very best."
Padmé stood up and hugged her.
"I have to stop the Federation," she said. "Or else our Naboo will be lost. I hope everyone's safe. I haven't thought about my family since this affair began, isn't that terrible?"
"No," Sabé reassured. "You're under an incredible amount of pressure. You've been so strong. I'm truly proud of you."
"I haven't had time to congratulate Sola."
Sabé smiled. "About her engagement?"
Padmé nodded. "It will be strange to see her go."
"How does Aunt Jobal feel about it?"
A smile crept about Padmé's face as she thought of her mother.
"She's happy for her I think, but it will be strange for her to lose her eldest daughter." She sighed. "Especially with me living at the palace."
Sabé placed a hand on her shoulder. "You will see them again, Padmé."
Her cousin's gaze became determined.
"Yes we will make this work, Sabé. You and I. We have the Jedi on our side."
"Yes," Sabé said thoughtfully. "The Jedi."
At that moment the Jedi were standing not far away, deep in discussion.
"She's hiding something, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said. "That was Padmé Naberrie in the Queen's attire, did you not sense it?"
"Yes, Master."
"The handmaiden on the right, I'd never seen her before. I think she may be the real Queen."
It took all of Obi-Wan's restraint not to snigger at that. Qui-Gon, in his usual sharp manner, had discovered the deception, only had managed somehow to get the two young women mixed up. That was what sobered the Padawan. His Master did not usually make mistakes and yet recently he had been slipping. His fight with the Sith Lord on Tatooine had left him physically weakened too. It was impossible to deny the fact that age might be catching up with him.
"Obi-Wan?"
"Sorry, Master, I was thinking. I feel we will know the truth about the Queen soon."
Qui-Gon nodded gravely. "I sense that also. You should get some rest before we land."
He walked off down the corridor. Obi-Wan let out a sigh. Qui-Gon was still upset with him over their argument concerning Anakin Skywalker. It would have to be resolved soon or they wouldn't work as well together during the battle. That would not do at all.
Two of the Queen's handmaidens passed him carrying boxes and he flattened against the wall to let them by.
"Much obliged, Jedi Kenobi," one of them, he thought her name was Rabé, said as she passed. "Would you be so kind as to hit the panel for us?"
"Of course." He touched the panel and the door slid up.
"Thank you." Smiling, the handmaidens entered the Queen's chamber.
"These boxes are so awkward," Rabé complained as the door closed behind Eirtaé. Turning to Sabé she said, "Your young Jedi had to help us with the door."
She blushed and this time there was no face paint to hide behind.
"He's not my Jedi and you know it."
Rabé shot her a wink and opened the boxes. Sabé helped Padmé out of her ornate robe and gathered it up with the headdress.
"I'll go and hang this up before it creases."
Close to where she had fallen into Obi-Wan before she met Anakin wandering around the hold.
"Are you all right?" she asked, mildly irritated that her 'Sabé's back on Coruscant' charade would now be blown. Perhaps Anakin wouldn't notice the change in handmaiden numbers.
"I was looking for Padmé. Have you seen her?"
"She's helping the Queen prepare for battle," she lied, hanging Padmé's silk gown in the wardrobe and retrieving the battle dress.
"Oh. Will I get to see her soon?"
"I'm not sure, Anakin, I'm sorry I can't be of more help."
"That's okay. Can I ask you a question?" he asked, looking at her with large blue eyes.
"Of course."
"You look kinda similar to Padmé, do all the Queen's handmaidens look the same?"
She smiled. "In a way, yes. Part of why we are chosen is due to our resemblance to the qu…each other, so that we may act more as a team."
"Oh." He wrinkled his forehead in thought. "Well, I'd better go and rest. Qui-Gon said it would be a good idea."
"I agree. I'll speak to Padmé for you." She ruffled his hair and left, battle dress in hand. Really, Anakin was a very pleasant child. She admired the way he was coping with having left his mother behind on Tatooine. She knew she would probably not have dealt with it so well at so young an age. But Obi-Wan had said he was an exceptional boy Coping with emotional trauma was probably only scratching the surface of his gifts. In later years, there would be no being in the galaxy that did not recognise the talents of Anakin Skywalker.