A/N: Here it is, the first parts of episode 3. Dialogue belongs to George Lucas : )

Chapter Forty-Three – Some Things Better Left Unsaid.

"Kidnapped?" Sabé repeated, taken aback. "The Separatists must have a spy in the Senate."

Padmé nodded. "Somehow they've heard about all Palpatine's war efforts. There's no other reason why they would take him."

"Well," Cherek put in, "there's always the fact that without him the Senate would crumble. That seems reason enough."

Sabé automatically glared at him, then caught herself and pasted a neutral expression on her face. "Senator Amidala, it puts me in mind of what Obi-Wan Kenobi told me, just after the Battle of Geonosis."

Padmé remembered the clandestine conversation between Obi-Wan, Mace Windu and Yoda that Sabé had told her about, where they had talked of a Sith Lord named Darth Sidious.

Cherek looked at the two women, something between suspicion and guile tainting his face. "What's that?"

"Nothing," Padmé replied, smiling sweetly. "A past matter. If you will excuse us, Senator Cherek, we have much to discuss."

There was the briefest flicker of irritation in his eyes. Then he smiled and said, "Of course. Senator Amidala, Miss Naberrie." With a slight bow he turned on his heel and walked off down the corridor.

Padmé and Sabé exchanged a glance before stepping into the turbolift. In the apartment, Typho, Moteé and Ellé were sitting watching the HoloNet News. Padmé had left the handmaidens with orders to make a pot of caf, but they were completely enthralled with the coverage of the battle that was currently occurring in orbit above Coruscant. Padmé couldn't blame them for that and so said nothing. She and Sabé sat down to see what was going on.

"M'Lady," Moteé spoke up, "the announcer has just identified two Jedi fighters out there as Kenobi and Skywalker."

Padmé's eyes widened. "I see. Thank you, Moteé. Which fighters were they?"

"You've just missed them, M'Lady. They landed on General Grievous's ship, looking somewhat worse for wear."

"They've been sent after Palpatine then," Sabé said. "But I thought they were still on some other planet."

"They must have been called when the invasion started," Padmé voiced.

"Very possible, M'Lady," Typho offered. "I heard from security that a signal was sent out to all Jedi ships in current usage."

"And who better to rescue the Chancellor than Kenobi and Skywalker?" Ellé said with a smile.

Padmé gave her a cool look. "You forget, Ellé, that one of those is my husband and the other my friend. I don't take their being given a dangerous mission lightly."

Ellé's face fell. "Sorry, M'Lady. I did forget. You keep your secret too well."

Sabé watched the exchange, feeling increasingly glad that she had no staff of her own to deal with. Her marriage to Obi-Wan was one of the best-kept secrets on the planet. Even Cherek suspected nothing. The event following Obi-Wan's return to Coruscant after his imprisonment had been rectified by Yoda. Sabé had never been given the details of exactly what had occurred between the wise Jedi Master and the senator, but Cherek had never mentioned it again.

The five sat and watched the continual news coverage, waiting for the Jedi to emerge from Grievous's ship. Padmé disappeared to get changed, taking Moteé with her. Moteé was not quite as artistic with hair as Rabé had been, but she still ensured that Padmé looked as formal or informal as the situation needed.

Just as the handmaiden was putting the final pins in place, there came a cry from the social area and Sabé's voice called, "Padmé! Get out here!"

She hurried out just in time to see one half of Grievous's ship plummeting down towards Coruscant, flames bursting from its hull. Quick-acting ships were flying alongside it, spraying jets of water on the fire. C-3P0 teetered out from the kitchen and glanced at the scene on the holo. "Goodness gracious me!" he exclaimed.

Padmé exchanged a look with Sabé, both reading their own expression in the other's eyes. My husband is in that ship.

Typho observed the looks and stood up. "I'll call for an air taxi."

Padmé, Sabé, Typho and 3P0 dashed down to the lower level and reached the landing platform just in time to observe the wounded ship crash down on a runway in the distance. Gasps escaped the three humans and there came an "Oh my!" from 3P0.

Padmé raced over to the waiting air taxi and leapt in. "The Senate docks," she barked at the driver as the others got in. "As quick as you can."

The driver obliged, not wishing to upset an already anxious senator. Presently, the small party reached the docks, and Typho and 3P0 joined the small group of delegates that had gathered to await the Chancellor's return. Jar Jar Binks was among them, looking calm and sombre. The three years of war had made him more morose, much to Sabé's relief.

Padmé hid herself in the shadows behind a pillar to wait. Sabé moved further forward, crouching behind some packing cases. They were there for perhaps ten minutes before a small airbus flew in to land. Chancellor Palpatine was the first to step off, walking straight into the middle of the crowd of concerned politicians. While all the attention was centred on him, Sabé made her way up to the pilot of the bus, displaying her identification card. "I'm here to talk to General Kenobi," she explained. "Master Yoda sent me to ensure that he return to the Temple straight away."

The pilot nodded and let her sneak on board. She could see Obi-Wan chatting to Anakin through the open hatch at the front end of the vehicle and knelt down by the seats to listen.

"Hold on," Anakin was saying, "this whole operation was your idea."

"Let us not forget, Anakin, that you rescued me from the buzz droids and you killed Count Dooku and you rescued the Chancellor carrying me unconscious on your back."

Sabé stifled a giggle. Surely the two Jedi weren't trying to out-do each other?

"All because of your training," Anakin countered.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan shot back. "Lets be fair, today you were the hero. And you deserve your glorious day with the politicians."

'Ah,' Sabé thought. 'So that's what this is about.'

Anakin audibly sighed. "Alright, but you owe me one and not for saving your skin for the tenth time."

"Ninth time," the Jedi Master corrected. "That business on Cato Neimoidia doesn't, doesn't count. I'll see you at the briefing." With that he turned away and the hatch closed. Anakin walked off towards the delegates and Obi-Wan tried not to laugh at the sight of his plucky wife kneeling on the floor. "Do you make a habit of that?"

She glanced up. "You've cut your hair."

"Hello to you too," he said, feigning offence.

She smiled. "You know full well that if these walls weren't made almost entirely of transparisteel I would leap at you."

"Sounds fair enough." He grinned.

Sabé rose to sit on one of the seats and Obi-Wan joined her. "So," she began. "You rescued Palpatine."

"Eventually."

"How did it go?"

"Not bad."

She gave him a dig in the ribs. "Not bad? You said Anakin had to carry you at some point!"

"Oh yes. Well, apart from that."

Sabé studied his face. "Hmm. You owe me the story sometime soon."

"Done."

They clasped hands and rode the rest of the way to the Jedi Temple in comfortable silence. Sabé sat in Obi-Wan's room and composed letters to her mother and Saché while waiting for her husband to finish his report to the Jedi Council. The session ended before nightfall, allowing Obi-Wan and Sabé to spend the evening catching up.

Not far away in 500 Republica, Padmé and Anakin were also enjoying the quality time together. The impetuous Jedi Knight suspected nothing of how close his old Master was to his wife's old handmaiden. He knew that Obi-Wan certainly cared for Sabé, perhaps more than he should do, but he said nothing about it, knowing that Obi-Wan probably suspected that Anakin had affection for Padmé. He definitely wouldn't want that coming up in a conversation. The thought that Obi-Wan might actually be having a relationship with the Senatorial Assistant did not seem comprehensible in Anakin's mind. It was simply not an Obi-Wan thing to do.

On the other hand, Obi-Wan was quite convinced that Anakin was closer to Padmé than he should be. He did not think that Senator Amidala would condone such a forbidden relationship and that kept him from worrying too much. He hoped that Sabé would tell him what she knew if the situation ever became critical. She certainly knew something that she wasn't telling him.

In his bed in the Jedi Temple, Obi-Wan lay quietly, another victim of sleeplessness. Anakin had had a bad nightmare and his former Padawan's distress had awakened him. Masters and Padawans, even when the apprentices had become Knights, still maintained a strong bond. Beside him, Sabé was calm, breathing softly. Obi-Wan had known for a long time that she was keeping an important secret from him, a secret of Padmé's. It didn't bother him too much, he knew she was expected to show loyalty to her adoptive cousin. He just hoped it wasn't anything vitally important.

"Go back to sleep," her weary voice proclaimed.

He turned from staring at the ceiling to meet her eyes. "I have tried. Any suggestions?"

"I could hit you over the head with a lightsabre," she said with a drowsy smile.

"I'd prefer a less violent suggestion."

"So would I. Preferably one that wouldn't involve moving."

He laughed softly. "Go back to sleep, my love. I'll find my way there soon."

"Hope so," she mumbled into his shoulder.

Early the next morning, Obi-Wan rose to prepare for a meeting about the Outer Rim Sieges and Sabé slipped away back to 500 Republica. She hid outside the apartment door, waiting for Anakin to leave. While she was busy doing so, it occurred to her that Anakin had probably guessed that she knew about Padmé's relationships. She moved out from her position in the cleaner droids' cupboard and dug out her card key. If Anakin hadn't guessed that she knew, he soon would. She greeted C-3P0 and Ellé, who were busy in the kitchen, and settled in the social area to send off the letters to her mother and Saché. She listened out for Padmé's bedroom door opening and it was not long before Ellé vanished upstairs to help with hair. Almost as soon as she had gone up, Anakin came down in search of food, stopping short when he saw her sitting there.

"Oh. Hi, Sabé."

"Morning." She met his uneasy gaze, saying without words that she knew everything and would keep silent. "I think 3P0 was making breakfast," she offered finally.

Anakin smiled. "He's always been quite good at that." The increasingly tall Jedi disappeared into the kitchen area, shortly returning with three cups of caf and a slice of toasted Nabooian sweet bread. He handed one of the cups to Sabé saying, "Here. You look like you need waking up."

"I know I have bags under my eyes, but I didn't think they showed that much," she said lightly, taking the steaming cup.

"Everyone looks tired these days."

"That's true."

There was a pause, then Anakin ventured to ask, "Did you stay here last night?"

"No, I was visiting some friends. They let me stay at their apartment when Padmé needs some space."

"Are they friends of Padmé's too?" This was a valid question, as Sabé and Padmé had lived and worked side by side for years.

She shook her head, her unbrushed hair making a soft swishing sound against her shimmersilk gown. "No, friends of my mother's." It always amazed Sabé how well she could lie under pressure.

Anakin nodded, preoccupied with gently blowing into the caf cup to cool it. Padmé's soft footfalls could be heard in the corridor and soon her figure entered the room, robed in concealing plum purple. Her eyes betrayed her surprise at seeing Sabé there so early, but she quickly forgot her initial fear of a confrontation after realising that the two were simply socialising. She glanced at her husband and said, "You mean Jedi don't have a trick for cooling hot drinks?"

"Sadly not."

As soon as Anakin had finished breakfast, he left. Padmé and Sabé ate their own food and discussed what needed to be done that day. Somewhere between Sabé's third and fourth cups of caf there came an incoming message on a secure channel. When Padmé hit the panel to bring it up on the holo, they discovered it was Bail Organa.

"Good morning, Senator," Padmé greeted politely.

"Good morning."

"Is there a reason why you're using a coded channel?" Sabé said bluntly, smiling at the Alderaanian man's blue image.

He let out a short laugh. "Yes. This is to invite you both to a meeting in an hour's time at my apartment. Strictly off the record."

Padmé's smooth forehead wrinkled in a frown. "Off the record?"

"Yes, Senator. I'll explain more later. Shall I see you there?"

After a brief moment of consideration, Padmé nodded.

Bail smiled and turned to Sabé. "And you, Representative Naberrie?"

She was momentarily taken aback at being asked the question directly, without it being assumed that she would automatically go with Padmé. "Yes," she said eventually. "I'll be there."

"Excellent. I shall see you both in an hour." He bowed and his image vanished.

Sabé exchanged a curious glance with Padmé. "Strange," she muttered.

"Very strange."

"I suppose I should get changed then."

Padmé took in her wrinkled dress and untidy hair, and gave a nod. "Good idea."

They arrived at Bail's apartment in Cantham House in good time. Several senators were already there, names that both the Nabooian politicians recognised. Giddean Danu, Terr Taneel and Fang Zar sat together on a sofa, chatting quietly. Four other chairs stood around the small table, opposite the sofa, creating a circle of seating. Bail's apartment was as stylish as Padmé's, albeit not as elegant, decorated in cool tones of grey and lavender. It was not lavishly furnished, as he often travelled home to Alderaan to visit his wife, but it was comfortable.

Padmé and Sabé sat down in two of the chairs, studying the other three guests. Giddean Danu was a dark-skinned Kuati man, well known in the Senate for speaking his mind. Terr Taneel from the small planet of Neelanon, was shrewd and quietly confident, not one to often change her mind once she had made a decision. Fang Zar was the oldest there, the majority of his wrinkled face covered by a voluminous beard. He was also known, on his homeworld of Sern Prime, for expressing strong opinions.

Sabé sat examining them, fitting the other pieces into place. It had long been known among Bail's circle of friends that the Alderaanian senator disliked and disagreed with many of Palpatine's amendments. He often visited the Jedi Temple to talk with Mace Windu and Yoda, and had sometimes been there the same time as Sabé. As a result, they had become friends, frequently discussing the disappointing state the Senate was currently in. She strongly suspected that this hastily called meeting might be something to do with it. If that was the case, then she wasn't surprised that he had asked her to be there.

She and Padmé were considered a natural package deal, although many of the senators now accepted Sabé's abilities in her own right. Padmé had always been remarkable when it came to politics, there was no question as to why Bail would call her in. Sabé knew she could never be as good as her cousin and she did not try to be. She had learnt the majority of her political techniques from the younger woman, but Padmé recognised the flair that Sabé had developed for the profession. The senator very much valued her opinions and advice, as often Sabé pointed out things that she herself had missed.

As they sat making polite conversation, Sabé couldn't help but wonder who the last senator would be. Finally, the door chimes rang and Sheltay Retrac, Bail's aide, walked elegantly to answer it. Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrila entered the room to greet everyone and take the last chair. Sheltay Retrac excused herself and retreated to the adjoining room.

Mon Mothma was a serene and intelligent young politician and had been the youngest ever senator to be elected at the time of her appointment. She and Bail were old friends and often shared the same opinions of Senatorial matters. Sabé wondered why she hadn't thought of her before.

After pleasantries had been exchanged, Bail took a data pad from his pocket and passed it around the visitors. "You're probably wondering why I asked you here today, so I'll get straight to the point. When I visited the Senate this morning, this was what I had waiting for me on the Proclamation Boards. Now that he has control of the Jedi Council, the Chancellor has appointed governors to oversee all star systems in the Republic."

Fang Zar quickly swept his eyes over the data pad's contents and said gruffly, "When did this happen?"

"Oh, that decree was posted this morning."

"Do you think he'll dismantle the Senate?" Padmé asked.

"Why bother?" Mon Mothma's calm voice said. "As a practical matter the Senate no longer exists."

Giddean Danu nodded in agreement. "The constitution is in shreds. Amendment after amendment."

Bail glanced around his invited guests, meeting their eyes. "We cannot let a thousand years of democracy disappear…without a fight."

Terr Taneel raised an eyebrow. "What are you suggesting?"

"Suggesting?" Bail repeated. "I apologise, I didn't mean to sound like a Separatist."

"We are not Separatists trying to leave the Republic," Mon Mothma explained. "We are loyalists, trying to preserve democracy in the Republic."

Padmé shook her head. "I can't believe it has come to this. Chancellor Palpatine is one of my oldest advisors, he served as my ambassador when I was Queen."

"Senator, I fear you underestimate the amount of corruption that has taken hold in the Senate," Giddean Danu said gently.

Mon Mothma continued, "The Chancellor has played the senators well. They know where the power lies and will do whatever it takes to share in it."

"And we cannot continue debating about this any longer," Bail declared. "We have decided to do what we can to stop it. Senator Mon Mothma and I are putting together an organisation–"

"Say no more, Senator, I understand," Padmé interrupted. "At this point some things are better left unsaid."

Bail nodded. "Agreed. And so we will not discuss this with anyone without everyone in this group agreeing."

"That means those closest to you," Mon Mothma added. "Even family. No-one can be told."

Padmé glanced at the two, debating the matter. Eventually she nodded and said, "Agreed."

Sabé was the next to concur, quickly followed by the others.

Bail thanked them for their support. "We will meet again tomorrow to discuss this further with some of the other senators that have pledged their alliance."

"I can offer my apartment as a meeting place," Padmé said.

"Thank you, Senator Amidala."

As Padmé and Sabé made their way back to 500 Republica, the senator expressed her dislike of the situation. "I'll have to conceal it from Anakin," she said bitterly. "I can't stand the thought of that. Why are they making me do it?"

Sabé inhaled deeply, not sure what to say. "Bail has a point. And it must be kept secret, surely you can see that."

It was a long while before she replied. "I know. That's why I hate it."

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A/N: Oh dear, Padmé's not happy. And it will only get worse. Here comes the Rebel Alliance. Next chapter, a lot of talking, lol.