Chapter 39 - Unlimited Power

"It's time to leave now."

Dormé stands behind me, her hand resting on my shoulder. I take a deep breath, and allow her to help me out of my chair, careful not to strain my back or fall over. She smiles, weakly, at me, and gently caresses my hair. With a flick of her wrist, she pushes a few stray hairs back into their pins, and smooths the short baby hairs down to my scalp.

"Don't be afraid," she says, "it'll be easy."

"I fear that the senate may side with the chancellor, Dormé," I sigh. "We won't win this one."

She shakes her head. "You have to."

I nod. "I know. But-"

"Stop thinking like that." She takes my face in her hands, and yanks my chin up, so that I'm looking into her eyes. "You can do this."

oOo

"The senate motions the transfer of executive powers to the supreme chancellor," the chair says, with a grim look on his face. Beside him, chancellor Palpatine wears the same look of disgrace, his eyes downcast and ashamed. Other members of the senate hide behind the same mask, those who are in favour of the motion. Quietly, they move their hands to the voting platform, waiting for the command to appear before them.

"Are there any objections," Mas Amedda asks, looking straight at me.

"Yes," I say, reluctantly. "We cannot grant these powers to the chancellor."

The other senators are almost bored as I head out into the debating space, they saw this coming. Bail and my few friends smile encouragingly, but they know all too well that this will not go our way.

"What is your objection," Mas Amedda asks, not bothering to look at me.

"By granting these powers to the chancellor, we are only escalating the war, and causing more innocent people to die. Why should we send more troops out now? With the death of Count Dooku, and the search for general Grievous underway, we have turned the tide of the war. We are already in a position to end the war, why can we not contact the Confederacy of Independent Systems now to negotiate a treaty? I beg you, senators, reconsider the transfer of powers to the chancellor, and seek a better, less bloody way to peace."

The senators watch me as I return to my place, but I know their minds are made. Everything I've said doesn't matter. It's useless to even try anymore.

"Thank you for your words, senator Amidala," the chancellor says. "I must say that I certainly have considered your course of action, but it is simply impossible. The droids of the separatist army are programmed to kill until they are destroyed, and have no emotion, nor sympathy, much like their leaders. Simply put, it would be impossible to reach an agreement with the Confederacy of Independent Systems. We have no choice but to move forward and destroy the parasites at their core."

I nod. I knew he was going to say something like that. It's impossible to negotiate with him anymore. He's too powerful. All the fault of the senate, I guess. Hindsight is 20/20.

oOo

Later that day

"The chancellor has asked for me to join the Jedi council," Anakin says with a sigh.

"What? That's not possible, he can't do that," I say. I want to be happy for him, to congratulate him on joining the council, it's what he's wanted since he joined the order, but this is wrong.

"I know. But I can't deny him," he says, taking a seat on the small couch that sits on my balcony. He rests his forehead on his palms.

"What did the council say," I ask, taking a place next to him.

"They don't approve. Master Windu says I cannot take the rank of master, but I can be on the council."

I nod. "That's strange. I've never heard of a member of council not being a master."

"That's because it's never been done. It's insulting," he spits.

Sighing, I slide into his arms, and bury my face in his chest. "I'm sorry everything is so terrible for you. I'm here for you if you need something."

He places his hand gently on the back of my head and pulls me away from him. "I couldn't have asked for a better wife," he says.

I smile, weakly, and close my eyes. He leans in and kisses me, gently. As he pulls away, I let my eyes flutter open, and breathe his smell.

He runs his fingers across the skin of my stomach, his bitten fingernails catching on the silky fabric of my dress. "Sometimes I wonder what's happening to the Jedi order," he says. "I think this war is destroying the principles of the republic."

He looks torn, knowing that what is happening is wrong, but not being able to do anything about it. The codes he grew up respecting and living by, completely being thrown away.

"Have you ever considered that we may be on the wrong side," I ask, quietly.

His body tenses, and his eyes lock onto mine,his breath growing more and more rapid. "What do you mean," he demands, accusingly.

"What if the democracy we thought we were serving no longer exists," I explain, "And the republic has become the very evil we've been fighting to destroy?"

He shakes his head. "I don't believe that. And you're sounding like a separatist."

I sigh, taking his hands in my own, and look into his eyes. "This war represents a failure to listen. Now you're closer to the chancellor than anyone. Please, ask him to stop the fighting and let diplomacy resume."

He flings me away. "Don't ask me to do that," he snarls. "Make a motion in the senate, where that kind of a request belongs."

"What is it?"

He shakes his head, taking a deep breath. "Nothing," he says, his eyes on the verge of filling with tears.

Im pulled to my feet on adrenaline alone. I can't let him suffer. I have to fix this, but I can't, I don't know how. "Don't do this," I plead, clutching onto his hands. "Don't shut me out. Let me help you."

He shakes his head, saying nothing, but the touch of my hands seems to be calming him down.

"Hold me," I ask, "Like you did by the lake on Naboo. So long ago, when there was nothing but our love. No politics, no plotting, no war."

He pulls me into his arms, and lets me use his chest as a pillow where I can rest my head. I squeeze him, just a little, and let out an unsteady breath.

"I love you," he whispers, his voice trembling.

Leaning up onto my tiptoes, I kiss him on the cheek, ghosting across his cheekbones. I soak up his warmth, and can't help but love him so much it aches.

oOo

As the sun sets on Coruscant, the lights of my flat dim, and the small lanterns light themselves. I shiver in the cool night air, my arms crossed over my stomach, resting against the light silk of my nightgown. The Jedi council room is just across from my balcony, too far away to see the people there, but close enough to feel the atmosphere there.

It's quiet, as the young Jedi and their masters head to bed, and the sentinels take their posts at the doors. I wonder, would they remember our lost child, Ahsoka, if she returned? Would they turn her away?

Tears jump to my eyes as I remember her, the upbeat and excited young woman I once knew. Her smile, her bright eyes, her sass. I remember holding her in my arms when Anakin was injured, I remember her fear when we heard the news of the rebellion on Isis.

The most I can hope for her is that she found the Bonteri boy, and maybe he's taking care of her. The least I can hope is that she's still alive.

I lean out against the balcony railing, and peek over the ledge. Down below, citizens of our huge city are bustling about, in speeders or on bikes, rushing to get home in time for their curfews. I wonder what it'd be like to be one of them, one of those people searching for a purpose.

"Are you alright, miss Padmé," C-3PO asks from behind me.

"I'm fine, 3PO," I smile. "Just fine."

"It's time for bed," he reminds me. "You shouldn't be out this late, you'll catch cold."

I nod. "I'll be right in."

The gold-plated droid simply turns away, and lets me catch my breath.

"Be safe, love," I mutter, my eyes fixed on the Council Tower. "Come home safe."