Palpatine had just finished his classes and as per HoloComm been called for a private lesson from Formidas'. Fex, the Formidas' hired guard, escorted him to Formidas' office. Fex stood beside him, she didn't speak, she barely moved, she simply stood there eying the young Naboo coldly.

Palpatine had taken note that apart from Buddy there was a noticeable absence of droids. Even the cook wasn't a droid. And hiring a living guard was rare when a guardian droid would be a more inexpensive option.

Fex pressed a button on the door, and she spoke into it. "Your mentee, Sheev Palpatine is here to see you, Lady Formidas."

"Send him in," an apathetic voice replied. Palpatine heard several lock mechanisms unlock themselves until the door finally slid open. Palpatine stepped in alongside Fex who stood by the door.

He found himself in a wide circular room with a low ceiling. The room was composed of red and white. The back wall was a glass window stretching from one side of the room to the other. A pair of glass doors lead out to a balcony which overlooked the smoldering Works.

At the center of the room was a circular section of the floor which dipped slightly and had odd groves in it. This circular section was directly before Formidas' desk. A small but insistent feeling tugged at him. It was a feeling emanating from the Force he grew to recognize. He sensed it would be wise…not to stand over that spot.

Formidas' sat at her desk. Her chair was swiveled opposite him speaking to a distressed person on the HoloComm.

"—yes, yes, do not be so frantic. It is simply politics, my dear Vor." Palpatine heard Formidas' voice callously say with amusement. "My apologies. I must be going now. And remember, if you breathe a word to anyone else, you'll suffer a fate much worse than your brother I assure you." Formidas signed off.

Formidas spun around with a smile on her face. "Ah, Palpatine, it is good to see you."

Palpatine twisted his ring and asked hesitantly. "What was that?"

Formidas waved a dismissive hand. "It was simply a misunderstanding that was been rectified. Nothing of much concern." She steepled her hands and told him. "Sit down, there is no need to be on edge."

Palpatine did so but it didn't ease his anxiousness. What did she do? Perhaps it was better he didn't know.

Formidas leaned back and spoke. "So, it is my understanding that a guard of yours trespassed on my residence and was swiftly dealt with by my husband?" She remained calm and composed. "And apparently both of you are incapable of cleaning up your own mess? You've said yourself Girris' family has been calling continuously. If you two could have staged a deadly accident rather than cutting of his head, perhaps things would be simpler!"

"Well, I'm not incapable—" Palpatine was interrupted.

She sighed deeply. "He promised me the next time he accepted an apprentice it would be one who could take care of themself. Must I do everything?" she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I thought my first lesson to you would be about how to sway a Noghri or how to make a deal with a band of Fiu pirates but no. It's about cleaning up Bazaron's messes."

Palpatine squirmed uncomfortably. "Well, you can still teach me, can't you?"

"Of course." She paused, "At least you're nothing like his last apprentice. A very unpleasant sort." Palpatine perked up at that, but Formidas said nothing more. "Let us begin shall we."

Palpatine nodded.

Formidas leaned on her forearms and asked him, "Tell me, Palpatine, what is the key to deceptiveness?"

Palpatine took a moment to consider. "Be sincere." He continued, "Convince yourself as much as you can that you're sincere. Then it appears believable."

Formidas gave him an approving smile. "Good, Palpatine. You're a natural born politician, aren't you?"

"That's what I've been told." Palpatine told her curtly.

"Do you take it as a compliment?" Formidas raised an eyebrow. "Ah…well, anyway. All I wanted to say was…remember this. Always appear trustworthy. Appearances and mannerisms matter when it comes to trust. And you, Palpatine, if you play the game well, will make it far in life."

"Thank you, Senator Formidas."

Formidas glanced down at her HoloBand. "I would suggest you call Nuvan Girris' family now."

"Now?"

"Yes, of course, now." Formidas insisted.

Palpatine sucked in a deep breath before he plugged his HoloBand into Formidas' HoloGram Display. Palpatine glanced at Formidas and put on his best mournful face.

An older Mikkian woman flickered to life. "Ah, Ms. Girris, it is I, Youth Senator Palpatine. Your son was hired by my family to protect me."

Ms. Girris waved it off. "Oh, yes, young Mr. Palpatine, I remember." Her face creased in concern. "I've been calling my son continuously for the last few hours and he hasn't responded. He's alright, isn't he?"

Palpatine let his face slacken, pretending to appear sorrowful, "I am afraid that is the very reason I am calling."

Ms. Girris' stared at him with bewilderment. "What do you mean?"

Palpatine exhaled deeply. "Ms. Girris, your son was a very noble and honorable, young man. Nuvan served me well and was a loyal protector." He pretended to fiddle with his fingers with distress.

Ms. Girris stared at him. Tears brimmed in her eyes. She wiped them with the back of her hand. "W…was?"

"Ms. Girris, he died doing what he loved most, protecting and caring for others. The attack was unexpected. I tried everything in my power to save him, but I am afraid it wasn't enough." Palpatine's eyes looked to the floor and then to her. "I am truly sorry."

Ms. Girris was silent for a few moments. Her mind was far away, her eyes unfocused and her soul in disarray. "I…uh, I—thank you, for telling me." She said quickly, the tears were about to spill from her eyes. "Who…who killed him?"

Palpatine made sure his fiddling fingers were seen on camera. "They came in the night…I'm not sure who, but he sacrificed himself to save me. I am forever grateful to your son, Ms. Girris."

Ms. Girris stared at him for a few moments. "You don't know? We should call the Coruscant police! Surely, they will find the perpetrators!"

She reached for something off screen. Palpatine told her calmly, "We needn't call the police. The police here are a band of incompetent eccentrics. Anyway, droids are the main power in the force. Unfortunately, the droids aren't effective either. No one truly respects them." He paused, pretending to be struck with an idea. "I know a much more effective force."

Ms. Girris furrowed her brows. "Well, my husband is in the Coruscant Security Force. He's plenty capable and he's an underworld cop. And I specialize in forensics. We'd be able to do it."

"Yes, yes. I don't doubt your ability, Ms. Girris." He put up a finger. "However, I do have connections with the Jedi. Perhaps…you could put in a request for an investigation, and I would deliver it to them, safe and sound. How does that sound to you, Ms. Girris?"

Ms. Girris took a moment to consider his proposal. "I don't know, Mr. Palpatine…"

Palpatine leaned forward and assured her. "Ms. Girris, my family and yours have been looking out for each other for a long time. Do you not trust me?"

Ms. Girris raised her eyebrows and appeared taken aback. "No, no, of course, Mr. Palpatine. Of course…yes, I'll do that. The Jedi I am sure will be more thorough than I or my husband could ever be."

Palpatine let a smile cross his face. "Yes, transmit the HoloGram and I will deliver it as soon as possible." He leaned back in his chair and Ms. Girris signed off.

Formidas raised an eyebrow at him. "So far, so good?"

"Indeed."

A few minutes later, Ms. Girris' face flickered up in the HoloGram and a minuscule chip was transmitted to a HoloNet fax machine in Senator Formidas' office. A grateful yet sorrowful smile dawned on Ms. Girris' face. "Thank you, Mr. Palpatine. You are such a thoughtful young man."

Palpatine smiled warmly. "I am simply a concerned citizen and friend, Ms. Girris." He held up the chip. "You needn't worry, the Jedi will surely discover who attacked Girris and I." he wrapped up the conversation. "Until Mairda's wedding I suppose, Ms. Girris."

Ms. Girris nodded and signed off.

Palpatine stood up, and cleanly snapped the chip in two. He wretched open a small garbage chute built into the wall and threw the broken chip into it. The sound of the chip's pieces clunking into the walls of the chute resonated in the room until it finally came to rest at the bottom.

It would become one with the many papers and chips entailing secrets that would never be told. A dispensary droid would come to pick up all the trash, all the confidential documents in a few hours and it would all be smashed into bits.

Palpatine took a deep breath as he sat down. He straightened his ceremonial shirt. "Did I do well?" he asked Formidas who had been watching the encounter.

Formidas glanced up. "Were you truly sincere or not sincere?"

Palpatine angled himself to Formidas. "Well, it's complicated. Did I care about him? No. Was he a valuable asset? Yes. It truly depends on how you look at it."

Formidas nodded. "Truly extraordinary indeed." She sat down and Palpatine did likewise. "Your talent for politics is exceptional. You were truly born to be one. You have a trustworthy face yet the brain to make up for it. Yes, yes, this is good."

Formidas studied Palpatine's face for a few moments before he spoke up. "Why have you taken me as your mentee, Senator Formidas?"

Formidas laughed. "At the opera I was searching for candidates to take on as my student. As any person in power, one must leave a legacy behind and someone to uphold it."

She stared at him with acute interest, her hands steepled.

"I sense you will accomplish great things in life, Palpatine. You're on the road to becoming a Senator and you are a Sith apprentice! That's quite a feat I would say."

Palpatine leaned in and spoke a little quieter taking notice of Fex who was behind them standing stiffly as ever. "Why did you choose Plagueis? Why him out of all the men in the galaxy? Why did you take a…Sith Lord as your husband?"

"Ah, Palpatine as blunt as ever." Formidas remarked. "Love is a strange thing, Palpatine. Which I am sure you already or one day will understand. I supposed I liked the idea that he would do anything for me. It was certainly an unconventional romance. I truly didn't know how many people would die whilst we courted. However, you know, life happens, a few corpses piled up, and then we were wedded," she smiled wistfully remembering their romantic endeavors.

Palpatine raised an eyebrow but kept his thoughts to himself.

Formidas continued. "Love just happened as things do. And I suppose because we complement each other. I do the talking, he does the…action. We're compatible, good partners, an unbeatable team."

Formidas fiddled with an empty glass on the table. "I had hoped our son could be added to our team, but it appears it is simply not in his future."

"How so? Jaxious, I believe is capable—" Palpatine tried to say.

Formidas cut in sharply. "He's too soft." she slammed the glass on the table but then collected herself. "Jaxious…simply lacks everything that I and Plagueis hoped he would have cultivated." She brushed nonexistent dust off her robes. "And now we have you, Palpatine."

"Me?" Palpatine pointed at himself.

Formidas smiled at him. "Of course. It's truly amusing that you're my mentee and you're Plagueis' apprentice. The Force works in mysterious ways, I suppose."

Palpatine nodded. "Is there anything else you require of me at this time, or may I go? I must pack for my sister's wedding." He had very little to pack but he still needed to double check his belongings.

Formidas tapped her chin and turned to him. "Yes, one more thing." She whispered to him. "What is the next political goal you are hoping to achieve?"

Palpatine knew his goal might sound too ambitious and that she may laugh at him, but he still answered honestly. "I want to become the Senator of Naboo."

Formidas lips curled. "You wish to usurp old Brik Delos."

"Indeed, I do."

Her grin grew wider. "Then that will be our next scheming political project between you and I, young Palpatine."

Formidas stood and Palpatine did likewise. She extended her hand, and he shook it. "When do we start?" he asked.

Formidas told him cordially. "Now." She paused. "It cannot happen all at once, but I assure you if we work together, it will work one way or the other."

"Do not worry. I am a man of patience, Senator Formidas. Delicate matters shouldn't be rushed." Palpatine emphasized. "I understand."

Formidas HoloBand pinged, and she withdrew it to see the message. Formidas looked up to Palpatine. "Bazaron wishes to see you."

Palpatine tilted his head in a small bow. "Thank you. Tell him I will be in his secret lair shortly."

Formidas stopped him just as he reached the door. "Bazaron is not in his lair, Palpatine. He would like to see you…somewhere else." Formidas nodded to Fex who was standing at the door. "Fex will take you there."

Palpatine took a step to Formidas. "Where am I being taken?"

Formidas let another one of her disconcerting grins cross her lips. "You'll see." She folded her hands behind her back and inquired. "Do you have your lightsaber."

Palpatine checked his belt where his lightsaber hung. He swept his cloak around him. "Yes, I have it."

Formidas nodded. "Good. You're going to need it." As he stepped out of the door with Fex following behind, she said. "Good luck! You're going to need that as well."