Palpatine is Caught in a Lie...for Once
Palpatine went frigid. "Oh…" he trailed off. His mind was scrambling for an excuse, anything to counter this. He tried to mimic shock, "Oh my, how…unfortunate."
Officer Girris leaned back and crossed her arms, "Now, Sheev, how exactly did that happen?"
Palpatine said behind gritted teeth. "I would prefer to be called Palpatine."
Officer Girris scoffed. "Fine. Palpatine tell me how such an important chip went astray?"
"Did someone say my name?" a voice said from behind Palpatine. A pair of gloved hands rested on Palpatine's shoulders which made him flinch.
Officer Girris' eyes flickered up; mild surprise etched in her expression, yet she regained her composure. "Ah…Lady Palpatine. It's a pleasure to see you again."
"What business do you have with my grandson?" Lady Evory Palpatine, otherwise known as Palpatine's paternal grandmother inquired. His grandmother had her white hair tied back. Flecks of dirt on her wrinkled face. Palpatine concluded she must have been gardening somewhere nearby due to her attire. She looked over the officer with a steely gaze, her eyes were chips of ice.
"Your grandson was involved in a sky-rage incident with his brother and his in-law. That is why I am here." Officer Girris stated coolly.
"I see. Well, be gone. It's been dealt with. There is no need for your nosy kind to putter around here any longer." His grandmother insisted.
Officer Girris straightened herself. "You see, it has been dealt with, but your grandson did not deliver a report of my missing son to the Jedi Temple. I was simply inquiring about how things went astray."
"What I heard didn't sound like an inquiry." Lady Palpatine countered. "It sounded like an accusation."
Officer Girris set her HoloPad on the table and stood up to face Palpatine's grandmother. "Lady Palpatine, everything to you sounds like an accusation." Her voice sliced through the humid air.
Palpatine stepped away from his grandmother and composed himself once more. "Grandmother, please." His grandmother was about to speak again when she faltered. Palpatine sighed deeply. "Officer Girris, I am sure there is some sort of misunderstanding. I assure you, officer, I did indeed submit a missing report to the Jedi Temple. I will look into this immediately." Palpatine lied. He gave her a reassuring smile. "I will let you know when I discover what went wrong."
Officer Girris swept up her materials and tucked them into her bag. Her gaze swept over the grandmother and grandson. She said grimly, "I'll be waiting." Then she swept away towards the courtyard exit.
"Mrs. Girris?" Lady Palpatine called.
Officer Girris pivoted on her heel towards the silky voice of Palpatine's grandmother. "Do you have something to say, Lady Palpatine?"
"Oh, I simply want to know how your father's doing? He was almost convicted, wasn't he? Thank the Force, they discovered the true perpetrator." Lady Palpatine held a hand over her heart, "It would have been absolutely dreadful if that poor man had been thrown in jail."
Officer Girris' eyes went to the floor and then flickered back up again, "Yes it would be." She considered her next words. "Thanks to you…that didn't happen."
His grandmother laughed and waved it off, "You flatter me, Officer Girris. I was simply being a good citizen and it so happened my specialty was in venoms." She paused as if she was pondering something, "You should join us for dinner, officer. We would love to host you."
Officer Girris put a hand on the courtyard doorknob. "Oh, that's very sweet of you, Lady Palpatine but I must head back to the station."
His grandmother put a hand on the officer's shoulder, "Please, officer, even you must take time for yourself. Come, enjoy yourself. It will be perfectly splendid." She regarded Palpatine who was standing stiffly by her shoulder. "I'm sure Sheev will have found something out by then." Will I?
Palpatine's lips thinned. At least he had a bit more time to figure out how to deal with this. How exactly was he to deal with this?
Officer Girris considered, a small smile crossing her lips. "Sure. What the blazes. I'll come." She directed her attention to Palpatine, "I'll be expecting some sort of explanation, Sheev at the end of dinner." With that the courtyard exit slammed shut behind her.
Palpatine's grandmother smiled at him and pulled him in for a quick hug. The Palpatine's seemed to like hugs a bit too much for his taste. "How is my grandbaby doing?" she pinched his cheek despite him being eighteen years old.
Palpatine was more than anything disturbed and frankly confused. The majority of his life she'd ignored the lot of them. It was curious how she was taking an interest in him at this moment. He drew away from her and asked her, "How are you doing grandmother?"
His grandmother exhaled loudly, "Oh, quite splendid I must say!" she took her grandson by the arm, "Come, come. I'll show you what I've done with my garden since you were last here."
Palpatine furrowed his brows as they exited the courtyard and walked down the slope, moving farther and farther away from the house. "Uh…grandmother, you've never shown me your garden." He paused and went on. "Father told me to never go near it."
His grandmother laughed as they approached a gated off area of the vineyard, "Bah! You're old enough. And you're brighter than your siblings. I'm sure you won't do anything foolish."
Palpatine didn't question her, yet he couldn't help but feel out of place when she edged open the gate door. The fence stretched high above their heads concealing everything within. He acutely remembered when he and his siblings would peer in the crevices of the fence longing to sneak a glance at what their grandmother spent her days tending to. Today, he would see what it was.
As soon as they stepped inside, his grandmother pressed a mask into his hand, "Put this on if you wish to live." Palpatine blinked a few times but happily obliged.
The garden was beyond beautiful, it was bursting with colors. Cherry reds, luminous blues, vibrant violets, bright greens, and all in between. The stone beneath their feet was well paved and there was geometrically placed paths all around. Every plant was placed symmetrically and perfectly.
A blood-leafed tree hung over the garden casting a great shadow over the plants. It felt as though a great beast was looming over them from above. Its branches twisted like outstretched hands and the holes in its bark were dark watchful eyes.
"What is this place?" Palpatine gazed around in awe. He reached out to touch an exotic blue flower splashed with yellow glowing dots.
His grandmother slapped his hand away, "Do not touch anything. That is a Silent Kiss, one touch and you're dead."
Palpatine stared at the flower, "Do you have any gloves?" His grandmother nodded and handed him a pair which he hastily put on. He looked around at each flower realizing how oddly vibrant each was, "So…is all this fauna…poisonous."
"Indeed. How astute of you, Sheevy." With a gloved hand she held a flowers petal delicately. "Yes…all of it is poisonous. Whether it be smell, touch, or taste, all of it is. Despite their lethal nature I find the most dangerous flowers to be the most…beautiful."
Oh…dear Force. "Ah…so that's why my father forbid us from entering your garden." Palpatine hesitated in asking his next question, "Why have you taken me here, grandmother?"
"Well, you aren't twenty-one yet. But I felt you were adult enough to finally handle my garden. And…you are becoming a politician. Perhaps it would be wise to acquaint yourself with certain…toxins that may be in your life." She drew away from the flower and looked at her grandson.
Palpatine took a few moments to think that over, "In my life? You're teaching me so that I can avoid and also treat these poisons, correct?"
His grandmother waved airily, "Yes, yes, to avoid and provide the antidote for yourself if needed. Of course, that is why I am teaching you all about them. Purely for defense." A small smile played on her lips as she gazed at her garden with absolute infatuation.
Palpatine's eyes were drawn to one plant in particular. Its bloom was ebony. It seemed as though all light was soaked up by its darkness.
His grandmother's lips curled, "I see you have taken notice of my Blackroot?" Palpatine nodded as he drew closer to it and inspected the flower. "It is quite a beauty. I took it home as a…souvenir from Dathomir."
"What the blazes are you doing, mother?" They pivoted to the voice. Palpatine's father stood at the entrance with a wide stance. His eyes were narrowed, and his jaw was clenched. He stabbed a finger at his son, "You. Out. Now."
Palpatine's fingers formed into a fist at his side as his face began to flush. He considered arguing with his father. Palpatine knew he was technically not twenty-one yet, but he was old enough to determine how he wanted to live his life.
Yet his grandmother put a hand in front of her grandson deterring him from exiting. "No, Aronder. Your son can decide for himself, can't you, Sheev?" she glanced at Palpatine.
"Mother, cease this nonsense. I want none of your dubious pursuits to be a part of my children's lives." Palpatine's father insisted. He started towards his mother and son. His father's brow furrowed as he stopped short before them, "Come along, Sheev." He commanded his son.
His son took a step away from him and insisted. "I would prefer if I stayed here."
His father scoffed, "Prefer? I don't care what you prefer. You're not staying here in this wretched breeding ground of poisons." His father took Palpatine roughly by the arm and attempted to drag his son out of the garden.
"Let me go, Father." Palpatine hissed as he tried to pry his father's fingers off his arm.
Anger stirred in his heart threatening to explode. Yet he attempted to soothe it lest he expose what he truly was.
"Aronder. Aronder! Unhand him!" his grandmother demanded, "Your children are as important to me as they are to you. Am I not allowed to show them my pride and joys?"
As Palpatine was thrown out of the garden landing on his knees Palpatine heard his father counter. "No, you are not. We've talked about this mother! What you love is dangerous! Lethal! I don't want what happened to father to happen to them!" The door to the greenhouse slammed behind him. Indistinct rageful voices were muffled yet the emotion was clear as ever.
Palpatine fumed as he wiped a fleck of dirt with the back of his palm. He grumbled angrily to himself as he saw the dirt on his robes. Palpatine tore off his mask and gloves throwing them to the ground stalking off.
"Drop dead, Father," Aronder's son seethed to himself.