DUDES! DUDETTES! DID YOU SEE THAT DICK SHOT AHSOKA PULLED OFF?! HAHAHA WOW! I could not stop laughing at that part. Look at how far little 'Soka has come. The episode, while not my favorite, is a good setup for this next arc and hope we'll get a real deep dive into Ahsoka's transition from former Jedi to someone trying to find their place in the galaxy. Good stuff.

Anywho, I hope everyone is doing well and good for themselves. Keeping yourselves stocked up and all but I hope not too cooped up. The Corona virus has been a major bitch in dealing with considering the self-quarantines. All I can say is stay self and healthy and stay strong. We'll get past this one way or another. That's a guarantee.

So yeah, Delta Squad have debuted along with Crossbones and Ultron is making his moves. So much to do and set up and it's only in the starting stages. I'm gonna need to read a lot of books and watch a helluva lot more clone wars and other war films and shows. Need to be getting better in detailing battles and such.

And quid pro quo as a reminder, this chapter is taking place at the opening stage of Holocron Heist.

That's all for now folks. Also, go read a Song of Fire, Ice and Hearts over on Jebest4781's profile for other reads during this lockdown.

Rate Read and Review and as Always Have Nice Day.

Avengers Infinite Wars Chapter 30: Senate Spies and Such

Natasha Romanoff wasn't a simple woman to say the least. Not in the slightest as she was an assassin trained as far as she could remember, her skills being utilized by the KGB, SHIELD and HYDRA until finally she felt as though she had found her place with the superhero team known as the Avengers.

But to be in space in the middle of an intergalactic war between two factions? Concept was familiar but setting? It's gonna take some serious effort in trying to top having her mind blown after this one.

Now here she was with most of her team, together again. In a Galaxy Far, Far Away from home. But now more was at stake in locating the rest of them and then some as of late. And no means of returning home.

So… yeah, usual sort of scenario for the Avengers in terms of space travel. This has been a long journey of firsts for all.

Currently, Hope was dragging her along as they traversed through the Senate Building.

"And why are you bringing me along, Hope?"

"Because, you need to socialize more."

"I do socialize." Nat stated. "I even helped Steve out a multitude of times."

"Not work socializing, actual socializing."

"I'm a spy, remember? I'm trained to be extremely social." Nat said defensively.

"Right~ manipulations and all that jazz."

"You are not gonna drop this are you?"

"Not in the least bit, now come on let's see how you do in this den of manipulation and lying."

"How is this supposed to be helpful? We're dealing with politicians."

"Just trust me on this." Hope said, slightly pleading with Nat letting out a sigh.

They were walking through one of the many corridors with Nat having some familiarity with the place due to her most recent "job" here.

"So what's it been like here?" Nat asked.

"Nothing crazy or mind breaking." Hope remarked. "Aside from the whole… you know."

Natasha could only scowl thinking on the Jedi and their means of recruiting. It was all too familiar to her after all. As much as they do good they say. There's always a darker aspect to it. It just hasn't come out yet.

Entering one specific meeting chamber, Natasha saw a few familiar faces.

"Ah, hello Hope." Padme greeted her with a smile.

"Hey, Padme. Brought a friend."

Padme turned her attention towards the other Avenger in the room and recognized her. "Oh, your… Natasha, right?"

"I am." Nat said with a nod. "And you… look exactly like one of our friends' girlfriend."

Padme blinked, staring in slight bewilderment.

"I beg your pardon?"

"There's someone back home on our planet who, we do not exaggerate when we say this, looks exactly like you." Hope clarified.

"I never knew that."

"Seems no one told you."

"Seems so." Padme muttered out. "Then what was this 'other me' like?"

"Jane Foster is an accomplished astrophysicist." Hope simply said. "Pretty much how she and our Avenger colleague, Thor, met through one of her on the field assignments."

"Field assignments?" Padme repeated. "Is she a soldier of some kind?"

"Scientist actually." Hope said. "She's one of, if not the foremost leader on Astrophysics and astronomy. Thanks to her, a lot more revolutionary knowledge became public to the world."

Padme hummed in great interest, wanting to learn more when she noticed several individuals coming up from behind Hope and Nat with the youngest of them waving at her

"Well I'd love to hear more of my 'other self' at a later time. Let me introduce you to my close friends here at the Senate."

Walking over, one thing quickly crossed Natasha's mind: oh boy.

"Natasha, Hope, I'd like you all to meet Riyo Chuchi, Mon Mothma and Bail Organ-"

"We've met already." Nat cut off.

"Pardon?"

"At the hostage situation here."

"Really? How?"

"Ended up holding you people at gunpoint."

This response did not sit well with the others, causing Hope to facepalm.

Organa squinted at the red head finding her not matching any of the faces of the bounty hunters that held them hostage. Yet her eyes...

"I don't remember seeing you."

Natasha merely pulled out an intricate piece of silver cloth out of her belt and presented it. "This little thing helps disguise most of my facial features." Slipping it over her face, she adjusted it and pressed a small button on the side. Turned over to Padme and gave a good look over, the cloth started shifting and changing to make Natasha's face look exactly like the Naboo senator. "Only thing to really pull things off perfectly is adjusting the voice modulator on this and wearing a wig."

"Incredible." Mothma remarked. "I have seen stealth and form changing tech before but not on such a small scale."

"Wait, were you by any chance that Zabrak that was with us in the atrium?" Organa spoke up.

"Hey, you figured it out." Nat said with a praising tone. "How'd you go and do that?"

"Your eyes." Bail gestured to his own. "A senator needs to be able to distinguish them in our line of work."

"Impressive." Nat nodded. "Yeah, one little detail that sometimes slips by."

"But how could you be able to talk, let alone eat?" Riyo questioned. "I saw no cuts on the cloth along the mouth."

"Meh, not that important right now." Nat waved off, pulling off the mask to reveal her normal face. "Just that it still works is all that matters."

"So Natasha," Padme looked to the assassin. "I have heard from your friend and team leader Captain Rogers that you are one of the original Avengers when the team was first founded."

"Really? Where'd ya hear that?"

"I hosted a kind of appreciation gala where I live here on Coruscant." Padme said. "Got to know your team more before you were found."

"Figured as much."

"But who was that new one." Padme inquired. "During the whole Zillo beast debacle, I noticed a new individual in red and blue that looked like he was using some kind of white rope to move around the large creature."

"Oh, that's our newest recruit on Earth appearing here somehow." Hope said. "Calls himself Spider-man."

"Spider-man?"

"Code name."

Riyo then added in her thoughts. "Ah yes, Pietro mentioned his codename being Quicksilver."

"All of us have our own monikers and names." Nat said. "Back on Earth, I'm Black Widow to the general public. Nat to friends."

Padme hummed to herself in thought. "Then how are you finding Coruscant thus far?"

"It's a damn big city." Nat declared making them chuckle at the rather frank and accurate description. "This whole planet is a city, right?"

"Yes." Mothma said with a nod. "Coruscant is a city planet with layers upon layers and has served as the capital of the Republic for nearly all of recorded history."

"Must wonder where it started before here."

"That has been lost to time unfortunately." Organa stated. "Though I know of a few scholars who believe there may be some planet out there that holds the history of the entire galaxy."

"Well good luck to them I say." Hope said. "Maybe they could succeed."

"Perhaps they will." Organa said with a shrug. "Hopefully after this war is well and done."

At the mention of the war, Nat's eyes narrowed while thinking back on a conversation she had had with Sam not too long ago. A conversation with many questions that had been bugging her mind for quite some time.

"Just wanting to ask this, but what's your take on the war?"

"Pardon?" Mothma said

"Heard from some of the others you and your friends in this room are a part of those against the war."

Padme's eyes steeled for a moment. "It's no surprise to anyone that we aren't for the war in the slightest. This war is tearing up both the Republic, the galaxy and all the innocent people caught in between. This is not why the Republic stands."

"We are aware that there are times where conflict is unavoidable." Organa added. "But this war was one that could have been easily averted. Everything could have been settled if we just had the time."

"True, but most people are just hungry and impatient for profits from what I've heard." Hope said. "That Trade Federation and those banking Clans I've been hearing so much about."

The other senators gave bitter nods.

"They claimed to be neutral." Chuchi scoffed. "But it's beyond obvious whom they support."

"If it weren't for them, this war could've been settled sooner." Mon Mothma stated. "Now all we're having is more days of working overtime with more years seemingly added onto us."

"There is one thing that's been bothering me since I got here." Nat said with a frown. "Could anyone explain to me this whole Clone Army?"

"What do you mean?" Organa asked.

"I mean just where did it come from." Nat stated. "I mean, I don't want to be rude or anything, but a few days after your Chancellor calls for remilitarization this Clone army just up and appears magically all set and ready to go. Doesn't that seem a bit fishy and convenient?"

The senators stared at the spy-trained Avenger with several opening and closing their mouths as they thought about what Natasha had just insinuated.

Now that they genuinely took a moment, just where did this Clone Army truly originate from?

"Well…" Padme crossed her arms. "From what Anakin had told me from his own masters discovery, the Clone Army was commissioned by another Jedi Council member who perished ten years ago. Sifo Dyas."

"Sifo Dyas?" Chuchi murmured. "I had not heard of such a person."

"Any reason why he would do this?"

Padme shook her head. "No one knows for sure. It was big news to even the Jedi council as they were in the dark as anyone else."

"So even the Jedi don't know about this Clone Army?" Hope questioned; her brows furrowed with slight concern. "That… honestly sounds a little disconcerting."

"It does." Organa agreed, a sentiment shared with his senators.

"Has anyone bothered looking into it?"

"No…" Padme let that statement hang silently in the air. "No one has. Nor has anyone had the time."

An unusual sense of foreboding had now hung over the group of heroes and politicians with several feeling rather uncomfortable.

"They came out of nowhere when they were needed most." Mothma surmised. "With the Jedi only learning of it around the same time as we did."

Chuchi grimaced. "I had hoped for a day where I could relax for a brief moment and now this is weighing heavily on my mind."

"You and me both, sister." Hope idly said, thinking on the matter as well.

"Hopefully we can have some breathing time to finally investigate this matter." Padme stated earning nods from those around her when they heard a faint beeping noise coming from Padme. It was her communication device. Excusing herself, she went to the far end of the room in order to answer it.

The holo-projection of Grand Master Yoda soon appeared, making the Naboo senator smile.

"Master Yoda?" Padme said politely. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"Excuse me, for my rudeness if you will." Yoda said with a bow of his head. "A moment of your time, if I may. Talk if we can, Senator Amidala."

-Scene Cut-

Standing in the Jedi council chamber, Padme stood beside Hope and Natasha as they had accompanied her back to the temple with the trio looking at the sitting Jedi before them.

"What can I do for you, Master Yoda?" Padme inquired.

"A task, I must ask of you." Yoda began. "Dangerous it may be, but necessary."

"Do you understand him?" Nat whispered beneath her breath with Hope nudging her to stay quiet.

"Dangerous?" Padme repeated. "How so?"

Next to Yoda was the holographic projections of Plo Koon and Mace Windu from their ends of the galaxy.

"There has been some intel that has been going about between the separatists and the republic." Koon informed the Naboo Senator. "Someone has been meeting with Separatist leaders. Someone you know.

"We believe Senator Clovis is conspiring with the Separatists. And we need to find out what he's planning." Windu stated.

"Rush?" Padme spoke up in surprise. "How could you believe that? Rush is an old friend. He and I started together at the Senate."

"We understand your misgivings and hesitation on the matter but we wouldn't ask of you if we weren't sure." Plo replied placatingly.

"From our intelligence operatives, found communications he has with the Trade Federation." Yoda added. "Sympathize with the Separatist cause, they do."

"And Clovis's work with the banking clans and trade federation doesn't exactly fill us with hope for a better future." Windu bluntly stated.

"Do you want us to interrogate him?" Nat inquired.

"Not in the slightest. One wrong misstep could cause a major incident." Windu threw that idea out the window.

"Then provoking him will make things harder to find out what he's planning."

"Exactly." Koon said.

"But why are you asking me of all people?" Padme inquired.

"We have known you two have entered the Senate in the same year and served in the same committee."

Padme held her hands and fiddled around with them a little. "We have and were… good friends."

Natasha recognized the body language, the slight change in her tone and several other things. "Good friends" was far from the truth on the matter. In fact from what she can already guess, they were in a relationship for a time.

"We know this is a great deal of what we're asking of you." Windu admitted. "But we ask you to do your duty to the Republic as we have ours."

Padme thought this over for several moments, thinking hard on the matter before looking up to the Jedi masters and nodding in confirmation.

"I'll do it."

"Are you sure about this, Padme?" Hope asked. "You don't have to do this, you know."

"Clovis was an old friend." Padme said. "But I just want to make sure. I need to make sure he hasn't betrayed the Republic. It's been so long since I last saw him and… well, I guess your conversation earlier is getting to me." Padme's expression became resolute a moment later. "Someone needs to find the truth. And as an old friend, I should be the one to do so."

"Then do you want me to be an agent for you?" Nat asked.

"What do you mean?"

"We shall leave you to it then." Windu said, his holo-image blinking out along with Koon whilst Yoda bade them farewell, closing his eyes to meditate.

The three ladies exited the Jedi Council chamber, discussing a plan of action.

"Giving you pointers in what to exactly do in this situation."

"I… don't know. Like I said, it's been years since we last spoke." Padme admitted. "It was on even terms, but don't know if we could even pick back up again."

"What's going on now is basically what I normally did back home. You'll do fine with me helping you out in the sidelines."

"And was this all before or after you joined SHIELD?" Hope asked.

Natasha gave Hope a raised eyebrow look which practically said it all.

"Oh right, should've known better."

"Then what's the main plan here?" Nat asked, looking to Padme.

Padme simply stated. "I guess I'll start with making a call."

-Scene Cut-

"Still surprised Clovis was able to accept so soon." Hope muttered out as she and Natasha ate at a table some distance away.

"Gee, I can't imagine why." Nat said, side-eyeing Padme who sat alone wearing a rather lavish and exquisite dress. And the Senator's hair was stylized in such a way which hid the transmitter in her ear.

"I can get you something like this if you'd like." Padme said in a low voice to her comm link hooked up beneath her dress.

"No thanks." Hope waved off, with Nat sharing the sentiment. "That headpiece looks heavy and like a helmet that would weigh me down."

"This is my hair."

"Yeah we know."

Padme couldn't contain the puff of her cheeks, feeling insulted at her fashion sense. She'll have the two know that takes great pride in her looks.

"Do you think that style would do well on Earth?" Nat asked Hope.

"I'd say no but considering how weird we can be all things considered, I wouldn't put it past certain cities taking that style." Hope admitted.

"Focus up girls." Padme said through the comms. "Clovis is coming."

"I see him." Hope murmured, taking a sip of her drink to disguise her stare at the senator from Scipio who was approaching Padme's table.

"Padme." Clovis greeted in an overly kind tone. "It has been too long."

"Too long indeed, old friend." Padme said in turn, smiling at him as he seated himself before her.

A waitress droid came on by and served their drinks before walking away.

"It's been good to see you again, Clovis." Padme said with a soft smile. "I didn't realize how lonely I was… until tonight."

"Perhaps I can do more to ease your loneliness." Clovis said with an equal smile. "Once I return from Cato Neimoidia, then my schedule is open for you."

"Wow~ he really hasn't let his feelings for her go." Hope muttered before cutting into her dish.

"Most people have a hard time doing so once encountering someone truly special to them." Nat commented.

"And have you had anyone special?"

"My own story to tell, Hope."

Ignoring the little banter going off in her ear, Padme asked Clovis the obvious question. "Oh, you're taking a pleasure trip?"

"Hardly." He corrected her. "I'm going there to put the fear of Scipio in those overgrown Trade Federation grubs."

"Trade Federation?" Padme hummed. "I've had my own dealing with them in the past."

"So I've remembered." Clovis said knowingly. "You know how they are. They love to borrow money from the Banking Clan, but they hate to pay it back."

Padme chuckled. "Maybe you can say a few words on my behalf." Her mood grew a little serious. "I'm on the Holonet with the Neimoidians every day, asking for trade concessions, but I can't ever seem to make progress."

Clovis hummed a little to himself before looking back at his date for the evening. "I've got an idea. Come with me to Cato Neimoidia. Speak to them in person."

"Are you sure?"

"I have leverage from the Banking Clan. You have diplomatic contacts. We can help each other."

Padme eyed her old flame with a curious expression. "Are you inviting me for political reasons, or… because you want us to be friends again?"

"Both of course." Rush openly admitted. "Though I'm far more interested in your friendship then in politics."

"Dear god, what is this, the start to a softcore Porn?" Nat asked through the comms making Hope nearly choke on her food whilst Padme openly blushed at the comment.

"Padme? Are you alright?" Clovis asked, noting her sudden coloration of her cheeks.

"Sorry, it's nothing. Just a small flash of heat."

Clovis eyed her, shrugging a moment later taking a casual look outside giving Padme the brief chance to shoot an annoyed glare at Natasha who couldn't hide her amusement after seeing such a response from the Naboo Senator.

"Well with your offer… It'll be like old times."

Rush chuckled softly. "On the contrary, I hope it'll be much better than old times."

"And cue the slow burning music." Nat said with a mischievous grin, holding up her glass for Hope who only clinked her own cup with a deadpan stare.

"I swear to God, Nat, I will find a way to get back at you on Padme's behalf and mine. She can still hear you."

"Oh I know." Taking a sip of her drink, Nat's smile grew a little more. "And challenge accepted."

-Scene Cut-

The very next day, Natasha found herself standing alongside Padme on a landing platform with several Coruscant guards around them while C-3P0 was loading up supplies and other necessities into the ship that would take them to Cato Neimoidia.

Taking a moment to look around, Natasha spotted the small barely noticeable humanoid flying around her before perching herself on Nat's shoulder.

"Comfy?"

"More or less." Hope said with a shrug.

The tiny Avenger looked around, gazing over to the ship that apparently Nat was going to pilot. "So you know how to fly one of these things?"

"I sure have." Nat said, adjusting herself in the Naboo pilot attire. "Had to run many hours flying a lot of ships when I first came to this galaxy. Not much different from the ones back home. Just some adjustments, that's all."

"If you say so."

Nat adjusted her clothing again. "Padme, how the hell do you wear these clothes half the time? They're like blankets."

"It takes time getting used to them."

"I bet."

"Smarmy man, incoming." Hope spoke up with Nat and Padme looking at Rush who was approaching the latter.

"Senator Clovis." Padme greeted him.

"Padme." Clovis said, coming in a bit close to her. "You look exquisite."

He then proceeded to place a kiss on each cheek in a very clear intimate fashion. One that Padme clearly did not reciprocate from her facial expressions seen by Nat and Hope.

"Gee, that sure wasn't forward at all." Hope commented from Nat's shoulder.

Rush stepped back, looking at Natasha. "And who may I ask is this beautiful lady that stands with you?"

"Oh? Am I not beautiful, Senator Clovis?"

Clovis stammered for a moment when Padme giggled.

"My friend here serves as both my pilot and my maid." Padme introduced Nat. "This is Shataan and she is a very dear friend of mine as well."

"You don't see that every day." Rush said, nodding towards Natasha.

"She's a special friend whom I trust dearly." Padme said.

"Than any friend of Padme's is a friend of mine." Rush said, holding out his hand. "Rush Clovis, milady."

"Of course, sir." She then escorted the two inside of the ship. "Now be sure to be seated as we'll be departing very soon."

"If you get tired, you can rest your head on my shoulder."

"Ho~ Wow, that was so bad." Wasp stated, flying up from Nat and going over to one of the seats

"Some people are desperate." Nat whispered, causing the shrinker to giggle.

"Yeah, well desperation deserves compensation." Wasp said with a mischievous tone. Padme seated herself in one of the seat on the edge of her row when the one next to her short circuited and the safety harness snapped downward and didn't budge.

Clovis held a startled look with Padme blinking until her eyes spotted a small yellow and black figure flying up and away.

Padme could only roll her eyes at the Wasps antics.

"We're ready for takeoff, Shataan." Spoke the Naboo captain as Nat seated herself beside him.

The SHIELD agent nodded towards her co-pilot as they soon adjusted the controls and took off towards Cato Neimoidia.

The ship jolted, lifting up off the platform and then took off into the air.

Shortly after takeoff, Rush seemed to try and get closer to Padme. Wasp was about to do something so he won't get close and possibly spot her when Padme scooted away.

It was throughout the majority of this trip did Hope notice more of Padme's actions. Something that seemed familiar to her.

-Scene Cut-

Cato Neimoidia was quite a unique world. One covered in a persistent fog with all of its bridge cities suspended over the acidic oceans below. And the rock arches had a lot of forests and grasslands.

Descending to one particular city, the Naboo ship landed in front of the estate of one Lott Dod, the Neimoidian who has business dealings with Clovis today.

With the ramp lowered, Clovis and Padme and C-3P0 walked down and were greeted by Lott Dod himself with a pair of gold-plated maid droids behind him.

"Ah, Senator Clovis… and Senator Amidala, an unexpected privilege."

"Senator Dod." Padme greeted. "Please forgive me for arriving unannounced."

"Oh, no. Always a pleasure to see you, my dear. I hope you and I can make a fresh start."

"I came here with the very same hope." The Naboo senator turned slightly for her gaze to meet with Clovis'. "I believe in second chances."

"So do I, senator. So do I."

Nat stayed in the background, her eyes managing to catch Wasp flying above them as they entered the large building.

Upon entering, Nat and Wasp saw the many Neimoidians and maid droids walking about with the former discussing business and such whilst Padme's group was guided down a corridor to their place of momentary residency.

"Place looks like an overpriced burlesque house." Wasp commented, flying through the corridors of the establishment they currently stayed at.

"Anything of note?" Nat asked discretely from her end as she followed after Padme and 3P0 while being escorted to the room they would be staying in.

"Just that there are a lot of droids here that legitimately feel like sex-dolls." Wasp stated. "I feel dirty being here."

"Couldn't agree more." Nat said, getting herself situated with Padme. "At least seeing some battle droids here and there somewhat makes me feel better."

Though Padme didn't vocalize it, she too felt a bit 'dirty' as the two put it herself. These droids around her were rather… appealing if one is into that sort of thing.

Wasp whizzed about, flying in between several legs of those that were residing in the building before flying back up in time to spot Dod and Clovis walking away in a rather discrete manner.

"Guys, I've got eyes on Clovis and that Dod Senator." Wasp said.

"I'll go check it out." Padme cut in.

"Padme are you sure?" Nat asked, surprised at the sudden declaration.

"There's something off about this place." Padme said. "I think it's better if Hope takes time to scout out the entire palace. Leave Clovis to me. He's my mission after all."

"If you say so."

"Might as well take the senator's advice." Nat said as she started checking the room for any bugs. "Don't know what is going on and need to find anything of importance. An office could be a good start."

Wasp continued her recon of the building when she spotted a rather unusual figure that had walked across from one room to another. Now granted, Hope wouldn't have made much of this figure had it not been for the fact that whoever it was really stood out with all that black clothing, cape and helmet that seemed to cover their face.

In regard to everyone else she had seen, this person stuck out like a sore thumb.

Eyes narrowed; Hope zipped after the figure who was beginning to descend down into the lower levels of the building.

The figure continued down another set of stairs before standing within a chamber of some kind with a holo-table in the center.

Approaching it, pressed upon one of its controls and waited for a brief moment. Hope flew ahead of the individual and settled herself behind a pillar while looking down at her person of interest.

After several more seconds, the holo-table glowed with a holo-transmission of what appeared to be an elderly gentlemen appearing before the helm being. The front plating of the individual retracted, revealing that it was a young Mirialan female with yellow skin and acidic yellow eyes with red tattoos trailing down her face from the inner corner of both her eyes.

"Master Dooku." The Mirialan spoke in a calm voice, kneeling down to one knee and head bowed.

"Chezo Niva." Dooku said in an equally even tone. "What is the purpose of this call, my acolyte?"

"The Senator from Scipio has arrived as planned." Chezo said, looking up to her master. "He and Dod speak right now on the matters of the droid factory construction."

"Good, very good." Dooku said approvingly. "Though that is not the reason or purpose of your call, is it?"

"There is someone of interest who has come with the Scipio Senator." Chezo said straight away. "One who you have spoken of before. The Naboo Senator, Padme Amidala."

"Senator Amidala is on Cato Neimoidia?" Dooku said in a sharp tone.

"She is Master, she has accompanied the Scipio Senator to this planet." Chezo stated. "What should be done with her, Master Dooku?"

"Keep an eye on her but do not do anything drastic." Dooku said. "The last thing we need is the Republic snooping about here even more so. But if an accident were to happen…"

Dooku's unfinished statement made a sinister grin crawl upon Chezo's face with her yellow eyes burning in understanding.

"Of course Master Dooku." Chezo said with malicious glee.

Wasp all the while glared, quickly hopping off from her pillar and flying out to meet up with Natasha.

"Nat, we have a problem."

With Padme, she walked as slowly and quietly as possible. It took a bit of time to properly track down Senators Rush and Lott. She did find them in a darkened part of the library with something projecting on the holo-table.

"-This investment by the Banking Clan will create unimaginable war profits," Rush stated to the Neimoidian beside him, "the largest droid factory ever built."

Padme's hopes for her old friend died rather quickly. It seems the man she once cared for deeply is amongst enemy ranks now.

"As long as the Republic doesn't find out." Dod grumbled out. "You should never have brought a member of the Senate here."

The Naboo senator then heard a series of agitated clicks coming from that room, making her want to listen in more.

"I agree, Lord Poggle. For all the risks we're taking, we should be getting a greater share of the profits."

'Lord Poggle?' Padme thought. 'Of the Geonosians?'

Rush became quite displeased. "Are you suggesting we change the terms of our agreement?" He eyed both Dod and Poggle with a shake of his head. "A deal is a deal. I'd hate for something to happen to you."

The Neimoidian scoffed. "You forget yourself, Clovis. You cannot threaten me on my own planet."

"This is hardly your planet anymore, not since you signed your holdings over to the Banking Clan, in return for a stake in this new droid factory."

Padme narrowed her glance, knowing she'll need to get whatever's on that holo-table no matter what.

Just as well as before, the Naboo senator quietly made herself scarce and went back to where her assigned quarters resided.

-Scene Cut-

"So… another assassination attempt may occur on my life here, eh?" Padme said with a rather bland expression. "What a surprise."

"You don't seem all that shocked given what we told you." Hope stated. "Is this a politician thing or…?"

"Let's just say this isn't the first time someone's wanted to get me out of the picture these past ten years." Padme said with a dry tone. "With how often my life has been targeted throughout my life, I've sadly grown used to it."

"Gotta say, you're earning more respect from me." Natasha sadly chuckled.

"Don't know if that's a good or a bad thing to hear from you."

"So there's one of those Sith guys that the Jedi mentioned and whatever it is smarmy man is planning with those Separatists." Hope stated.

"Looks like we've got our hands full here." Nat noted.

"You mentioned there are plans for a droid factory on Geonosis." Hope said with Padme nodding.

"Would've been difficult to know the exact location if it weren't for them talking to Lord Poggle in person. But we'll need to know the factory's layout so the Republic can properly take it down for good."

"Can't we be able to simply get whatever's on that holo-table in the library and get out of here?" Hope asked.

"Knowing them, whatever's there will be password protected. Accessing the data won't be easy without it."

"It's never that simple, Hope."

"Yeah, figured."

"So what do we do then?"

Padme hummed in thought, thinking over their current predicament.

"Hope, I suggest you stay with me for dinner tonight."

"Uh, Padme, what if someone walks in? You came with Nat, remember?"

"That's what 3P0 is for." Padme said, gesturing to the protocol droid who waved at the two Avengers. "There's a little something called privacy here."

"I don't follow."

"While I dine with the others, you stay close so you may figure out what the password is. If you think you possibly have the right one, you can head straight towards the library and extract the data without anyone knowing until we are off world."

"Sounds like a plan."

"While you two are doing that, I'll keep an eye on this new acolyte."

"You sure about that Nat?" Hope asked in concern.

"Wouldn't come prepared if I wasn't." Nat said, rolling down her sleeves to show off her trademark Widow's Bite around her wrist.

"Alright, just be careful is all." Hope said with Nat nodding.

"Then we have a plan in motion." Padme said. "Let's get started."

It was later in the evening when the dinner commenced with Padme playing along in enemy territory.

Situated inside of C-3P0, Hope was paying close attention to the conversations. Taking note of anything remotely important from some of the more noteworthy individuals on the table, i.e. Senators Clovis and Dod.

Either one of them brought the plans to the library's holo-table. Either one of them had the password needed to access the data they needed.

It was starting to get rather annoying at some point into the meal when Hope decided to test her luck. Carefully getting out of Padme's protocol droid, Hope flew out of the dining hall and made her way towards the library as fast as possible.

Once there, she returned to her normal size and tried accessing the holo-table's contents.

"Passcode required."

"Of course." Hope muttered, adopting a thinking posture. "Might as well try Clovis first. Scipio."

"Denied."

"Banking Clan."

"Denied."

"Baron Rush Clovis."

"Denied."

Hope racked her mind from any other possible answers. Yet one seemed to make her pause. Rubbing her eyes, she spoke the last possible password.

"Padme."

"Granted."

"Jesus, he really is that desperate." Hope murmured, looking at the holo-display of a large Droid foundry that was well into production.

Before she could start extracting the data, she heard some chatter nearby and looked back.

It was at the worst possible moment that Padme and Clovis abruptly walked in, making Wasp shrink herself down and hide long enough for the two Senators, preferably the Separatist supporter, to leave.

"I'm waiting for my business venture to start." Clovis stated as he escorted Padme into the library. "I'm doing some private investing with guaranteed returns."

Padme nodded before groaning, holding her head as it throbbed before massaging her throat. "Could you bring me something to drink? I'm so thirsty all of a sudden and my head is pounding."

He came up to her out of genuine concern. "Oh you poor thing. It's the climate change. I'm sure of it. I'll be right back."

Acting from his namesake, Rush rushed out of the room, leaving Padme seemingly alone.

Wasp grew back to her full size, startling Padme slightly but she quickly calmed down.

"I've got access to the droid factory data, Padme." Wasp said. "We need to download it, pronto."

"That's exactly what I'm here for." Padme said, holding up a small data chip.

"I think you'll find the passcode rather endearing." Hope stated with a coy grin.

"Which is?"

"You, apparently."

"...How… sweet."

"You're not flattered at all, aren't you?"

"I would, if I hadn't moved on years ago."

"Oh, so there's someone else then?" Hope said with a smirk while Padme accessed the holo-table and downloaded the droid factory plans and schematics.

Just in time as Clovis had returned.

Wasp shrank back down, grabbing the data file from behind Padme's back and sticking to the shadows to avoid detection.

"I'll head back to 3P0 and put the plans in him for safe keeping." Hope spoke into the Naboo Senator's earpiece. "Good luck on your part, Padme."

Back at the dinner earlier this evening, Black Widow was conducting her own part of the mission.

Natasha had opted to stick entirely to the shadows, the night on top of the lighting of the rooms serving her well. She stood round a corner in what was the restaurant of the building. Off on the far end of the room was Padme seated with Clovis, Dod and several other Neimoidians. And on the other side seated by herself in a more elegant black dress was that Sith Mirialan Acolyte Chezo who had her back turned from her target, sipping upon a drink in an elegant manner while lightly eating her meal.

She hadn't made a move much and didn't appear to be in any rush of sorts yet to the trained eye, it was clear for Nat to see that she was dealing with a skilled assassin. Whoever this Chezo was, she was not to be taken lightly.

The dinner between Padme, Clovis and the Neimoidians continued with nothing significant happening save for Padme appearing to be rather tired on a few occasions.

This went on until Chezo tilted her head to the side before casually getting up out of her seat and walking towards one of the exits of the restaurant. The exit she was closest to.

With Chezo momentarily glancing her way.

Widow felt herself stiffen up before crouching down to back away and move silently down the hall she stood in whilst Chezo had turned the corner and stood there.

Her yellow eyes shifted about, face scrunched up in suspicion and concentration.

The hall was relatively empty yet she knew that if anything were to happen here, she would draw unwanted attention.

Beginning to walk down the hall, her footsteps were relatively silent being muffled by the floors being carpeted and all.

Her head however turned sharply to the left; eyes narrowed as she changed her path to where she had now sensed something.

Widow had found a set of stares, traversing downward yet the acolyte appeared not far behind.

Knowing they were alone, Chezo had a smirk on her face as she spoke.

"I know you're out here, somewhere." Chezo said, her tone even but loud enough for Nat to hear. "It was definitely a surprise but when one concentrates well and hard enough, it makes it impossible to miss you."

Nat had remained silent, scaling down the winding staircase as quickly as possible whilst Chezo opted to take her time.

"I still am trying to wrap my head around your existence, you know." Chezo said, making sure her dress wouldn't touch the steps. "How is it possible for individuals like yourselves to exist? Devoid of the Force."

Nat paused, taking a moment to think over what that Sith Acolyte just said.

"I know who you are or more of whom you are associated with, Avenger." Chezo went on, continuing her descent. "Your team made quite the arrival in the galaxy. Every Force-user must have felt your grand appearance. I know I did, as did my master and fellow acolytes."

Widow now found herself entering a darkened room with many pillars and one holo-table in the center. She then heard the sound of heels echoing against hard granite and knelt behind a pillar where the shadows hid her best.

"It was strange when I felt an unusual turbulence in the Force when that Senator arrived earlier today but when I focused, I sensed you immediately." Chezo said, now standing in the center of the large chamber where she contacted Count Dooku. "My sensory capabilities are second to none amongst my peers. A blank void like yourself in the Force was not difficult to locate."

A blank void in the Force? That was certainly a new one to hear.

"It's like a living… scar? No, something else." Chezo muttered, though her voice was still heard. "You truly are an unusual element. How is it possible to exist without the Force? What are you really I wonder. Yet for some reason the Force permeates around you. Did you know that?"

Nat held up her wrists, Widows Bite powering up.

Chezo stopped, reaching out with the Force. Her yellow eyes burned with intent and purpose as the Force fed her information on her surroundings. While it is difficult to sense one that is deafened or exempt from the Force, Chezo figured perhaps there are other means in detecting those void of her power. After all, when appearing like that to that capacity it leaves quite a mark in the Force.

Igniting her crimson lightsaber, Niva flung it at the pillar Widow was hiding behind with the red blade slicing right through the sediment.

Widow had rolled out of the way, revealing herself to Chezo.

"Ah, there you are."

Natasha rolled her eyes when the humming of a lightsaber forced her to duck down as the blade returned to Chezo's hand.

The Sith Acolyte grinned maliciously, holding out her free hand as if she were attempting to grab something out of the air. Nat quirked a brow at her behavior when she felt a strange feeling at the back of her throat before she cleared it. The feeling went away.

Chezo blinked, seeing nothing happen before trying whatever it was she was doing again.

This time it felt as though Natasha had something lodged in her throat and she didn't swallow whatever she was eating properly. She squirmed this time, letting out several coughs when once again the strange feeling subsided.

"What is going on?" Chezo asked herself.

"The hell?" Nat was incredulous. "That was you?!"

Not waiting for a response, Natasha instantly pulls out one of her pistols and fires several bullets at the Mirialan.

Sneering at the slug-throwers sent her away, Chezo casually spun her lightsaber about to deflect all the bullets aside. Only they weren't deflected. The humming blade melted the bullets into liquid metal which splattered around and on Chezo's body.

The acolyte's eyes widened, hissing with great pain as she felt the molten liquid burn her skin with the metal solidifying moments later. Chezo cried out aloud, gripping her fist and lightsaber with her free hand puncturing her palm.

Chezo's head snapped up in time as she heard footsteps running at her Black Widow jumping to deliver a striking knee.

She leaned her head back in time yet her chest still got the brunt of the damage with the Acolyte flying back.

Niva tumbled back with her lightsaber deactivated, propping herself on one knee to see Black Widow reaching for her pistol once more. She wasn't going to let that happen again.

Instinctually, Chezo shot up both her hands and Nat felt her eyes widen while she was lifted up off the ground by an invisible force. She was flung down to the ground, let out a moan of discomfort getting back up to her feet as did Chezo who was glaring hatefully at her.

"You bitch!" Chezo charged forward, making Nat get onto the defensive.

Spinning on the ground, Widow whirled away from the acolyte's coming strike. Once back onto her feet, she threw a series of punches and kicks as the two started blocking and parrying each other's attacks.

Black Widow had to make sure to take great care with the Lightsaber that Chezo had re-ignited, attempting to literally kill her. She raised her arm in time, holding Niva at the wrist, making sure the saber was pointed away from her body.

"I wanted to take you prisoner for my Master." Chezo said with a furious snarl. "But I'll settle for your head instead."

"Generic." Nat said, clenching her fists as her Widow's Bite sent out an electric jolt that caused Chezo to flinch. "Couldn't you have tried coming up something a bit more original. It's gone stale after so long."

The Mirialan fought back against the jolt. What she currently felt was nothing compared to the Force Lightning she endured from in her past training sessions.

With a roar, Chezo thrusted the Force to knock the Widow away.

Once again, Nat found herself being thrown through the air courtesy of the Force with her landing on the ground. Her head whipped up in time to see Chezo in the air with her lightsaber overhead. Nat shoved herself out of the way with a red blade striking the spot she laid at.

Getting up onto a knee, she held up her wrist and aimed at Niva. She fired an electric taser disk yet Chezo was prepared, swatting the disk away.

"Such a pretty face." Chezo said condescendingly. "Such a shame I have to cut it up."

"My God, was there a three for one bargain sale on villainy monologues?"

Chezo rushed forward, lightsaber at her side with Nat beginning to run back.

Before causing any further harm on Nat, Chezo felt something brush past her face. She thought it was nothing until something struck her head not long after from behind.

The Mirialan acolyte tumbled and collided against the wall. Shaking her head a little, she saw someone else had come and joined in on the little dance number of theirs.

"Sorry I'm late." Wasp said.

Nat shook her head. "No, you're right on time."

Chezo shook her head, clutching it with her free hand when she looked up to see Widow standing with another woman. One that she detected straight away as being another of these Avengers.

Black Widow and Wasp stood side by side, readying themselves to fight Chezo with the former wielding two electrified batons that popped out from her wrists.

Chezo snarled with a malicious smirk growing on her face. "Oh what fun this will be."

"So she's one of those Sith guys the Jedi talked about?" Hope asked in a low voice.

"Yeah, so far, not gonna lie." Nat eyed the Mirialan. "She's a bit of a bitch."

"Not hard to see why."

With no further words needed, the three women lunged forward, Wasp shrinking down and Nat having to duck down low as Chezo swung her lightsaber horizontally at them.

Rolling forward, Nat sprung up, catching Chezo's wrist as she in mid-swing again. This motion gave Wasp the chance to deliver a quick series of strikes to Chezo's gut followed by her chin.

Chezo stumbled before getting hit back hard from a spinning kick from Widow.

She retaliated, spinning her lightsaber at Wasp. Much to her frustration, the attack missed as Hope shrunk down. She wondered where she was before the Mirialan was suddenly flipped over. Widow used this opportunity to kick the acolyte's exposed side before delivering a downward elbow strike.

On the ground once more, Chezo was seething with unadulterated rage at being beaten back with such ease. Clenching her teeth, Chezo unleashed a powerful force push again with Black Widow flying back and the shrunken down Wasp being flung around in the air.

Widow's back and head hit a pillar, the impact knocking the wind out of her with her head pounding. Eyesight blurry, Widow glanced up to see Chezo in the air with her lightsaber up to her shoulder level reared back and ready to impale her.

Thankfully, Wasp was still airborne with the shrunken Avenger flying at full speed at Chezo.

Just as Chezo was about to stab Widow right through the heart, the Sith Acolyte felt a powerful strike to her jaw which caused her to crash land right next to Nat.

However, Wasp was slightly late in her timing with the crimson blade managing to cut through Widow's suit and burning the side of her waist.

Nat's eyes momentarily bulged out, with the former spy clutching her side while gasping in pain.

"Nat." Hope grew back to full size, at her friends' side helping her stay up.

"Ah, she got me good there." Nat cringed, wincing at the pain coursing through her body.

Furrowing her brows, seeing her comrades injury merely fueled Hope's drive in taking the Mirialan acolyte down.

Chezo was dazed from her earlier hit, stumbling slightly as the acolyte returned to her feet.

Sizing back up to normal size at the last possible second, her foot collided against Chezo's head. As their opponent started falling down, Hope spun once more and delivered a powered dropkick right onto the acolyte's face.

Bouncing off the floor, Chezo became unresponsive with Hope breathing hard to catch her breath.

"I think you got her." Nat said whimsically, holding her side while wincing with pain.

Going back over to Nat, Wasp pulled out a small cylindrical canister of some kind before making Nat move her hand. The burn was deep and nasty and would undoubtedly leave a scar.

"You gonna be alright?" Hope used the canister to spray a whitish-blue liquid of some kind on the injury.

"Had worse." Nat muttered, glancing down at her injury. "What's that?"

"Bacta spray, gotta love it."

Nat let out a mild hiss before releasing a small, eased hum. "Oh, that could have helped back then."

"Figured." Hope helped Nat move along as they walked down the corridor. "We need to check back on Padme. Don't know if our fight brought in unwanted attention or not."

-Scene Cut-

After their scuffle with the Sith Acolyte, Hope and Natasha made their way back to the guest room where Padme resided. They needed to get off the planet immediately as the Neimoidians would be onto them very soon.

Once arriving, they saw Rush Clovis was hovering over Padme's prone form, which lay on the bed.

"What are you doing?" Natasha said, startling the male Senator.

"P-Padme's ill." He said. "She's burning up."

Natasha came up to the Naboo senator and saw she was indeed having quite the fever. Yet this was quite out of nowhere. To confirm her suspicions, she briefly opened the senator's eyes and saw some slight discoloration with the pupils dilated.

"Senator Clovis, please get a medical droid." Natasha ordered. "If it won't help her, then we need to go to a hospital or go off world for proper medical treatment."

Rush stammered and nodded. "Right, of course. I'll be right back."

With the Scipio senator out of the room, Hope spoke up while on Natasha's shoulder.

"There's more to it, isn't there?"

"Padme's been poisoned." Said the SHIELD agent.

"Clovis." Padme said in a low voice. "I hoped… he wasn't involved with them… We need to get back to the Republic and show them what we have found."

"First we gotta take care of you." Nat said.

"Oh really?" Padme may be feeling the poison but she couldn't deny her wits. Trying to get back up, she noticed part of the redhead's current state. "How'd you get that injury there, Nat?"

"Not important right now, Padme." Nat argued back even though she kept a hand pressed to her waste. "Hope, you try to find where the antidote is at and bring it to the ship ASAP."

"You got it."

Zooming out of the room and around the medical droid, the Wasp soon made her way towards where Clovis was having a heated discussion with the Neimoidian senator. Rush then ran off elsewhere as she saw Lott Dod have a sinister smirk on his face.

Narrowing her eyes, she flew towards him and followed as he walked down the corridor. Eventually coming to what appeared to be the man's office, the Wasp saw him discussing something with one of his attendants.

It didn't take long for her to spot something out of place on the man's desk. Coming close, she saw it was an injector with some sort of liquid.

Waiting for the Neimoidians leaving the office; Hope went back to normal size, grabbed the antidote and shrunk back down. She soon flew out of the nearby window and headed straight towards the Naboo ship where Padme was being loaded onto.

"I wish I could let me come with, Padme."

"I didn't want to put you through so much trouble." She weakly argued. "You still have a task to do here and I have mine."

Clovis tightened his fist before releasing the pressure. "If you say. Just get well."

With the ramp closed up, Hope regrew to normal size and quickly injected the antidote into the Naboo senator.

"You rest now, Padme." Hope said softly. "You did a good job."

"I hope it was all worth it."

"It will be." Nat said before she and the Naboo captain got the ship airborne and coordinated their flight back to Coruscant.

-Scene Cut-

"What do you mean there were copied data files?" Dod asked in confusion towards a Commando droid. "You said that the data file was stolen."

"It was, but our scanners indicate a copy of the foundry was made earlier." The Commando droid spoke.

"Curse you Clovis." Dod reared his glare at the Scipio Senator. "Thanks to your pathetic weakness, now there are two copies of the foundry the Republic have their hands on."

"The copy of the droid foundry occurred the day before Senator Clovis's arrival." Said a calm, feminine voice.

Both men turned to see Chezo walking around the holo-table that once held their plans for the droid factory on Geonosis.

"What do you mean?" Clovis inquired.

"The day before your arrival, someone else had accessed these plans and had made a copy of it." Niva said with a tone that held suspicion though not at either of the two. "I had accessed the data logs and found this anomaly though I had nearly missed it. It was so discreet, I needed to check twice that it wasn't a glitch of some kind."

"I don't understand, this happened the day before Clovis's arrival?" Lott Dod asked for clarification.

"Indeed." Chezo confirmed. "Someone else was here right under our noses and whoever it was, got away with their own copy of the Droid factory."

"But who could it have been then?" Dod asked a question everyone in the room shared. "If not Senator Amidala and her associates, then who?"

Outside, a set of Commando droids walked through the corridors on patrol passing by the room that held the Acolyte and two Separatist "sympathizers".

Both droids momentarily had their eyes flicker red for a few brief moments before they continued walking with a low metallic chuckle emanating from one of them.

So yeah, that was a breeze with only a literal day needed to write the whole thing out.

J and I have been on a role and my god we hope it doesn't end. Bouncing back and forth between this story and A Song of Fire, Ice and Hearts has been a real help in stimulating our creativity and writing process.

Keep staying safe everyone, Covid is still in affect and is still a monumental fucking asshole of a plan and life canceller. Like seriously, fuck off already with that.

Other than that, see ya next time.

Rate Read and Review and As Always Have Nice Day.