Poised comfortably in the lavish, purple velvet chair which sat trapped behind the extravagant desk of her office, Senator Padmé Amidala quietly watched the hazy blue hues of the holonet-news reporters as they bantered between themselves about thejoysof the galactic holiday season and offered tips for extremely late shopping. "Remember, all midlevel storeswillremain open until sunrise, Christmas day! If there is that one gift or surprise holiday guest you haven't purchased for, that's your best shot."The green Twi'lek host beamed into the holocams.
She rolled her eyes at the obviously sponsored reminder and flicked onto yet another channel. The last standard hour had been spent jumping through several channels on the Holonet after sending her entire staff home to enjoy the festivities with their families. Nobody would be back in the office for the next three days and the silence of her empty apartment was an easy call to ignore, so Padmé curled up in her office to relax instead. So far, she'd discovered six holiday specials, three charitable fundraising concerts, humble prayers of thanks and other such hoopla people enjoyed at this time of year.
Honestly, she'd had enough.
Lowering the volume of the falsely cheerful voices of a shopping channel making a show of awful, knock-off silk gowns, the Senator swung around in her revolving chair to look out across the urban, galactic city through the wide transparisteel window. The endless race of speeders flew through the air, rushing home or to stores as people readied themselves for the holiday tomorrow. She imagined for a moment, the glee of the children preparing for the yearly visit of the winter festivities. How exciting this time was for little ones… Waking up to presents delivered by the mysterious and cheerful being often found in high-level malls this time of year, families gathering together to be merry, the joy of snow…
Outside, nearly everything was blanketed in a thin dusting of fabricated snow, created of cold powders and dusted across the urban planet by the weather controls which ensured that no citizen of Coruscant had to endure a single cold night, not even on Christmas Eve. It had never feltrightto be warm amongst the snow or to be on Coruscant for Christmas. There were no frozen lakes to unsteadily skate across, no markets peddling homemade goods as far as the eye could see, and no children wandering from house to house singing in their sweet voices the tides of Christmas and other seasonal tunes. It just…wasn'tChristmas.
The modernised, retail-driven version of Christmas experienced here focused far too much on the economic benefits of citizens spending more than their banks could withstand as they searched for the much-publicisedperfectChristmas feeling. As a politician, a rise in public spending was always a good thing in Padmé's eyes, it aided the Republic's repayments to the Banking Clan at the dawn of the new year, but, there was something terriblysadabout the entire affair. None of it wastrulyin the holiday spirit. Not the way she remembered it.
But then, Padmé hadn't had arealChristmas for seven years.
The second pour of false snow began as the controlled clouds wept the sensationless white powder down onto the planet below, the droids manning their controls would be busy tonight, the city liked to wake to a thick blanket of snow on Christmas day. That would mean hourly dustings until the powder built enough to layer on the ground.
She wondered if Chancellor Organa had released his annual Christmas family holo yet? The yearly image of him, Queen Breha of Alderaan and their little one usually debuted on the holiday's eve. Padmé always looked forward to seeing it. Family was a valued treasure to any wise politician. The perfect little family was a boon to a political reputation – it made people trust you. Bail loved his wife and child so obviously that the people of the Republic couldn't help but follow suit. It was a wonderful thing.
Once, years ago, Padmé's Christmas holos had revolved around thickly woollen seasonal clothing which came in a hideous matching family set carefully created by her beloved grandmother months she rest in the she'd feared those pictures becoming public and ruining the careful selection of custom-made, eye-wateringly expensive designer outfits she made sure to be seen in publicly. Her family had always beenexpresslywarned by Padmé, her chief publicist and her head Handmaiden, Dormé,notto post any such images onto their holonet profiles. It would have been bad for the image they had all worked to create for the former warrior-Queen of Naboo.
That had all been quite some time ago now… The eldest of her little nieces would be reaching her first taste of teenagerhood by now. Sola would be celebrating an important marriage anniversary soon… and her parents… They weren't as young as they had been. It had been so long since Padmé had talked to any of them beyond brief, cold, written messages sent across the holonet. Whose fault was it? Hers? Theirs? It hardly mattered now. She made her choice to embrace the life of a Senator with Palo by her side years ago and even if now that the lying, cheating pile of bantha-dung was far from her mind and heart, Padmé couldn't regret her decision. Her time here was spent bettering the lives of those without a voice who spoke through her, fighting for the fightless, the powerless… Her effortsmeantsomething to the galaxy. She worked hard and non-stop, sacrificing much to follow her passions and political beliefs and it wasworth it!
A sudden boisterous roar of elated – and maybe slightly intoxicated – cheering passed her locked door in the Senate hallway as her colleagues welcomed the approach of Christmas, excusing themselves from their public works for the next few days. And, for just a moment, the idea of joining the celebrations was enticing… But her heart was just not in it nor had it been for a long time.
Spinning back around to her desk, she flicked the channel again just in time to catch the change in the holo-net show to genuine news broadcasting. Of course, the daily updates of the tense, ongoing negotiations between the vile Trade Federation and the government of Dantooine were a highlight despite the jovial time for the Republic tonight. Predictably, the Republic's beloved poster-boy's charming face flickered to life as the reel went on.
Poster-man, she corrected herself as though he were here about to do it for her.
Anakin Skywalker, war hero of the Republic, Jedi Knight and General of the grand Republic army, exceptional star pilot and Padmé's best friend in the galaxy… People worshipped him for his part in ending the horrors of the Clone Wars. His bravery was widely regarded within all systems and now he was reduced – inhiseyes alone – to overseeing negotiations so that tension did not lead to more fighting. What he saw as a chore, Padmé saw only was how things weresupposedto be, though it was difficult to begrudge a soldier missing the thrill and danger of battle.
The image of her best friend brought a smile to her brooding lips.
He'd been gone three weeks now, overseeing the deal with The Great Negotiator, their mutual friend, Obi-Wan. Though she understood the necessity of their presence in Dantooine, this was the first Christmas in thirteen years they'd spent apart. Anakin always accompanied her to her family's house ever since he'd given his aid in the battle of Naboo against the Trade Federation as a child. It was their tradition – one the Jedi Council allowed him to partake in evenbeforethe rewriting of their traditional code.
Now that Padmé and her family no longer spoke, Anakin would come to her apartment for the holiday where she would hire special chief droids to prepare a traditional meal just for them as they exchanged small gifts. And now for the first time in years, they were apart. It was bound to happen eventually, she always knew that but she just hadn't imagined how…lonelythis life of hers would become.
Well, Padmé thought to herself,if they couldn't be together today, there were other ways to see each time difference wasn't too great on Dantooine that her transmission would rouse him from sleep or disturb the important task he'd been sent to accomplish… And truthfully, Padmémissedhim. Not having Anakin around felt like missing her own arm.
Her attempted transmission only took a few moments to morph into the shape of her favourite Jedi Knight, obviously kneeling before the beloved Astromech, Artoo, she gifted him many Christmas' ago. He greeted her with a wide, excited smile she imagined mirrored her own. "Ani!" Padmé beamed as the sight of him washed away her sour mood. "How are the negotiations going?"
At once, the smile died on his mouth and a bitter scowl made its way across his handsome face. Though she tried, she failed to hold back a small giggle at her best friend's expense."I think the agreement for negotiations has all been an elaborate trick…"
"A trick?" Her smile fell away with a pang of worry. The Trade Federation had been accused of favouring the Separatist Union throughout the war and had attempted to overtake Naboo while she ruled, it wouldn't go against their nature to make yet another dash for power through the guise of peace. If therewasan underlying plan in motion, then Anakin and Obi-Wan could be in great danger –
"Yes,"he groaned, rubbing his gloved hand across his face,"I think they brought me out here just to kill me through boredom…"He drawled and Padmé's eyes fell closed in part relief, part irked amusement. If he were here, she would smack him upside the head for making her worry like that! The idiot! For now, she settled on a half-hearted scowl which seemed to only make him laugh.
"I swear to the moons of Iego, Anakin Skywalker, one of these days…" She shook her head at her brainless Jedi.
"One of these days what?"He leaned closer to Artoo's holocam, eyes full of delighted mischief and utterly unconvinced by Padmé's vague little threat, "What will you do, Milady?"
"You don't want to find out, Jedi." She said haughtily. Far from inspiring fear, Anakin's grin only grew, bright and joyous and handsome as ever. It was no wonder half the galaxy had fallen head over heels for him since the war.
"I've missed you, Padmé,"he shook his head,"I would give anything to be there with you now."
"Me too," she said honestly, "I don't like celebrating Christmas without you here… It doesn't feel right."
He looked safe which was a large relief she savoured, however boring he thought this mission was, the lack of fightingwasa good thing – especially for her nerves. She'd worried about him enough throughout the war, scanning the holonet channels every night foranyhint of his whereabouts. Thank the stars those days were gone now.
"What're you doing in your office, Padmé?"Anakin frowned, "You should be out having fun!"
Hiding from the emptiness of my apartment,she wanted to say, but Padmé forced a careless smile for his sake and hoped those perceptive eyes of his didn't see right through her. "Oh, I was just finishing up some work before leaving… I won't be back until next year – that's a long time."
"Oh, ha ha…"Anakin rolled his eyes at the age-old joke."Seriously, Padmé you should go out and enjoy yourself… Doesn't the Chancellor throw a Christmas party in the Senate every year? Go and join in!"
"A party full of drunk politicians is just more work for me, Anakin." She rolled her eyes, "It's almost impossible to switch off and enjoy yourself around people who spent their day actively working to derail the progress you've spent months carving out in legislative several bills." Half the time, Padmé spent her time around other Senators searching for the strength to not throttle them for their absolute ignorance and arrogance. Their ambitious desires kept her on edge, very few of her colleagues could be trusted – especially with many relations still recovering in the aftermath of the war. "Besides, forget about me!Youshould be out having fun!"
"Me?" Anakin scoffed,"I've been sent on the galaxy's most boring diplomatic mission of all time. There's no fun to be had here with Obi-Wan and the Federation grunts stalking around."
"Oh come on, Ani," a teasing smile crept across Padmé's mouth. "Dantooine is a big place… I'msurethe galaxy's beloved 'Hero with no Fear'would have no problem finding someone to have some fun with. I mean, what is there to lose? You convinced the Jedi Council to change their code after the war – now take advantage!"
Everybody – Padmé included – had gotten caught up in a frenzy of rumours when Anakin petitioned and fought with the Jedi Council about the rigorous rules of their Jedi love, let them live lives of real people with real emotions, he'd said. There had been gleeful whispers of a lover the Jedi's Chosen One had taken, a woman he'd brought peace to the galaxy for… Every gossip channel on every system had held its breath for the announcement only é had prodded her friend relentlessly but he'd only laughed and denied any such affair until she and the galaxy let the issue drop.
Now, Anakin's smile seemed to fall from his face, only momentarily, but its return lacked the same warmth it held before."You think I should try to meet someone?"The connection must have faltered, Padmé frowned at the projector as his voice grew quiet and almost tentative, something Anakin Skywalker certainly was not.
"Why shouldn't you?" She asked, "You're free of the old rules of the code… The war is over now. You can start alifewith someone, Ani. Isn't that what you want?"
Wasn't that what most people wanted? A loving partner, a family of their own… The thoughts drifted wistfully over her. Padmé hadn'tintendedto devote so much of her life to public service after her term as Queen was completed. She'd thought about dedicating her life to smaller projects out of the public eye, charities and education being of the most importance to her, but the opportunity to become the former Senator of Naboo's apprentice had been too incredible to turn down.
But she had thought she might have a family of her own by now.
Her life was nothing to look down on! She had a successful career, prodigious friends, and theperfectapartment and three of her six bedrooms were dedicated to closet space for all the gorgeous custom-made pieces designers from every system practicallybeggedher to wear. So what if her family wanted nothing to do with her? So what if she didn't have a husband or children? Noteverywoman needed those things to be happy. Padmé certainly didn't. She was absolutelyfineon her own!
"Yeah…"The black-leather glove which covered the hand of his mechno arm came up to scratch at the back of his neck, a tell-tale sign of Anakin Skywalker's discomfort."Well – I – I guess I'd always thought that…"Padmé watched the blue hue of her stuttering friend with a hint of a curious frown. Theynevertalked about this. Anakin was always so private with his feelings, she had no idea if there everhadbeen someone who captured his heart.
Maybe he lacked the skills to pursue a woman? The Jedi hardly imparted the art of romance onto their students, Padmé imagined. "There is – was – someone… For a long time, I assumed we would be together. That it was fate. The force would guide us together after the war. That's why I fought so hard to have the code rewritten… Everyone was right about that,"he admitted.
"What happened?" Padmé gasped, "Why didn't you ever tell me?" The obvious tinge of sadness in his voice carried the obvious answer that his romance had been ill-fated but she was desperate for the details anyway. What woman in the galaxy would be so idiotic as to rejectAnakin? She wasn't blind to his faults, he was moody and quick to passionate anger but he was also the smartest person she had ever met. Certainly, the best starpilot in the galaxy and loyal to a fault, once his heart had taken someone within it, he would fight endlessly to keep them safe.
Not to mention his long, sandy-blonde curls, naturally tanned skin, a Jedi's body sculpted in hard muscle from his days fighting and overall handsomeness and the scar across his eye which added an exciting element of danger to his good looks… People weremadfor him! Who was this woman?
He avoided her eye, well, avoided the hologram of her which Artoo projected into the space before him, with a gentle shrug."I, uh… I never told her how I felt, actually… I was going to before she started seeing someone else and after that didn't work out… the timing never felt right."
"Oh Ani, I'm sorry… I wish you told me so I could be there for you! You've always been so good to me." He'd been her rock through the heartbreak of losing her connection to her family and the implosion that was the ending of her relationship with Palo. Padmé didn't know what she would have done without him over the years… "I mean it, Anakin. You're my best friend, that means you can't shut me out of your life."
Something hardened and then vanished on his face with a subtle shake of his head. "It's fine. Listen Padmé, I have to go… Try to have some fun tonight, okay? Merry Christmas."
A strange, heavy feeling settled into her stomach. Something bitter and disappointing. It ached as Anakin said his quiet farewell. "Oh, alright… Merry Christmas, Ani."
The intergalactic communication severed as he ended the transmission, leaving Padmé alone in her dim office. Somewhere nearby, the off-tune cries of an old holiday tune carried through the halls as her merry colleagues sang into the night.
Merry Christmas indeed…