"The Naboo system has been invaded by force," Amidala said. "Invaded against all the laws of the Republic, by the droid armies of the Trade-"

"I object!" Lott Dod said. "There is no proof! This is incredible. We recommend a commission be sent to Naboo to ascertain the truth!"

"Overruled," Valorum said.

Lott Dod frowned. "Your Honour, you cannot allow us to be condemned without reasonable observation. It's against all the rules of procedure."

The box for Malastare moved into the centre of the room, and Palpatine moved in to whisper advice.

Amidala ignored it.

"Honourable representatives!" she said. "May I finish?"

There were several seconds of bickering, and Palpatine got her attention again.

"Your majesty," the Senator said. "The bureaucrats are the true rulers of the Republic – and on the payroll of the Trade Federation. You must do something drastic to break through the deadlock."

"The point is conceded," Valorum said. "Section 523A takes precedence here. Queen Amidala of the Naboo, will you defer your motion to allow a commission to explore the validity of your accusations?"

"What is sufficient proof?" Amidala demanded. "I refuse to believe that the Senate would accept a situation where an attack against a sovereign world can be tied up in endless debate!"

Valorum looked relieved.

"A duly appointed commission sent by the Jedi Order would be sufficient," he said.

"No such commission has been sent!" Lott Dod protested.

"A commission was sent from the Jedi Temple on my personal request," Chancellor Valorum replied.

"No vote on that matter was taken, making that a private matter not qualifying as a duly appointed commission," the Senator for Malastare complained, and it looked like more bickering was going to happen.

"Supreme Chancellor!" Amidala said, irritated. "I-"

Suddenly, she had an idea.

"I concede to the point made by the Representative of the Trade Federation," she said.

Even Lott Dod looked at her like she'd gone mad.

"Your Majesty," Palpatine protested, in a strangled voice.

"Therefore," Amidala went on. "I must only assume that the armed fleet blockading my system, and the army occupying my capital and cities – the fleet and army to which Jedi Knight Qui-Gonn Jinn and Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi will attest – is attempting to attack the good name of the Trade Federation by means of an illegal blockade and invasion."

She folded her arms. "Since this invasion fleet and army exists, however, any investigation into the identities of these rogues must take place with a sufficient armed force available to defeat the occupying force."

"This is all a bluff!" Lott Dod said. "There is no invasion!"

"How do you know that, exactly?" Aks Moe asked, the Malastare box turning to face the Trade Federation box.

"This girl is simply trying to keep up her allegations despite being denied on a point of order," Lott Dod said. "I object to this course of action!"

"You cannot object to your own suggestion," the Chancellor said.

"Then I object to the motion!" Lott Dod countered. "There is no need to mobilize a fleet until the investigation has taken place!"

"That is not a matter for objection," Valorum replied. "This is a matter for a vote. I call a privileged vote on the matter of sending a commission to investigate, to depart within forty-eight hours – along with a dreadnought squadron, in order to immediately clarify the situation in the event that an invasion has taken place."

The lights went up around the room, and Amidala remained tense until the final vote was called – then sank back into her chair, with a sigh of relief.

The commission would be going out, along with a battlegroup. And even if the Trade Federation abandoned her world before the reinforcements arrived… the invasion's effects would be impossible to hide.

But if they didn't abandon her world, a dreadnought squadron could not drive off an invading army. There was still work for her to do.

And she had the distinct feeling that this kind of political manoeuvre was exactly what Valorum had been hoping for… and it was something that should have been Senator Palpatine's job.

That deserved serious investigation. And, fortunately, she knew some Jedi who could look into that...

AN:

And this one was prompted by the question of what Palpy should have been doing, as the Senator, and wasn't.