Three days later, Sheev met Barriss Orffee.

"Hello, Sheev. It's been a while since I've seen you."

"Oh, it was at Larry Fink's party, if I remember correctly. How are you and how is your husband?"

"I am fine but my husband… I think not so good. He doesn't have a mistress at the moment, and how are you? You still haven't fathered a successor?"

"I'm really trying, but... I need some information from you."

"I knew you needed something. Why else would you invite me for dinner? You are faithful to your wife."

"Do you have such a low opinion of me?" he laughed.

"That's my best opinion of you... " and winked, "...so tell me, what kind of information do you need?"

"You studied with my wife and Dr. Skywalker, and..."

"Oh!"

"Oh, what?"

"Nothing, nothing, go on."

"...so you were an undergraduate and a graduate student at the same time. You must know what was going on between them all the time. I want to know everything."

"That's a lot."

"Yeah?" he widened his eyes.

"I'm just kidding, don't freak out. They were never together. When Anakin and I were sophomores, Padmé was a freshman, so we were a year older. He was always an attractive man, the dream of every female student on campus, and every single one of them followed him. He enjoyed it, but I never got the impression that he took advantage of it. Then, a year later, Padmé came and his behavior changed. He allowed himself to be admired, and there were always many female students around him when Padmé was around, but not otherwise; I think he wanted to test her reaction, and she reacted by turning the heads of the male students. You could literally feel the tension between them, but they didn't approach each other. Over time, he became more and more passive when it came to women. He communicated with her regularly, but not intensely, but in a way... I can't describe it, he was always polite, mature and respectful. And then when he got his master's degree, he disappeared for two years. We knew he had gotten a scholarship to do his Ph.D., but no one knew why he didn't continue. After two years, he came back... even more breathtaking than before. Padmé didn't pretend to be interested, although it was clear that she had feelings for him, a lot. He had somehow grown up in those two years and was much more serious and withdrawn. His eyes were glued to her, but he wasn't chasing her, he wasn't trying to win her over. It seemed to me that she wanted and expected it, but he didn't. I asked him once where he had been hiding for those two years, and he laughed and said he had been in the Marines. Maybe he was in Afghanistan and that's why he changed so much. Hell knows what he saw and experienced over there. You know General Amos, possibly he can tell you if Skywalker was in Afghanistan."

"Huh, you told me a lot, but nothing like I expected. I thought they were together."

"What makes you think that?"

"They work together at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and I thought there was something going on."

"There's always been something latent, hidden, between the two. Maybe they had something going on and were good at hiding it. Why is she still working?"

"Because she wants to. Well, Barriss, you've given me a lot to think about... now let's enjoy dinner."

The dinner was excellent, as it would be in any Michelin-starred restaurant, and they enjoyed it, and afterwards... something else.

The following Friday was a dilemma for Padmé. She didn't know if she should go to the Marriott Marquise or not. She was sure that this observation was meant for her, Sheev wanted to know who she was meeting, no, he wanted to know if she was sleeping with Anakin. If only he knew how much she wanted to and still didn't. She decided on tea time. When she arrived and sat down in the chair, she saw how happy he was.

"No one followed me, no one is here to watch us. I think we can talk freely."

"You mean I can flirt with you again?"

"That's what I've been missing all week." And she laughed.

"Good. Has anyone told you how beautiful you are?"

"Not even you."

"Sorry, I have to make up for it. You're so beautiful, Padmé."

She wanted to say it's because I'm so in love, but she just said, "It's just my makeup."

"I've seen you without makeup and you weren't any less beautiful."

"You're embarrassing me now."

"Why? We've known each other a long time, and it is the truth."

"I think I know where this conversation is going to. Let's talk about tea instead. What have we got today?"

"Darjeeling vintage. It's not as strong as the Assam we had last time. This is the highest quality."

"First flush?"

"Yes. Nothing but the best for you, Padmé."

"But you didn't know if I would come."

"I didn't know, I hoped."

"I wasn't sure I'd come either, but... what a tea we are going to drink next Friday?"

"I like the question." And smiled. "What do you think of Russian Caravan? Ceylon Orange Pekoe is not available, the waiter said."

"Russian Caravan is not as strong, but let it steep a little longer."

"Shall we plan for Friday after next?"

"I can't promise I'll be there."

"Fine. Let's always wish for the Friday after next... Padmé, I've been wanting to ask you something for a long time."

"Then ask the question."

"We've known each other since your freshman year, we took some required courses and some electives. We weren't inseparable friends in that sense, but we always communicated, and then there was this... this... after I graduated. You said you didn't think there was anything between us, and there couldn't be. I was away for two years, and after that we were together as graduate students. ... I don't mean as a couple, but... well, when I came to NOAA, you welcomed me... nice to have you here, Dr. Skywalker. Why?

"I was afraid the others would misunderstand our relationship, I'm married... and why did you go along with it?"

"I wanted you to believe you were doing the right thing and not take away the feeling of safe you thought you had."

"Thank you, Anakin. It's good to know you've been a good friend for so long."

"I wish I was more than a friend."

"Do you remember that fall when Barriss Orffee took us to the Cornell Botany Garden?

"So, the subject of friendship is off-topic? OK. Let's talk about the Cornell Botanical Garden."

"Do you remember? The colors were especially intense that fall, and Sackett Bridge, do you remember that?"

"Oh yes. There were some leaves on the ground, and you slipped, and I caught you, and you held on to me, and..."

"And I didn't want to let you go, I wanted to hold on to you... but you let me go..."

"That was a mistake. If I hadn't, you wouldn't be his wife today. Speaking of Barriss, I saw her go to Fiola Mare on Monday... with your husband."

"What were you doing there?"

"You're interested in what I was doing there, not why your husband was there with Barriss?"

"He probably wanted information from her about us. He knows that we were at Cornell at the same time, that we went on the expedition together, and that now we meet for tea without other colleagues. He got suspicious and had us watched. I'm not surprised."

"What are we going to do, Padmé? It feels so good to be with you, but I don't want to harm you."

"We're not doing anything wrong and I don't want to miss our tea time."

Anakin went home satisfied, knowing that he could continue to enjoy these hours with her.

When Quarsh parked the Cadillac Escalade in the villa's garage, Padmé got out and saw Sheev's Bentley there. Not good. She went upstairs through the adjoining rooms.

"Hello Darling... oh yes, it is Friday. Did you enjoy your tea with Dr. Skywalker?"

"Yes. ... and did you enjoy your dinner with Barriss?"

"How did you know I had dinner with Barriss?"

"I learned something from you. You let me observe, and I thought I could do the same. Have you slept with her?"

"Yes."

"OK. Because you put your cock in that woman, there will be no sex with me."

"You want to enjoy a nice end to the evening, thinking about your teenage crush and what it would be like in bed with him."

"Do you know what, Sheev? I think seriously consider doing that not only think about it"

"I don't want any little Skywalkers on the throne of my empire."

"I'm afraid no one will sit on your throne after you. Your empire will fall to pieces.

"But you won't inherit it."

"I don't need your money or anything you own, I have enough."

"But you don't have the man you love."

"I see him every day and spend the time with him. I will enjoy every Friday afternoon with him, and there is nothing you can do about it."

"I'm not jealous, Padmé, but you shouldn't challenge me. I can do a lot about it, you know. If I wanted to, I could destroy him."

"Don't threaten, Sheev... just don't threaten ! You know as well as I do that my name is Naberrie, but I don't have Naberrie blood. I'm a Palpatine, just like you, so I can act as you do, without a twinge of conscience, to prevent it. Good night... Darling."

…

Best regards from Germany