Decoy (Rex)

14: Confusion

Tw: Violence?

~Rex~

"Good news, Rex," Anakin told him. "Padmé's back!"

Rex straightened, putting down the datapad he had been working on. "She is?"

Anakin nodded. "She told me she took a few days off and forgot to let me know."

Rex frowned, his forehead creasing. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Anakin tilted his head, looking at Rex in consideration. "Why do you seem so confused?"

Rex shook his head, lips thinning as he pasted on a smile. "No reason, sir. I'm just as relieved as you are that she's okay."

He was bewildered.

He saw Ranov'la get kidnapped by Lucian, so unless she somehow returned and failed to let him know, Padmé had returned.

Rex muttered an excuse and exited, rushing to the Senate building as quickly as he could. He nearly sprinted to Padmé's quarters, eager to who would be in the room.

"Rex. Is something the matter?"

Rex stood in the doorway for a moment, his mouth dry and adrenaline pumping through him. He opened and closed his fists as they rested at his sides before slipping his helmet off and pinning it to his side. "Who are you?"

She cocked her head, a small smile spreading across her face as if they were having a cheery conversation. "Rex? What do you mean by that?"

"I know Senator Amidala had a decoy take her place." Rex squeezed his eyes shut. "You're not her. Your hair is too straight. You're slightly taller than her. And the biggest hint is that you're not wobbling in those heels."

"Rex-"

"So who are you? Are you Senator Amidala, or the decoy?" Rex cut her off.

The smile slipped off her face and she motioned for Rex to step into the room. He did so, and she swiftly shut the door behind him, ushering him to the couch.

"I am the decoy."

"Ranov'la?" Rex softly said, confusion rising in him.

Had he been wrong?

Was this her?

"Huh?"

His heart sunk as he realized that this wasn't Ranov'la.  "Who are you?" Rex asked.

"I am Dormé, handmaiden to Senator Amidala. I was sent in her stead, since the decoy has disappeared. I am needed back with the others urgently, so you need to tell me what you know of the runaway decoy."

"She didn't run away!" Rex raised his voice slightly before turning his head away. "She didn't run away."

Dormé studied him for a moment, her eyes scanning the way he stared at the scratch on the wall. "Then what did happen? We need to find her quickly. I am needed back with the others."

Rex ran his fingers along the mark on the wall. "She tripped in heels one time and fell over, scratching her bracelet along it, causing a mark."

Dormé patiently waited for him to stop reminiscing, clasping her hands in front of her.

Rex lifted his gaze to her with a heavy sigh. "She was kidnapped."