Dropped in a Fanfic

Chapter 52

Sure enough, we ended up on a ship bound for Bespin. Not a large command cruiser from the Republic fleet (like I'd hoped), but one that was the perfect size to box in four people: me, Ahsoka, Anakin, and Padme. There was no backroom or closet to inconspicuously hide in, so I was stuck steaming in the underlying tension of sharing the helm with an ex-couple who were pointedly not talking to each other.

I picked up on it quickly. Between our greetings and boarding, they never actually said anything to each other directly. If their gazes crossed, they looked away without any recognition of it, like they were trying to avoid each other's attention. I didn't know what to make of it. They'd had several moments being in a room together before. I remembered seeing them talk during the fundraiser gala too. The sudden awkwardness was a little surprising, but maybe it had to do with the fact that this was a mission. I couldn't remember hearing about them going on one as exes. Unlike a party, there was no escape option if things got uncomfortable or awkward. And we were all going to be stuck together for the entire trip.

Which could still be fine... hopefully.

For now, they were acting oblivious. Anakin kept his attention on the ship's flight path with Ahsoka. Padme kept to her seat next to me, engrossed in our dossiers. We'd spent nearly every second of the last three days giving ourselves a crash course over everything: the Republic's offerables, Bespin's resources, and even character profiles of some of the high ranking officials of the planet.

"Can you pass me that?" She asked, tilting her chin towards a file, but her eyes were stuck on her datapad. She'd been looking over the same page for nearly 20 minutes, perfecting her notes. I wouldn't be surprised if she could recite them like a script.

I placed the file in her hand. "Nervous?"

"A little," she admitted, which felt like a lot coming from her, "there's a lot riding on this mission."

I chuckled dryly at the understatement. "How was working with them when you were Empress?"

"Pretty normal. We had a standard trade agreement. It just didn't last that long."

She'd already explained that ending to me. "Because their king died, right?"

Padme nodded. "A change in leadership usually comes with changes in policy."

Thein Fardal had ruled over Bespin for the better part of two decades. When he passed, he left two children who could take up the crown. Instead of choosing based on birthright or a bloody power struggle, the pair decided to rule the planet together. It was actually shocking to hear of siblings peacefully sharing a throne. I'd watched too much Game of Thrones to believe that kind of power could be evenly split without backstabbing, massacres, or some kind of greed-fueled depravity.

"Have you met the siblings?" I asked, getting curious.

"Just once." A considering look crossed her features. "The Fardals weren't ones to leave their planet. The same went with their royal council. It actually ruffled some feathers on Naboo at the time."

"What did you think of it?"

She sat back in her chair. "I didn't really mind taking the trip. I've dealt with worse from people with much less power. We parted ways without ill will." She shrugged a little. "It just always felt like they valued their autonomy over everything else."

It definitely looked that way from the research. As a gas giant, Bespin didn't have much in the way of natural resources outside of tibanna gas, but the stuff was invaluable. Like a coveted golden egg all planets across the systems wanted. In a way, that made it easy to do business on their terms, to make sure they got what they wanted without making concessions.