Blurred Sides (COMPLETE)

7.6.2

Padme sank into her chair at her desk. She loved her work, she really did, but it got so tiring sometimes. So many people arguing over one single topic for a full day and nothing else productive came out of it.

She wasn't even really sure that it had been worth it. She, personally, had been against the idea of more executive power in the Senate, but in the end, her words had been ignored and overruled by the opposing argument. She respected the Chancellor, but they didn't always see eye to eye.

Oh, well. It was over now, and there was nothing she could do about it. She sat up and opened her government profile. Time to see what else had happened while she had sat through a debate for fourteen hours of her day.

There were several messages from various planets and moons in the Naboo system. Apparently, there had been a miscommunication about a trading deal between two planets, and the other government systems were picking sides. She read through the reports carefully but didn't respond. It was after hours for most of the systems right now, and she didn't think she could concentrate enough to type out a response, anyway.

One other message had come in, this time from the Coruscant government itself. She opened it, but what she saw was brief. It was simply a notice telling her that, due to dangerous circumstances and the possibility of physical threat, a Jedi Knight would be dispatched to escort her to the building she was staying at and would be guarding her overnight as well.

She didn't mind the escort, in fact, she normally enjoyed Jedi company, but the part about 'dangerous circumstances and the possibility of a physical threat' worried her. She had heard many rumors about a new Separatist warrior, called the Inquisitor, but she hadn't had the time to inquire further. Maybe when the Jedi came, they would be able to tell her more. She made a mental note to ask them once they got here.

Padme scanned the notice one last time, looking for a time at which the Jedi would be arriving. She compared it to the time on her clock and realized she had less than two minutes before the Jedi was supposed to be here to take her to her quarters. She powered down all of her equipment, organized some of the documents on her desk into piles, and straightened the shelves behind her desk. She had just finished lining up the spines of her record folders when a knock came at the door.

"Just a moment!" she called out, and she turned out the lights before rushing to answer the door. She looked around one last time to make sure everything was tidy, before pressing the button to open the door.

It was Anakin.

He smiled down at her, relieved to finally see her after so long. He spoke in the most official voice he could without laughing at himself. "Senator Amidala, I am here to escort you to your chambers this evening. Are you prepared to go, my lady?"

Padme laughed, and hugged Anakin around his neck, however briefly. They were still in public, after all.

"Yes, Master Skywalker," she replied, matching his business-like tone. "I believe I have no more business here this evening. Shall we depart now?"

He chuckled and bowed out of her way, holding the door open with one hand. She curtsied and walked daintily out, and Anakin locked the door behind his wife. As they walked out of the building, they did not touch, but Anakin walked close behind Padme the whole way out. They spoke in low voices as they followed Palpatine's footsteps to the hangar.

"How did you get this assignment?" She asked him, and he responded in such a way that only she could hear him.

"The Council thought you might be targeted soon, and I had nothing better to do. Somehow, the timing lined up perfectly."

"I was wondering about that," she admitted, referring to the 'targeted' comment, "but it's probably better to wait until we get to the hotel."

"Probably," Anakin agreed. "I'll fill you in once we get there."