Senator and Soldier

Preparations

(I'm sorry this chapter is so short, guys. I'm trying to keep the chapters coming for you all but my inspiration for this story hasn't been very high as of late. It's coming back up slowly but now I get to research and rewatch the Clone Wars episodes during the Festival of Light so I can get everything right 😅😂)

Coruscant: 20 BBY
Senate Apartments
Riyo Chuchi

    Two days had gone by and they had returned to Coruscant. Riyo hadn't seen much of Fox since they returned. She'd kept herself busy with arranging her new apartments and attending the numerous Senate sessions. Riyo opened another box and took out a few decorative items. She placed them along the empty shelves in one room.

    A door hissed open after a moment. She glanced up and spotted Senator Amidala headed towards her. "Padmé! It's good to see you!" Riyo exclaimed. They hugged each other briefly.

    "You as well," Padme said with a smile. "I would've come by sooner but things have been pretty hectic. I'm preparing for the Festival of Light on Naboo. There are extra safety precautions to take, thanks to all of these attacks. The Jedi Council has even heard that there might be an assassination attempt on the Chancellor."

    "Who told you that?" Riyo arched an eyebrow.

    "General Skywalker," Padme replied after a moment. "Obi Wan Kenobi was recently killed. They think the man who killed him is going to join up with some other bounty hunters and try to kill the Chancellor."

    Riyo raised a hand to her mouth. "I had no idea. I'm so sorry, Padme."

    Padme shook her head and sat down. "It makes no sense. Anakin suspects something is going on. I believe him. Obi Wan was too clever to be taken down by a blaster."

    "He was shot?"

    "And he fell off a roof."

    "That is a little strange. Have you talked to Satine? She might've heard something. I know she and Master Kenobi had a...special friendship."

    "No one has talked to Satine about it since the funeral. It's been very hard on her. She won't talk to anyone. She's just a walking shell."

    "I see." Riyo's thoughts flickered towards Fox. I would be too, if something like that happened to him. She pushed the terrible image away. "I would trust Anakin. If there's something going on, he'll figure it out."

    "You're right. I just hate seeing him like this." Riyo gave her a prompting look, not entirely sure what Padme meant. "Angry, hurt, frustrated. It's worse than I've seen him in a long time." Padme caught herself, suddenly. She stood and faced Riyo. "Anyway, I came to invite you to Naboo for the festival."

    "I'd love to come."

    "Wonderful. I'll see you there shortly, then." Padme waved and stepped back out the door.

    Riyo furrowed her brows and headed towards her office. She switched on a datapad and pulled up articles on Obi Wan Kenobi's death. There wasn't much available. "Rako Hardeen? Who's he?"

    She pulled up a few files on the assassin, just as the office doors opened. Mairin entered and slumped down in a chair. "What are you doing?"

    "Padme said that General Kenobi was killed, but General Skywalker thinks there's something going on. I was trying to read up on it."

    "You know, you would make a good investigator. You've gotten a lot of practice lately," Mair laughed.

    "Maybe I'll consider it when I retire from the Senate."