Coruscant, Senatorial & Delegate Landing Complex (6 Hours Later)
The cold of the early spring Coruscanti night didn't touch me, but I still shivered for a few moments while striding across the surface of the main landing-pad complex serving the spacecraft of Senators and delegates. I'd drawn the long, hooded, midnight blue cloak I wore close about me as I'd split up with Dark Woman and IG-D1 not far from the Temple, yet still felt exposed as I approached a certain J-Type Naboo Star Skiff. The watchful presence who'd been studying my approach for quite some time was palpable to my Force Sense even from here, but that wasn't the least bit surprising.
When people speak of unsleeping, ever vigilant sentinels, they were talking about Gregar Typho and just didn't know it. The one-eyed guardsman who oversaw Senator Amidala's security detail had, I realized as I came within a hundred meters, already realized I was a Jedi. I picked that much up as surface thoughts gleaned from a mind as disciplined as it was regimented while the skiff's ramp began to descend, and picked up my pace. The bags to either side of the pack on my back shifted a bit uncomfortably as I began to jog, but I paid the sensation no mind. It wouldn't do to keep the main waiting any longer than necessary.
At the bottom of the ramp, I halted and smoothly lowered the hood of my cloak. Before I could explain my presence, however, the good Captain cut me off with a raised hand.
"You should come aboard now, sir." It was difficult to glean emotional nuance from a voice so rough it's owner sounded as if he gargled with gravel every morning, but Gregor's aura was a mix of concern, confusion, and a low-key overarching anxiety I surmised was a facet of his omnipresent concern for Padme's safety. Normally, my gift for empathy would make someone who wasn't Force-sensitive the next thing to a completely open book to me. In this case, however, the good Captain's emotional and mental discipline was having a genuinely reductive impact on my ability to glean everything I might want to know at a mental "glance."
Following Gregar aboard ship quickly, I noted how quick he was to raise the ramp as I boarded, and frowned at how cagey he was playing our meeting. Fortunately, it didn't seem like I'd have to wait long for an explanation, as a surge of palpable relief shot through the man's aura as the ship was once more self-contained. Not a man who seemed in the habit of smiling often, it was almost strange to see the broad smile which tugged the corners of the man's broad features upward.
"It's good to see you again, Jedi Skywalker. It seems congratulations are in order." A still-smiling Gregar offered in his exceptionally rough, direct, yet obviously heart-felt manner.
Running a hand through brown hair I'd grown out into "Episode III Fashion" despite the fact it wouldn't darken attractively for another couple years, I smiled back and responded "Thank you for that, Captain. The good opinion of a man who's proven himself such a capable and dedicated protector means a great deal to me. I'm just now getting used to operating without Master Dark Woman's watchful gaze upon me."
The guardsman nodded amiably in response, but his smile slowly faded as a hesitance to press whatever point was on his mind warred with his devotion to duty for a few moments. Finally, he pushed forward to resolve his confusion over my unexpected presence in the simple and direct manner he was known for.
"Two hours ago, Knight Kenobi comm'd the Senator to tell her the Jedi had reconsidered their involvement in the S.B.I investigation. Now, ninety minutes after Senator Amidala's departure to, ehh, begin reestablishing a rapport with that Fanned Rawl, Clovis, you show up. Respectfully, what's going on in that Temple of yours?"
Allowing a bit of a grimace to show on my face, I decided to be as truthful as possible. Without destroying Gregar's faith in the Jedi Order, that is. "Clovis is collaborating with Senator Lott Dod and the Archduke of Geonosis, Poggle the Lesser. He's using his position as a high-ranking member of the InterGalactic Banking Clan to embezzle funds and thereby underwrite a new droid foundry on Geonosis. Senator Amidala will manage to convince him to bring her along for his meeting with those two slime-snakes on Cato Neimoidia."
I saw that my words had caused the Captain's one good eye to narrow as he digested what he'd been told, but now it was time to tread carefully. "The High Council also has reason to believe the same Jedi presence on Cato Nemoidia which would drastically decrease the level of risk to the Senator's well-being could also prove indirectly responsible for triggering the beginning of overt hostilities between the Coalition of Independent Systems and the Republic. Reaching a consensus with regards to balancing both these concerns proved problematic, but here I am."
Given that the man before me had spent the entirety of his adult life honing his ability to spot the tiniest discrepancies which might put his assigned charge in harm's way, it wasn't surprising he picked up on the fact I hadn't actually said my presence was indicative that a consensus had in fact been reached.
"Are your superiors actually aware you've decided to, ehh, provide a balance to their concerns?" From anyone else, the question and the echoed euphemism it contained might have come across as sarcastic. Coming from Gregar, it was a subtle struggle to balance a lifetime of regard for the Jedi as the greatest of all guardians with the sneaking suspicion their choices in this situation were running counter to the goal by which he expressed a love he knew would never be reciprocated.
"When I found out the Senator was being asked to undertake such a dangerous mission without Jedi support, I wasn't pleased, Captain. On my way over here, I was still struggling to control my reaction to the disappointing decision-making process of the High Council, because I became a Jedi Guardian to protect people just like Senator Amidala. Courageous, thoughtful, principled, and empathetic individuals of the sort willing to shoulder burdens others would refuse. All so they can advance the common good. I was only three or four hundred meters from this ship, when I realized something that made me feel foolish enough to put a damper on emotions borne of my concern for the Senator's continued well-being" I answered in a reasonably honest manner.
"What might that have been, sir?" There was a hint of something dangerous in the Captain's tone as he asked this. His one dark brown eye boring into me as if he could thereby gain some secret wisdom which might explain what were to him decisions entirely unbecoming of what he believed the Jedi to be.
"If the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order wanted me stopped, Captain, Master Antana and her apprentice would be outside right now. Waiting to take me into custody for my errant ways" I revealed in a rather forthright fashion. It was more than a little embarrassing. My having gotten so worked up I missed something as obvious as Yoda's inability to miss the Chosen One's direct interference with events he'd foreseen from numerous angles. There could be only one explanation for something like this.
I was being given enough climbing-line to lower myself into the belly of the proverbial sarlacc.
Apparently, this wasn't some apex of deductive reasoning, because Gregar's next words made it clear he'd worked that much out for himself in a tiny fraction of the time it had taken me. Causing me to realize with a bit of chagrin that those who weren't Force-sensitive used their gray matter for more than the absorption and subsequent deployment of Force-techniques.
"I thought Jedi Masters were above using their own as dejarik pieces. You're saying they're letting you go ahead with protecting Senator Amidala, but you'll be blamed if the High Council doesn't care for the consequences of your efforts?" It was only a question in that the guardsman was seeking final confirmation of his assessment, but the disappointment absent in his voice, yet present in his aura made it clear the Naboo was hoping I'd contradict him.
"It's my choice to get involved, Captain. No one's ordered me to protect the Senator. It's simply a matter of some risks needing to be taken" I replied with more candor than I was really comfortable.
These statements seemed to satisfy Gregar, because after that, the talk turned to simple logistics. The Captain showed me the sensor-shielded compartments concealed about the skiff's interior. Places where I could stash things I wouldn't want the Neimoidians to become aware of as the ship was scanned prior to it's landing being authorized. A revelation which lead me to stow my recon and slicer-droids, as well as the dozen grenades of various types I'd brought along, and a few other pieces of potentially useful equipment. Once that was done, there was nothing to do except wait for Padme's return, so she could be brought up to speed on the change in plans.
I wasn't concerned with the mission's various attendant risks anymore than one might reasonably expect, so why did the thought of facing this woman fill me with trepidation and anticipation in equal amounts? I wasn't some brooding, infatuated man-child, after all. I was in complete control of myself, so I had nothing to fear.
Something I told myself repeatedly over the next hour.
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Padme Amidala's aura possessed all the vibrant complexity I was accustomed to perceiving in the auras of senior Jedi Knights. Her will, drive, and passion to help the people of the galaxy were palpable parts of her. The commitment to the ideals the Republic had been founded on so intense, it felt like I should be able to reach out and touch a sense of conviction unbreakable as quantum crystalline sheathing. This was no ivory tower idealist, either. She was well aware that effecting positive change required unrelenting hard work, dedication in the face of adversity created by all those who were merely acting out of self-interest, plus a willingness to shoulder burdens and accept risks others would reject out of hand. She was fearless in the pursuit of seeing her ideals carried through to fruition, without falling into the trap of zealotry. When she'd been informed by trustworthy individuals of the possibility that fellow Senators were engaged in acts which ran counter to the safety and prosperity of the Republic, her very first question had been "What can I do to help?"
Looking at her with my eyes rather than my Force Sense, I was keenly aware of how devastatingly attractive a woman she was. Natalie Portman had certainly possessed beauty and a measure of talent, but in the end, she'd merely been a performer playing a role. Padme Amidala was every inch the substance showing up the shadow.
For the duration of my second life, I hadn't really given much thought to the differences between what I'd once looked like, and what I looked like now. Maybe it was due to much of my time being spent in near-isolation, or the fact I was constantly surrounded by people who didn't lend much weight to an individual's looks beyond the demands of decorum. Whatever the reason, I hadn't really considered the ramifications of a visage identical to Hayden Christensen's, or a form in even better shape than a counterpart it grew more difficult to conceptualize in a concrete way with each passing year.
Experiencing the intense physical attraction Padme Amidala felt when her deep brown eyes swept over me prompted me to do so now. It was a heady thing, knowing a woman of her caliber was as affected by me as I was by her. A man would have to be dead not to feel an unthinking flush of pleasure over being desired by a woman whose outer beauty was only matched by her inner appeal.
The several seconds we'd stood there in silence staring at each other since she'd come aboard, Padme's expression had remained coolly impassive. Now, I felt the moment she mentally shook herself. Sensed her aura grow stormy, as a low-key anger began to build then simmer behind an expressionless mask. A mask which caused me to feel for the second time in my life like my pronounced empathic gift was a subtle yet intrusive form of violation. Had I been anything but what I was, I'd have had no clue the Senator felt anything beyond a faint irritation and mild discomfiture at my unannounced presence within her vessel. A skilled negotiator and gifted stateswoman, she was a past master at keeping her true feelings to herself when she wished.
Moreover, I realized an instant later that attraction she felt toward me was doing me absolutely no favors. It took me a couple of seconds to realize why, then I felt like a fool as she coolly challenged my presence.
"I'm concerned with both the High Council's apparent indecisiveness, and it's decision making process with regards to personnel management. I trust you can see why, Jedi Skywalker?" Her brown eyes flashed dangerously as she dared me to answer her with some sort of Force-related dodge.
"There's nothing indecisive about the High Council's decision making, or anything difficult to understand about their personnel management, Senator. Obi-Wan expressed their present position with regards to the mission quite clearly, I'm sure. Grandmaster Yoda remains convinced the possible diplomatic repercussions of sanctioned Jedi involvement in this S.B.I investigation are unacceptable" I replied in a matter of fact manner. I was sure it was possible to stop looking into the depths of dark eyes which continued to flash with anger, so why couldn't I seem to muster the will to do so?
Her mouth working soundlessly for a couple of seconds, the jaws of the woman still elegantly coiffed for an intimate dinner rendezvous snapped shut so hard I thought I might have heard her teeth click. I wished I could actually perceive in detail all the possibilities I could sense that razor-sharp mind considering and rejecting with lightning facility, but unlike her feelings, Padme's actual thoughts were closed to me.
It took me a moment to recognize why, then comprehend how that almost certainly came about. "Ahh, Panaka, you sly vulptex. You ensured your young Queen was trained to close her mind to Force-sensitives. That's just exactly what a cagey, Jedi distrusting Chief of Security would do. Along with all the other intensive survival, self-defense, and combat training you were responsible for her receiving. I wonder why this detail never made it into the movies?" These silent ruminations were interrupted by the voice of the woman in question a moment later.
"You wish me to believe the Jedi Order is now dealing in plausible deniability, as if they were the Trade Federation?" Her voice was a careful sort of skeptical. The kind you might hear during tense negotiations, when one side wanted to be very clear about something, before committing to anything themselves. The question and tone both serving to remind me, again, that I was dealing with one of the most able political minds presently living.
I sighed quietly as I released the frustration this conversation was causing me into the gently trilling serenity of the Force, then answered in a low, intent tone "I came here because I want to protect you. For the duration of the mission, I mean. If the Council wanted to stop me from doing that, I'd already be stopped, Senator. That's what I want you to believe, because it's the truth." Outwardly, my tone and expression hadn't changed, but inside I was kicking myself for saying something like that.
"Get a farking grip on yourself!" I silently railed at myself for such an adolescent misstep. I wanted to crawl in a hole to avoid the cold calculation which had replaced the previous fire in the brown eyes, but there was nothing to be done but brazen it out in impassive silence as she deliberated.
Padme's eyes suddenly softened a little. Even as an expression of vague frustration increased the tension in her features. "Why? Except for Master Jinn and Knight Kenobi, no Jedi have done more for my world than you and your former Master. Yet you've made it abundantly clear on four separate occasions you didn't even wish to exchange a greeting with me. I can't prove it, but I believe you went as far as causing a servant to trip, spill a tray of drinks, and cause a more than passing disruption to facilitate your avoiding being so much as congratulated by me the night of the Theed ball after that blackguard Vindi's capture. It just seems like such a sudden and curious turnaround, Jedi Skywalker, so again, I ask you why? When did my safety become such a concern for you?" Padme's voice wasn't interrogative or demanding. It was a softly mystified sound, mixed with a latent, unformed suspicion due to the admittedly confusing facts in evidence.
"Seti Ashgad is going to be the next Chancellor. Throwing the support of the Core and Loyalist Factions behind his Vice-Chair's eventual bid for the Chancellorship was the other half of the price Chancellor Organa paid to gain and keep the support of Ashgad's Militarists these past seven years. Chancellor Organa is an incredibly principled, caring, honorable, and able politician, but the only thing of value he didn't wager on his ability to find a diplomatic solution to the Secessionist Crisis was forcing Seti Ashgad to accept Mon Mothma as his own Vice-Chair. It was his hope that, in the unlikely event he failed, Ashgad would prove a one-term Chancellor. One who would be succeeded by his own Vice-Chair in turn" I replied in a firm and unhesitating manner that seemed to surprise the slender, dark-haired woman opposite me.
Holding up a hand to forestall her asking what any of this had to do with her question, I hurried on "Your friend and colleague is herself a great politician, but she's bought into the lie that Sora Bulq is simply an ex-Jedi whose developed seemingly irreconcilable political differences with the Republic. From what my Master has told me, Senator Mothma isn't even certain we Jedi are telling the truth about Palpatine being a Sith Lord. Let alone Sora Bulq being his Sith apprentice. Someone who thinks this war is simply a matter of the shattered relationship between Core and Rim is not the best possible choice for the Chancellorship, Senator. You might as yet be unwilling to accept that the majority of those with real power in the C.I.S actually want the coming war, or that the Sith are fanning the flames of their resentment and hatred into a nearly ungovernable lust for revenge, but you aren't in the habit of denying the truth when confronted by it. That makes you someone incredibly important, to the Republic."
My answer seemed to have discomfited the young woman, but she quickly rallied and replied "Let's discuss what I learned tonight, and what we'll need to do on Cato Neimoida. Captain Typho tells me you predicted my success this evening, and he's already attended to the material logistics, so let's go over what you know of the targets. Once we've covered that, we can develop our contingency plans."
Disliking how dishonest I'd been even if entirely truthful in a factual sense, I simply said "I'm at your disposal, Senator."
A/N: This chapter fought me like a rabid animal, so please forgive me for it being shorter than usual. It'd been several days I've been fighting with it, and I just wanted it DONE, so I could move on. As always, comments and constructive criticism welcome