Chapter 20

Padme was sitting on her couch, going over some issues that will be brought up at the conference and trying to go over the speech that she has to give in two days.

“ Here is your tea, Ms. Padme.” 3-PO came up with the cup of tea and put it down on the end table, next to the couch.

“ Thank you, 3-PO.” Padme looked up at the droid and gave him a nod, just as the door began to buzzing.

“ I will get it, Milady.” Rex came out of the room that he was using.

“ Oh, ok. Thank you, Rex.” Padme turned to face the Clone, as he walked over to the door.

Rex opened the door and there standing in the hallway, was a short balding, gray haired, very plumped man, who was dressed in a royal robes, ruffles shirt.

“ I need to see the Senator now!” the older man bellowed at Rex, as he pushed his way into the room.

“ Um. . . excuse you, but no one can come in here to see the Senator without an appointment.” Rex stepped into the older man’s way.

“ Do you know who you are talking to? I do not have to make an appointment to see anybody.” the older man stuck out his chest, which only made his stomach fatter.

“ No, sir, I do not know who you are. I do not care who you are. You do have to have an appointment with the Senator. Now, I have to ask for you to leave or I will have to call security.” Rex only stood taller and to show the older man that he was not afraid of him.

“ Rex, what is going on in here?” Padme came to the two men and who were standing in small foyer and arguing.

“ Sorry for the interruption, Milady. This person is yelling about seeing you about something and I have informed him, that the only way for him to see you, is to make an appointment.” Rex turned his attention to Padme and bowed his head, as she stepped up next to him.

“ I see. Um . . . sorry, but you do have to make an appointment. I cannot see anyone today, because I really do have something things that I am working on and I cannot be disturbed.” Padme looked at the older man. She was trying not to laugh at the man, as she saw how red his face was turning, as he was getting upset.

“ Well, I do not care if you are busy or not, you will see me and see me now you will. Do you know who I am?” the man looked like he was about to throw a fit, because no one knew he was or even cared.

“ Um . . . sorry, I do not know who you are. All I can say is, if you do not leave now, I will have my bodyguard here escort you out of my quarters.” Padme looked at the man and gave him a look, that told really told him that he was not anyone important to her and she stood up a little taller too.

“ I am Senator Rumsford, from Austriod. No one talks to me like this and I will report you to the head of the Council and Senate and have you removed.” the older man puffed out his chest even more.

“ I see. Well, I hate to tell you this Senator, but you are talking to one of the head members of the Council and Senate. I'm Senator Amidala from the Imperial Senate from Coruscant. So, either you tell me what your problem is or you can get the hell out of my quarters.” Padme looked straight at the older man and gave him a look that he was talking to someone, who was more important than he was.

“ Oh . . . um . . . sorry, Senator Amidala. I will ask only one thing from you, then I will leave.” the older man had bowed his head and tried to look smaller, as he realized who he was yelling out. Anyone who was anyone, knew that she was one of the most powerful Senators in the Imperial Senate.

“ Ok. I will let you ask me, what you wanted to ask me.” Padme looked at the old man, almost feeling sorry for older Senator.

“ Well, I came down here to see if my Aide is here.” Senator Rumsford looked at Padme and then to Rex.

“ I see. Well, I hate to tell you this, but he is not here. What makes you so sure that he is even here?” Padme stepped aside, so that way, the older man could look around the room to see that it was only her and Rex .

“ Well, he told me that he was coming up here to see you. When, he did not show up this morning for breakfast ,I thought that he stayed the night here is all.” the older Senator realized that they were the only people here in the quarters.

“ Am sorry Senator, but I never saw your Aide last night. Um . . . Rex, did you see the Aide?” Padme gave the older man a look, that she did not know what he was talking about.

“ Well . . . Milady, I did see a person here last night and he thought he would get to come in here. He thought he had the wrong quarters, when he saw me, but the last time I saw him, he was walking down the hallway and got onto the lift.” Rex told the two Senators what he knew about the Aide.

“ I see. Well, thank you and I am so very sorry to have disturbed you Milady. I will try his Com-link again and I hope that you both have a good day.” the older man bowed his head, before turning around and leaving the quarters.

“ So, the person who you were talking to last night was the Senator’s Aide?” Padme asked, as she walked back to the couch and sat down.

“ Yes, I do believe that person I was talking to last night was his Aide. Like I told him, I watched the guy get onto the lift, and where he went from there, I do not know.” Rex went over to the chair and sat down.

“ I see. Well, I do hope that he finds him. Well, I really do need to try to study these issues and go over my speech. Why do I have this feeling that you may know what has happened to him?” Padme picked up her tea cup and took a sip of her tea.

“ Well, a couple of hours after I saw the Aide, as was making my rounds to make sure that everything was locked, I thought I heard him at the door. Yes, he was trying to get in here, but then, I heard him talking to someone, but I could not hear what the other person was saying.” Rex picked up his Caf cup and took a sip of his Caf.

“ I see. Well, I am very glad to know that someone was patrolling the hallways, as to make sure it was safe for the everyone on this floor.” Padme looked over to the Clone, nodded to him, before picking up her data pad and began going over the issues that she was reading.

It was later in the day, Padme finished her speech and going over the issues that will be discussed at the conference. She left her quarters and with Rex, they toured the space station, before getting ready for a dinner party that was given for all the Senators that was here for the conference.