Padme was sitting behind her desk and looking at all the clutter that was scattered all over her desk. She also began to think about many of her colleagues will be voting mostly based on their personal gain - everything from potential contracts, to supply the army for their home systems, to direct payoffs from some of the commerce guilds - rather than on what was best for the Republic. There was loud commotion coming from outside that caused Padme to get up and go to the window. Looking down upon the complex courtyard, she saw a group of men jostling and fighting, as the Naboo security forces rushed in to take control of the situation. Padme jumped, when she heard a sharp rap on the door of her office, which caused her to turn around, as the door slid open and Captain Panaka came into the room.
" Good afternoon, Senator. I'm just checking to see if everything is ok" Panaka, who had once served as her personal bodyguard, when she was the Queen of Naboo.
" Good afternoon, Captain. Um ... shouldn't you be seeing to the security of Queen Jamillia?" asked, as she noticed another man with the Captain Panaka.
" She is protected, Senator. I can assure you." Panaka nodded.
" From those people that are standing outside the complex?" Padme nodded towards the window of the disturbance beyond.
" Oh, them. They are spice miners, and the problem they have is mostly contract issues. So, it's nothing to really concern yourself over Senator. Actually, I was on my way here to speak with you anyway. It's about the security for your return trip to Coruscant." Panaka explained.
" I see, but I'm leaving in a few weeks." Padme said, wondering why he was so worried about her safety.
" Which will give us more time to properly prepare for the security measures for you." Panaka said, as he went over the window and looked out.
Padme knew better to argue with the stubborn man, since she would be flying an official starship of the Naboo fleet. She also knew Panaka had the right, and not the responsibility, to get involved. To be honest, his concern for her really pleased her, although she will never admit it to him. It was the shouting outside that made her have an unsettling thought, and then Sola's words came back to her, along with the images of Ryoo and Pooja. How she loved those two carefree little sprites.
" Senator, Padme?" Panaka said, as he was drawing her out of her private thoughts.
" Yes, Captain?" Padme said, as she turned her attention back to Panaka.
" We really should discuss all the security procedures." he said, as he waited for her to take a seat behind her desk.
Padme just nodded and went back to her seat, sat down and motioned for Captain Panaka to have a seat. So, for the rest of the afternoon, all they did was discuss the security for her on her trip back to Coruscant. It was around five in the evening, Padme left the complex and got home just in time for dinner.
" Padme, dinner is ready and we will wait for you until you finish getting undressed and is comfy." Jobal said, as she smiled at Padme, as she came into the kitchen.
" Yes, mother. Give me ten minutes, but please just start without me." Padme said, kissing her mother on the cheek.
" Are you sure? We can wait. It's no problem, Padme." Jobal watched her youngest daughter head for the door of the kitchen.
" I'm sure, mother." was all Padme said, before leaving her mother standing there just shaking her head at her.
Padme hurried up the stairs and into her room. She undid the buttons on her dress, before going into the closet and looking for a peasant's pants and cotton shirt to put on. Pulling off the dress and all the underclothes, before putting on pants and shirt,she went over to her vanity table, sat down and started taking her hair down, before running her brush through her hair, before pulling it into a ponytail. Going back downstairs and going into the dining room, where she saw not only her parents but her sister Sola, brother-in-law, Darred Janren - Naberrie and her two nieces Ryoo and Pooja all sitting around the dinner table.
" Hey, everyone. Am sorry that I'm late." Padme said, sitting down between her nieces.
" So, how was things at work? We saw the holo-news and the crowds that was outside of the Senate complex." Sola said, as she took a sip of her drink.
" Yes, I know about the crowd that was outside the complex, because I saw them from my office window." Padme said as she began eating her dinner.
" Do you know who they were Padme?" Jobal asked, as she took a sip of her drink.
" Yes, mom, I know who they were." Padme said ,looking at her mom and saw how worried she was for her.
" Oh and who were they?" Ruwee asked, as he finished his dinner.
" They are Spice Miners. All I can say is that they are Queen Jamillia's problem, not mine." Padme said giving her parents a smile. ,p> " You're right about one thing. They are Queen Jamillia's problem and not our daughter's." Jobal said, as she looked across the table to her husband.
" You're right, dear. Well, the game is about to come on, and dinner was great, as always." Ruwee said, getting up from the table and going over to his wife and kissing her, before heading into the living room with his drink.
The guys went into the living room, while the ladies cleared the table and cleaned the dishes, before joining the guys in the living room and the game that was on the holo-screen. Two hours later, Padme was saying goodnight to her parents, before heading upstairs to her bed. She got undressed, put on her nightclothes, before climbing into the bed and falling sound asleep.
>*(pages 24-26: Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones by R.A. Salvatore)