" Ruben, when Captain Panaka comes into the office, please send him in. Then, you may leave for the day and be with your family." Padme said, as she stepped out of the office.
" Yes, Milady .I will send them, when they show up and thank you, ma'am." Ruben said, as he nodded to Padme.
Padme nodded and went back to her room and sat down at her desk, when there was some commotion coming from the courtyard. There was the small group of Spice Miners yelling again for unfair wages and some broken contracts.
Padme looked around on her desk and found the holo-disk that she had been looking for. Picking it up and putting it into the holo player, she began going over some documents that she needed to go over, before she had to go to back to Coruscant.
" Excuse me, Milady. I hope that we aren't interrupting anything important" Captain Panaka said, coming into the room.
" No, Captain. Not at all. Please come in, and have a seat. I can have Ruben get us something to drink, before he leaves for the day." Padme said motioning for the chairs in front of her desk.
" That would be good, Milady. I would have some tea." Captain Panaka said ,as he looked over to Ruben and he nodded.
" I think I'll have the same thing, please." Captain Typho said, sitting down.
" Please bring us three teas, Ruben, and then you can leave afterwards." Padme said, as she nodded to her aide.
" Yes, Milady. Three cups of tea coming up." Ruben said, as he headed out of the Senator's office and going into his and to the Caf machine and made three teas.
Putting the three cups on a tray, along with sugar, and cream, before taking into the other room.
" I didn't know if the Gentlemen need sugar and cream, so I just put it n the tray." Ruben said coming into the room and putting the tray down on Padme's desk.
" Thank you, Ruben. That will be all for the day, and I hope that you have a great night." Padme said, giving her faithful aide a smile.
" Thank you, Milady. I will and I hope that you have a great evening and very safe trip back to Coruscant. I will miss you." Ruben said, giving her a smile too.
" Thanks and if you change your mind, you know that you can always come and work for me on Coruscant too." Padme said, knowing that he wouldn't come, due to his wife, who is expecting their first child in a couple of months.
" I would have to really think very hard on that. Well, goodnight, Captains." Ruben said, bowing his head to the two guards, before leaving the room and office all together, so that we can get home to his wife.
" So, what news do you have for me?" Padme asked, as she poured the cream into her tea.
" Well, I can say that it's not good news." Captain Panaka, said giving the Senator a worried look.
" We have suspected all along that Count Dooku and his separatists would court the Trade Federation and the various commercial guilds." Padme replied, as she tried to put on a good face for the two men sitting in front of her.
" Now, that the Trade Federation has thrown themselves in with the Separatists, we can expect that soon the Republic will start to tear apart." Captain Typho said, as he took a sip of his tea.
" Viceroy Gunray is an opportunist. He will do anything that he believes that will benefit him financially. His loyalties end at his purse. Count Dooku must be offering him a favorable trade agreement, free run to produce goods without regard to the conditions of the workers or the effect on the environment. Viceroy Gunray has left more than one planet as a barren dead ball, floating in space. Or, perhaps Count Dooku is offering the Trade Federation absolute control of lucrative markets, without competition." Padme said, as she looked from one Captain to the other.
" I'm more than concerned with the implications to you, Senator. We both know that the separatists have shown themselves not to be above violence. There have been assassination attempts across the Republic." Panaka said, as he drew a curious stare from Padme.
" But wouldn't Count Dooku and the separatists consider Senator Amidala almost an ally at this time?" Captain Typho interjected, and both Padme and Panaka looked at him in surprise, because he is usually so quiet.
" Let me get this perfectly clear, Captain. I'm no friend to anyone who would try to dissolve the Republic." Padme quickly gave the Captain an angry glare, just as her tone in voice left no room for debate.
In the few years that she has been Senator Amidala, she has shown herself to be among the most loyal and powerful supporters of the Republic,. As a legislator, who is determined to improve the system, but to do so within the framework of the Republic's constitution.
" I agree Senator, and I mean no offense. But, on this issue, concerning the creation of an army of the Republic, you have remained firmly in the court of negotiation over force. Would not the separatists agree with your vote?" Typho said with a bow.
Padme just sat there and thought for a moment of what he was saying and he did have a point.
" Count Dooku has thrown in with Nute Gunray, say the reports, and the mere fact,demands that we tighten up security about you, Senator." Panaka cut in and his tone was very flat and determined.
" Please don't speak about me as though I'm not even here, Captain." Padme scold the older man, but he didn't even blink an eye.
" In matter of security, Senator, but you are not here. Well, at least, your voice isn't. My nephew has reported to me, and it is his responsibility on this matter that can't be undermined, so we will take all precautions." the elder Captain replied.
With that, he bowed his head curtly, stood up, and walked out of the office, and Padme knew he was right and she was better off, because he dared to point it out to her.
" We will be vigilant, Senator." the young man said.
" I have my duty, and that duty demands that I soon return to Coruscant." She said with a sigh.
" And I have my duty too, Milady." Typho assured her, and like his uncle, he bowed his head, before standing up and following his uncle out of the off.
Padme watched him and his uncle leave the office, and with a sigh, she began to remember Sola's words to her. She began to honestly wonder if she would ever find the opportunity to follow her sister's advice - and that advice was becoming very strangely tempting at this particular moments.
Getting up and she gathered up some things that she needed to read some more on, and left the office and headed home for the day. Walking into the house. she saw a note from her mother saying that she was over at the neighbors and her father was working today. she headed up stairs to her room, but instead of working, like she was going to do; she climbed into bed and fell asleep.
* (pages 32-34 - Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones by R.A. Salvatore)