A Master and Padawan's Bond

Chancellor's Wishes

"And he gave you no other information?" Asked the hologram of Master Ki-Adi-Mundi. Ahsoka shook her head.

"No, Master."

Obi-Wan tugged at his beard. "I see no reason why you shouldn't take the offer, Ahsoka, but if you do, exercise caution. There is something I can't place that is off about the whole mission."

And so, two days later, outfitted in as much gear as she could fit on her belt, with a fresh set of cloaks and her lightsabers ready to go, Ahsoka stepped onto the Supreme Chancellor's ship.

~

"Good morning, Master Jedi. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, Chancellor, thank you," Ahsoka replied, taking a seat at the table with a cup of caf. "As always."

There was a pause as he took a bite of some strange fruit and dabbed at his face with a napkin. Then, "We will be making our landing on Agamar this evening." Ahsoka stared out the window at the sea of stars, which gave no indication of any planets, and vaguely wondered if they were taking a hyperspace route before excusing herself, dumping her caf and escaping back to her room, and sinking into yet another meditation.

The past five days, she had made only two appearances outside her quarters--counting out her recent trip for caf--and both times had been for a ration pack and to look out the window. In the eight days before that, she had spent nearly all her time in the cockpit, watching the stars move in and out of view and wishing she could drive.

The rest of the time, she was either sleeping or in meditation.

Why?

A presence was tugging at the back of her mind. A presence she hadn't felt for years. Not since before Anakin had died.

And she couldn't quite figure out who it was.

~

Despite Padmé being a Senator and therefore being used to them, the headdresses were starting to get to her. This newest one that she was staring at was at least ten pounds. And she'd have to wear it.

Right now, though, her hair was being braided in crowns atop her head by nimble fingers, and her neck wasn't aching from weight pressing down, though she could imagine it. She sighed, and not just because of the headdress. She was really beginning to despise those things. No, another Jedi escort was passing through, and with them, another reminder of what she had lost.

So lost in thought, she jumped when someone placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you all right, Senator?"

Padmé shook herself. "Yes. Sorry."

"No need to apologize," said Carla brightly. "Ready for your headdress?" She asked as she slipped the last pin into Padmé's hair, holding her braids in place. The Senator nodded resignedly, and the spindly servant gently placed it atop her head. She let out a tiny sigh at the weight, but rose from her chair and held out her arms. Carla fastened cloth under her armpits and wove it around her arms, then attached the billowy yellow sleeves to her shoulders and fastened them at her wrists. The result was quite flattering, and Padmé smiled softly. Carla followed her out of the prep room and into the hall.

"Does it bother you, Carla?" Asked Padmé.

"Hmm?"

"We're stuck on this little moon, nowhere to go, nothing to do...you'd think we'd be doing something helpful to the Republic." This had plagued her for the last three years; the two had originally come here as refugees, but that's another story for another time.

Carla paused before answering. "Not really. I spent so much of my childhood in the center of the war that being on a quiet planet doing small work is good."

Padmé nodded.

"Does it bother you, milady?"

She sighed as they rounded a corner. "Yes. And no. I don't like only small work. I want to be in on the action."

Carla smiled. "I can tell."

"But I think it's done me good to have some forced quiet. It's made me slow down, think." Carla nodded. They passed through the open doors to the courtyard. "Nevertheless," she muttered, "it is a passage route. And that means Jedi."

"You don't like Jedi much, do you, miss?"

Padmé sighed again. "I agree with them. I think they've got good heads on their shoulders—well, most of them—but there are definitely some of their rules I don't like, and well...I have a rather bad association with them from past experience."

Carla nodded. Padmé didn't know a lot about the girl, seeing as she was relatively new to working for her, but she got the feeling she'd seen too much before she was ready.

They exited the courtyard and came out onto the landing platform, where the Chancellor's ship was slowly descending. Padmé folded her hands and straightened her expression, while Carla took a step behind her and bowed her head, her long green hair falling around her face. The ship touched down on the duracrete, the doors slid open, a ramp emerged, and out cane Chancellor Palpatine, accompanied by Ahsoka Tano.