TELL HER I WASN'T SCARED ━━ padmé amidala

episode II

"There has only been two reports of the explosion so far," Padmé said, looking through the Holonet (that had once been Versé's job) for any leads of some sort, "but all of them are just now reporting it."

"So no one's correlated it to be politically motivated?" Uké asks.

Padmé sighs. "The first says it could have been a mechanical problem with the ship and the other alludes to it just being an accident." She turns her head, irritated, to look at her handmaiden. "What does that even mean? And of course there isn't anything with Count Dooku, perhaps it's too soon but shouldn't they be knowledgeable enough about the Senate to recognize that it's a valid possibility?"

"We're probably not the best people to dissect that right now." Uké grabs Padmé's head and turns it back to face forward. "In fact I don't think you should be focusing on that right now. Artoo!" She calls over her shoulder for the astromech droid.

He had been a very loyal addition to Padmé's retinue since she had become a senator and had become staple in Padmé's apartments too. Somewhat of a feral mascot.

Artoo's wheels whirred from a corner of Padmé's sleeping quarters. Uké snatched the datapad out of Padmé's hand, ignoring the sound of protest from her.

"Here Artoo," Uké starts. "Take this to Kalnapa and have him go over the holos. Keywords are explosion, the corresponding time of the explosion, Naboo, and Amidala. If there are any worrying patterns or a new development, come back."

Artoo made a noise of conformation in binary before leaving to find the referenced guard.

Padmé made a face through the mirror at Uké, who was now putting the senator's hair in a loose braid so it would be easy to get her dressed. "Well now I have nothing to distract myself with."

Padmé stood up, olive green dressing gown shifting with her. Her arms circled around herself. She paced around for a few moment.

"I'm just worried that if I let myself cry, I won't be able to stop in time."

Uké walks to her and places an arm across Padmé's back and her hand on Padmé's arm. "I know, I know." Uké knows all about trying to focus on other things rather than one's own pain. After the death of her parents, she poured herself into being a handmaiden. And if Padmé were to die too, she didn't know what else she could give herself to.

They stand there for a moment. Padmé curved into Uké, like some sort of protection. A resting place for just a moment.

"But we need this vote." Padmé said. "I need to do my duty, like Cordé did hers."

"And we need to be prepared in case it happens again. So no have else has to." Uké added firmly. Padmé made a face at her.

"We need to find out who did this the most."

"And once Typho has the security laid out, he'll get started with an investigation."

The door slides open and Dormé walked in, already clad in a purple cloak and underdress only embroidered by Naboo's symbol traveling up the sides and hair up in an intricate hairstyle, a mirror of Uké. Along with the vibroblades she hadn't had to wear since Padmé first became a senator. Those first months where paranoia was rampant and Padmé survived some of her first assassination attempts ever. "Senator Orn Free Taa and a few delegations from the Loyalist Committee will be able to accompany you for your audience with the Chancellor."