"How'd it go?" Rex asked, watching her put her makeup on, slowly making her face turn into Padmé's.
"I got the holodisk," Ranov'la answered, wincing at the reminder of what had happened at the club.
"Why'd you wince?" Rex asked, pushing himself off the wall he was leaning on. "Did something happen?"
"Everything's fine," Ranov'la shook her head.
"Did something happen?" Rex repeated himself.
Ranov'la shuffled around him, slipping her heels on. He sighed, but didn't press further.
"What have you told everyone? You keep disappearing to come help me. Do they think you're dealing spice or something?" Ranov'la asked, changing the subject.
"I don't think they even notice I'm gone," Rex shrugged. "They're pretty busy, making the best out of one the rare breaks we get."
"I don't need you here today, I'm just giving them the holodisk. You can go hang out with them," Ranov'la said, feeling guilty for taking up so much of his schedule.
"It's fine. This isn't going to take a while, and Echo can handle the boys for a while," Rex shook his head, not telling her that he enjoyed spending time with her.
Ranov'la settled on the couch, arranging her skirts dramatically. Rex took his place in the corner, posing as her bodyguard.
"Padmé!" Mon smiled as she and Bail entered the room. "It's so good to see you again!"
The doors slid shut and a serious look came to her face. Ranov'la nodded and handed the holodisk over, while Bail studied her intently.
"Here it is," Ranov'la said, using the flat tone Padmé often used. "This will have the link between the deathsticks and Senator Lepon on it."
"Thank you, Padmé," Bail warmly said. "And if I might ask... as it seems you look normal, I assume you didn't keep it?"
"Sorry?" Ranov'la frowned slightly.
"The thing you told us in private?" Bail explained, eyes flicking to Rex.
"Oh, of course," Ranov'la said, nodding even though she had no clue what he was referring to. "And yes, I got rid of it."
"I'm glad you managed to decide," Mon told her. "It's a big choice."
"Indeed," Ranov'la agreed, though she had no idea as to what she was agreeing with.
"We'll be on our way now," Bail told her. "And if you ever need something, you know I'll always be here for you."
"As am I," Mon added.
"Thank you. It means a lot to me," Ranov'la said as they took their leave.
"What was that about?" Rex asked once the doors had shut.
Ranov'la shrugged. "I don't have any idea."
"So we know that Senator Amidala had a choice to make," Rex said, thinking out loud. "We have one clue to where she might've gone off to."
"Senator Amidala!" A man shouted as he burst through the doors. "Senator Amidala!"
"Yes?" Ranov'la asked in surprise. "What is it?"
"There's a meeting to discuss the bill to ban deathsticks! You have been urgently summoned!" The man informed her, bent over panting. "In the second floor conference room."
"Oh, you have my thanks," Ranov'la graciously said. "If I may ask, who sent you?"
The man must have not heard her, as he ran from her quarters.
"Odd," Ranov'la remarked as she walked to the door.
"Very," Rex agreed.
Ranov'la turned to him. "Will you be here tomorrow?"
"I don't know," Rex replied. "We might be shipping out, we might be staying a while longer."
"In case you won't be here, it's been a pleasure knowing you," Ranov'la pleasantly said.
She walked through the doorway, then paused. "It would look weird if I walked alone. Would you care to act as my bodyguard one last time?"
Rex went to her side wordlessly, slipping his helmet on.
Ranov'la walked down the hallways until she made it to the conference room, noting that it was empty. She sat at the end of the table, and Rex looked around the room suspiciously.
"Rex, what's wrong?" She tilted her head at him.
"Why is no one here yet? If there was an urgent summoning you'd think it was actually urgent," Rex murmured, mostly to himself.
"Relax, Rex," Ranov'la laughed lightly. "It's fine, they probably just got held up at the 'fresher or something."
Rex reluctantly stopped searching the room for a bomb and went to the corner. "If you say so."
Time went by, and no one entered the room. Rex grew restless, and started tapping his fingers against the other arm's vambrace.
"How long as it been?" Ranov'la asked before letting out a short cough.
"Quite a while," Rex sighed. "Do you think this was just a prank?"
"Maaaybe," Ranov'la slurred.
"Ranov'la?" Rex intently was at her side, giving her a worried look.
"Mhm?" Ranov'la hummed, staring at him blankly.
He snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Ov'la?"
"Sorry, was I spaced out?" Ranov'la blinked, the nickname going over her head.
"You were," Rex told her, brow for furrowing under the helmet.
"Sorry," Ranovla apologized, coughing again.
She couldn't stop coughing, and he placed a hand on her back.
"Ranov'la, are you alright?" Rex asked.
She stopped her fit and let out a wheezy breath. "Yeah. I'm fine."
Her head felt light, and her eyelids felt heavy. She slowly leaned to the side, eating her head on Rex's chest.
"Ranov'la!" Rex shied away from her. "What are you doing?"
She started coughing again, her body shaking with each breath.
"Do you smell smoke?" Ranov'la wrinkled her nose.
"No," Rex shook his head. "Helmet protects from most smoke and dust."
He suddenly searched the room, picking up a device from under the table. "I don't recognize this, but we need to get you to a doctor."
"Okay," Ranov'la weakly rose to her feet. "Just give me... a minute."
Rex struggled with the door before turning to her. "It's locked."
Ranov'la plopped back down into the seat. "I'll just sleep then."
"No!" Rex huffed. "You can't yet, okay?"
"Okay," Ranov'la mumbled.
Rex shoved his shoulder against the door, but it didn't budge. He groaned and slammed his hand against it.
"No use," Rex sighed. "We're stuck."
"Move aside," Ranov'la flimsily pushed him, not moving him at all. "I've got this."
She pulled a clip from her hair, letting a strand fall into her face. She inserted it into the lock, twisting it around before it clicked.
"Got it!" Ranov'la cheered, stumbling into him.
Her legs gave out and she fell to the floor.
"Ranov'la!" Rex exclaimed.
Her eyes fluttered shut as everything went dark.
I don't like hair clips.
They always come undone for me.
But they come in handy.