Liberator

Chapter 2 - Senate Chaos

It's been six years since Anakin last saw Padme. (And since Qui-Gon died, but that's not something he talks about.) He's seventeen now, and the newly appointed Senator of Tatooine. He's young, yes, but it's not like anyone knows what they're walking into. If he'd known, he never would have agreed to this.

This is a nightmare.

The Senate is one of the most chaotic places he's been to in a long time, and that's saying something. He's only half following most everything people are talking about, and the times he does, he has no idea why everyone else is being so stupid.

"Ani?" Padme exclaims, surprised.

"Padme," he replies, awkwardly. He hasn't seen her in years, even if he has heard plenty about her, and he doesn't know how much she's changed.

"My goodness, you've grown."

"So have you," he replies automatically, flushing when he realizes it's not really true. She's different though. She's older, more mature in some ways.

Padme laughs. He missed hearing it. "How did you get from being a little boy to a Senator?"

"My i- my father made himself the leader of Tatooine, and I became the prince, and when we were established enough, I was the best choice. Better me than Mom." He almost laughs at the image off his mother being in this place. Oh, she'd be so much better than him, but for as comical as it would be to see her yelling at the Senate or trying to make treaties with people, she's safe on Tatooine with Obi-Wan. Anakin knows the intricacies of politics on his planet, of course. He's one of the few who rebuilt it, after all, and it's much safer him to be the one here on Coruscant, representing them. He has Force-training, and it's enough to protect him from any enemies he could have here.

"I agree," Padme says, looking amused, "And I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Honestly, I don't see how you get anything done here," Anakin deadpans.

"It takes time, when you're one of the newer members," Padme admits. "People are far more willing to pay attention to what well-established Senators have to say. I imagine it's harder since Tatooine is still establishing itself."

"Was it this... complicated for you?" Anakin asks.

"Well, initially the Senate didn't look fondly on the fact that I'd called for a Vote of No Confidence in the last Chancellor, and then Palpatine had become the Chancellor, so it was... difficult," she admits.

Anakin winces. "I can see why that would cause such a commotion." It would have likely looked like a setup, after all.

"It's gets easier, though," she promises, "You have to find the right allies. And Naboo and Tatooine have already worked together plenty in the past, so..."

"Yes, we have," Anakin agrees. And he knows that at least he'll be able to work with Padme to try and get things done, but that's only one person.

"So, what's Tatooine like now?" Padme queries, "I'm sure it's changed a lot since I was there."

"It's a little more civilized," he answers. "The slavers who survived had to accept it or move out if they weren't already killed. Many of them were. We're weeding out criminals, but it's still a good place for anyone to disappear."

"On a planet with that much corruption, I'm sure it's going to take a lot of time," Padme says, "You've made a lot of progress already."

"Yes, we have," Anakin agrees. He can't imagine how things would have turned out if he had decided to leave with Qui-Gon that day and go on to become a Jedi. Would he have gotten to know Obi-Wan this well? Would anyone have come to free Tatooine? The Jedi certainly haven't been any help to them. It's a battle they had to fight all on their own, and he hasn't forgotten. The only one who was there for help when they needed it was Naboo. He imagines that things are going to stay that way, even here in the Senate. But at least having Padme and a few other Outer Rim worlds they've been dealing with over the years as allies is a good start.