Calls from the Lightside

7 - The end of an Era

Back on Coruscant, Padme was leaving a Senate meeting. They had argued about what was to happen with the clones once the war was over, yet their discussion seemed pointless as no agreement was reached. She sighed as she made her way to the Chancellor's office, unconscious of herself rubbing her stomach through her flowing gown. She desperately wished her husband was back, but after hearing Ahsoka was back she knew nothing could've stopped him from going on a mission with her again. Well, maybe this little one could've, she thought, grazing her stomach with her hand once again.

She was sick of keeping her pregnancy from him, but she knew he deserved more than a holocall to be told he was going to be a father. Padme just hoped that he returned soon so they could figure out what to do. So lost in her thoughts, she hadn't realised she was outside the Chancellor's office until the door opened with a whoosh.

"Senator Amidala, please come in," greeted chancellor Palpatine. Padme plastered a small smile on her face and walked into the room as the door closed behind her.

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"Commander! There's been an attack." Reported Rex as Ahsoka, Bo and Anakin started to run after him. "We we're ambushed on C-deck." He continued. "Rex make sure C-deck is properly fortified." Rex nodded in response. Anakin turned to Ahsoka who was kneeling next to an injured trooper lying on the floor.

"I'm here trooper, what happened?" Asked Ahsoka, growing more concerned by the minute. "Maul, he came here and went through us, one by one. He was asking about you General." He said, looking at Anakin. He then erupted into a coughing fit. "The Arc Trooper Jesse, Maul realised he was older. Somehow he looked in his mind and took him, he took Jesse alive!" The trooper said before collapsing against the wall once more.

Anakin was almost as distraught as the trooper. Why would Maul want me, he thought, trying to run possible situations through his head. He might want to kill me to get to Obi-Wan, Anakin thought, but he quickly ruled out that thought as he was 'the Chosen One', his skills far surpass Maul's. Anakin was drawn out of his thoughts, as Rex started speaking.

"We should see Prime Minister Almec, he might know what Maul is planning," Rex said. Ahsoka, Anakin and Bo promptly agreed and they made their way back to the cell he was being kept in.

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"But Chancellor, the clones are real people, whether they come from a factory or not. I am only asking that the senate discusses this, once the war is over they need to have a choice about their lives." Padme pleaded, Palpatine seeming like he wasn listening. Padme had been in a meeting with him for the past hour, discussing what the clones would need once the war is over.

"My dear, the clones were bred for war, I doubt the senate will agree with giving them pensions and choices about whether they want to fight or not." Said Palpatine. Padme huffed. It had been like this for the past hour, him just denying the bill to be brought into the senate. She was starting to grow skeptical about why he kept denying.

"I will bring the bill before the senate, it deserves a chance to be heard." Said Palpatine, changing his tune. Padme was surprised but thanked him anyway. "Thank you Chancellor, that is all I ask." She said. "Now that that's settled, I have another meeting now so I will be off." He said, gently shooing her out the door.

Ah so that was it, she thought. He only agreed because he was sick of the conversation. Padme smiled, at least I got what I needed, she thought. When Palpatine had looked out the window, Padme had used her comm to wirelessly transfer information from the chancellor's computer to her comm.