TPF Chapter 4

The passenger with the most suspicious name and accommodations has apparently come straight from Coruscant. As though it wasn’t obvious that she’s a Senator traveling incognito.

She arrived at the casino in a Nubian Royal Starship. Not very subtle.

Blu is no expert on politics, but even this is easy for her to understand.

Getting into the casino’s computer using that girl’s ID was also easy. What isn’t easy is getting close to this Senator. She has two bodyguards and one of them is a Jedi.

That means it’s necessary to be careful and to keep their distance.

Once more, Blu and Silvi don glamorous dresses and venture into the casino. They gamble a little so that casino security doesn’t get suspicious of them, then get a table at the bar that overlooks the big area. They watch until the Senator appears.

She’s a petite brunette human, not so different from Blu in appearance, but not as hard and battered. She’s pretty, and dressed in clothes that are subdued, but becoming: a black dress with long gloves and knee-high boots. Her hair is done up simply. Blu senses this is not normal for her. She’s a pretty lady, but no one would guess that she’s a Senator.

The Senator goes to a bar on the lower level. She appears to be ordering a drink.

Blu waits patiently, trying not to act impressed as Silvi uses her magic to listen in. It’s pretty cool that she can do that. And she looks pretty in a red dress that pushes up her already large breasts and hugs her big hips.

Blu rolls her eyes. This Togruta witch might be beautiful and powerful, but they are not friends. Not even close. She chugs her drink and orders another one.

“She can’t hold her liquor,” Silvi mutters.

“What?”

“This is Senator Padme Amidala. She’s here to meet a contact, but he didn’t show.”

“She just admitted that to a bartender?” Blu asks in disbelief, looking down at her.

“No, she’s phrasing it as her boyfriend or something. You know. Telling the truth, but clothing it in different words,” Silvi murmurs, still intent on Padme. “She’s tense.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s not corrupt. She’s here on a mission, I think. And if her contact isn’t showing up, it isn’t going well,” Silvi replies with a shrug.

That seems reasonable enough. “What about this one?” Blu asks, nodding toward the Jedi guarding the Senator. It’s a humanoid with grayish-blue skin. It looks male, but effeminate, at least to Blu’s human sensibilities. The Jedi has short, but beautiful, pale hair. He looks graceful in his robes as he stays in the background, content not to be noticed.

“What about him?” Silvi asks disdainfully.

“Where’s he from?”

“He’s an Arthurian,” Silvi replies without hesitation, and Blu notices the way that she effortlessly knows these things. Silvi is either very experienced or very well-educated. Or both.

Blu doesn’t know what the hell an Arthurian is supposed to be, but she’s learned that getting into trouble with Jedi is bad for business.

“What do we do about him?” she asks.

“We make sure that he has a nice, peaceful trip,” Silvi says calmly. “I won’t be able to use the ****. Nothing that would give me away to him.”

“You can’t handle him?” Blu asks with a smirk.

“I could kill him easily enough, but not quietly. We don’t need trouble here, Blu,” Silvi says calmly, still intent on their target.

Blu is taken aback. Usually, Silvi is less… clinical. Blu won’t admit it, but she’s impressed. Not just with Silvi’s witchcraft, but with her tactical thinking. Silvi would have done well on Mandalore. Better than Blu did. Blu learned to fight well enough, but she always like girls more than she liked the rules. That’s why her armor is out there somewhere, and some asshole is probably wearing it who doesn’t even know where it comes from. She thinks about that a lot.

Silvi’s right. They need a Senator’s codes to access the data that they stole from the temple. Getting into a fight won’t help. It would also be best if the new and improved Seiki Ondori could stay low profile for now.

“Then what’s the plan?” Blu asks.

“We’ll have to make friends with her. She’s alone, after all.” Silvi smiles at her.

( TPF )

Blu can understand how this woman feels. She’s been in difficult situations before, and spent more than her share of time under pressure. This Senator, Padme, seems to be more angry than anything else. She’s not afraid.

That’s all Blu can tell from observing this woman. It doesn’t feel good to do this. Blu’s used to chasing bounties. The people that she goes after are always scum. She’s scum. Blu is the last person to judge.

This woman is just trying to do a job. Approaching her this way, trying to manipulate her… Blu does not love it. Silvi does, though. She seems to have a problem with this woman, although it sounds as though they’ve never met. As though this woman has been a problem in the past for the people that Silvi works for.

At least she’s cute. Blu puts away her misgivings and joins Silvi, approaching the bar. Silvi sits on one side of the Senator, and Blu takes the other seat at the bar.

This Senator seems taken aback, but Blu and Silvi are nothing if not bold.

Senator Padme Amidala looks at Blu, then at Silvi.

“What is this?” she asks, glancing at her bodyguard.

“That’s one way to greet friendly people,” Blu says with a laugh, forcing the Senator to hold her gaze. “Where you from, beautiful?”

“Excuse me?” Padme replies, her eyes widening. Seeing that she’s on her own, she sobers quickly. The Jedi here to guard her will protect her from attack, not from… aggressive women at the bar. “I’m from Dantooine.”

This is a lie. If Blu can see through it, Silvi probably can too.

“I like Dantooine,” Blu tells her. “Not the rainy season, though. What brings you to Canto? Business or pleasure?”

“Pleasure,” the Senator replies, regaining her equilibrium. She has steely nerves, but she lacks Blu’s experience dealing with shady characters. “What about you?”

“That’s not obvious?” Silvi asks, taking a sip of her drink. That’s enough to make the Senator laugh.

“I’m Blu. This is Silvi. What’s your name?” Blu asks, holding the woman’s gaze.

Padme hesitates. “Um,” she says with a little smile, “…Sabé. My name is Sabé.”