Senator

- Look Ben, has the trade federation acted this aggressively before? And how did they get away with it before?

- Actually, the Trade Federation didn't used to get away with this," Kenobi said. - They were assholes, of course, but they didn't dare to act so rudely, or hide it well.

- I see," it seemed that our dear Sidious had started using the Trade Federation just as he had started with Naboo. Well done, then.

Night, or day - it was hard to tell on the ship - I was still living on Tatooine time, and the ship had its own, "ship time". By the time it was past midnight, I was yawning and was escorted to my cabin by Ben.

It's cold out here. Not like Tatooine, where it's hot all year round.

As Qui-Gon gathered everyone and led the way, the Nubian came out of hyperspace, rapidly approaching the planet. Mum, temporarily enlisted as Amidala's servant, followed the fake queen, and I, strangely enough, a slave in rags, was placed there as well. Qui-Gon insisted, though I didn't realise I looked like a scarecrow. But given the "battle colouring" of the fake Amidala. I can see why Padme didn't want to show off in that make-up - I have nothing against a moderate amount of make-up on a beautiful lady's face, but to cover her entire face with white powder.... unthinkable. The yacht entered the atmosphere like a knife in butter and everyone took their seats at the ramp. Yes, unlike Lucas' work, the Nubian had no portholes to enjoy the views outside, and there was only one ramp, the cargo ramp on the side of the yacht. After a few minutes of shaking, we finally came to a stop. The hatch began to open and the air of Coruscant came in - surprisingly clean, but with no natural odours. Except for the pseudo-queen, who smelled like flowers. I had a seat right behind her, so I had time to smell her.

When the trapdoor opened, everyone moved down and I followed them. Oddly enough, the Chancellor and Sidious actually came to meet Amidala in person. The chancellor was a tall, even lanky old man, with a bald spot and protruding eyebrows - the word "Koschei" was on my tongue. But no, surprises in a galaxy far away are surprises - Palpatine, always smiling, with wavy hair and rosy cheeks.... visually, I'd like to call him kindly, if he didn't give off a faint whiff of darkness in the force, almost as much as Darth Maul, but much weaker. Yes, the smile is fake, and he looks at the queen like that... and in the force he creates disturbances with his dark side. I wonder if it's the midichlorians making me so sensitive, or if Jedi just never use their senses. I doubt the latter, so we'll chalk it up to increased midichlorians and the fact that Yoda hasn't spoken to some senator from Naboo yet. Yeah, it's time for the second item on the plan. As far as I remember, Sidious will start working on pseudo-Amidala almost immediately, so that she will agree to break the alliance with the Chancellor and nominate him, a Sith, for this responsible post. This cannot be left to chance - becoming his Chancellor was the starting point of his becoming Emperor. Without the authority of the Chancellor, Sidious is helpless, if not helpless, then at least he will find it difficult to do anything about it. I must have some influence on what is happening right now, not wait for Amidala to pass a vote of no confidence in her ally. But how? The plan came this morning. I can't order anyone around, or even report to an authority in the form of the Jedi Council, but at least there's one Jedi who believes in my abilities - Qui-Gon. All I can do right now is go to Qui-Gon and invoke the force. Yes, he should listen to me. And if you add in the Koschei Chancellor... The procession had already passed three dozen steps - the pseudo-king exchanged a ritual greeting with the chancellor and the senator and went on, while Palpatine was flattering the pseudo-Amidala. I walked, close to them, and scanned him with my senses. After all, if I tried to tell a Jedi what I could sense, they might test it, and then I might get in trouble if I couldn't prove it. The best thing to do would be not to "prophesy" but to use the knowledge to find what I need. If you know what to look for and where to look, it's much easier to find it. Palpatine, aka Sidious, smelled of the dark side of the force. Yes, definitely weaker than his apprentice, but distinct enough that I could feel it. No wonder Sidious was able to hide from the Jedi - if I could only sense him up close, and even then only weakly.... Darth Maul, for example, was felt almost as soon as he rode up to us on his strange speedbike. We were already about three dozen paces away when I turned around and looked back - Qui-Gon and the Chancellor were talking about something. Qui-Gon, noticing my interest, pointed with his hand at the queen's procession, saying, "Go on, boy. But I, to his surprise, turned round and walked back. Yes, the show's started. Take your seats.

- Anakin? - The Jedi asked, raising an eyebrow.

- It's important. It's just as important to you, Mr Chancellor," I said, glancing at the Chancellor. He exchanged thoughtful glances with Qui-Gon, who asked martyred:

- 'Anakin, can't this wait?

- Absolutely not. Remember the red-faced one who attacked you on Tatooine? - I asked.

- 'Yes,' Qui-Gon immediately grew serious, 'but I don't understand why such a question, and in this setting....

- Who is he? There was a lot of darkness in him. I could feel it.

Qui-Gon grew even more serious, and answered:

- It was a Sith. You will be told who they are, only a little later....

- But are there any Sith in the Senate? - I "wondered", making my eyes bigger and looking at the Chancellor. The latter immediately answered me, interrupting Qui-Gon:

- No, boy, the Sith are a cult, and a long-extinct one at that. They are not in the Senate, and never have been.

- But that man is a Sith," I said so confidently that Qui-Gon immediately looked around for danger and his hand seemed to shake in the direction of his sword.

- Anakin, who? - The Jedi asked, finding no threat.

- The one with the curly long hair that met the queen," I answered the Jedi, "he feels the same as the one that attacked us, perhaps even stronger. True, I could only sense him when I stood next to him. I guess he knows how to hide the disturbance in the force. And the one that attacked felt almost the same way, only from a distance, so I thought they might be connected....

- Mr Jedi, if it's not too much trouble, could you please translate that into galactic? - The Chancellor mocked my inarticulate explanations. But Qui-Gon, remaining unperturbed, answered him:

- The boy claims that Senator Palpatine is somehow related to the assassin who caught up with us on Tatooine. Perhaps they are both Sith. It's a very dangerous sect, but I, like the rest of the Order, believed they had long since disappeared due to internal dissension. At least that's what I thought until one of them attacked us.

- So you're saying that the Sith have reappeared? - but I answered the chancellor:

- They never went anywhere. That man is a Sith. That's as true as Qui-Gon being a Jedi. The Senator is faintly felt, but his power is great.... - I said cryptically.

- Is that so? And what do you mean by that?

- I'm guessing that since he sent assassins to the queen, he may be trying to influence her. Maybe if he can't eliminate her, he'll try to win her over and turn her against you. I understand that Amidala Naberrie is your ally?

- Yes, she is," nodded the Chancellor, who was no longer bothered by the conversation with the boy. He's a strange man, I should get to know him better.

- Wait, Anakin, are you sure you feel this way?

- Quite sure, Qui-Gon.

- But can we do anything about it based on the boy's feelings alone? - The Chancellor raised an eyebrow in an expression that looked exotic on his Koshchei face. Qui-Gon decided to go with his only trump card:

- This boy is more Force-sensitive than any Jedi, even more so than Master Yoda. I believe we must take some action. If the Senator is indeed related to the assassin, it is better to take measures in advance that will refuse to be unnecessary than...

- I hear you, Qui-Gon. The suspicion that he will try to break us up with Naboo is already reason enough to watch. But still, the Sith are your department," Herr Chancellor dumped the problem on Qui-Gon.

- Yes, but our mission is only to deliver the Queen to the Senate. I will certainly report to the council, but it is impossible to do anything at once, my apprentice and I must return to the temple. And, Chancellor, the senators are your responsibility," Qui-Gon replied on automatic. Eh, been there, done that ...

- Qui-Gon? Can I keep an eye on Amidala for a while? And we'll turn on the droid's recording, so if he tries anything against the Queen or the Republic, we'll be the first to know.

- Yes, that's a sound idea. But how do you envisage it? Installing listening devices in the chambers of the senator from Naboo? Absurd.

- For starters, we could warn the Queen that Senator Palpatine has come under suspicion as the mastermind behind the assassination attempt and that he might try to recruit her since he failed to eliminate her.

- Yes, I agree. I'll relay the message to her majesty. And you, Anakin, go. We may be back quickly - after all, such accusations are very, very serious," Qui-Gon said sternly. The Chancellor nodded.

- I'm not accusing anyone of anything. It's just that this man reeks of the same darkness as the Zabrak who attacked you, Qui-Gon. I merely reported it.

- But then why did you say so many unnecessary things? - The Chancellor asked interestedly.

- I don't know. Intuition, apparently. Qui-Gon said to trust it, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't imagining things," I said innocently. Yes, that's it! Jedi have their own way of doing things-they're all philosophers, and you can say something like, "I feel this way," or "My intuition tells me it's right," rather than providing immediate proof. And that's it! However, I suppose, we should not abuse this trust, but we can use it in moderation.

The city of Coruscant, planet-city, capital of the Republic. It is said that all humans in the galaxy originated here. You can believe it - only people have such a lack of respect for nature that they can pollute the whole planet, so much so that the only undeveloped place is the mountains. And they are probably already thinking about how to litter them with the next skyscrapers. Greed and shortsightedness, Coruscant more than any other city in the galaxy deserves the unhonourable title of "Sin City". Temptations for every taste - entertainment, prostitution, street gangs, drug dealing... If Mos Eisley was a peripheral black market where the Mafia actually worked to make their ill-gotten gains, Coruscant was a marketplace for the same Mafia. If there was anything decent about the Yuuzhan-Wongs, it was that they had tried to destroy the entire city here and restore the planet to its normal appearance. For nothing, of course, it would have taken too much effort.

Coruscant was astonishing. The size, the population, the built-up area. Though the latter was doubtful - the houses and other buildings were too monotonous. As if in the good old Soviet Union - everything was the same, so that one could not tell one from another. Speeders, i.e. local transport of various purposes and sizes, were running between the houses at their full height. Above the grey mass of cloned houses-skyscrapers there were some buildings that were much higher and had more original design. The Senate building was visible on the horizon, and it was easy to recognise by its mushroom shape and truly colossal size.

The Queen, followed at her heels by maids and guards, walked in front of me. I followed her inside. Inside was a residential building, and we walked down the corridor in a procession. Palpatine was noodling with Amidala's doppelganger, and I was looking at the decorations. Yes, the style was similar to Earth's high-tech and not at the same time - it smelled like nasty, dry filtered air, and the walls and floor were decorated with some kind of drawings. A royal chamber, no less. But if there was room for Panaki and the maids, there was room for Mum and me to lie down. Still, it was cold here, though I was getting used to, or rather unused to, Tatooine.

Was I right to turn Sidious over to the Jedi? Most likely yes - his becoming Chancellor was the starting point of the Clone Wars. If the Jedi declassify him, Palpatine's hands are tied. Which means he won't be as dangerous. The Sith weapons and their power are in the rule of two, and it only has real power when the Sith are in hiding, that is, using their anonymity as a defence against the Jedi. The rule of two is also a weakness - just kill two in a special way, and you don't have to worry about them being resurrected. Capture them, break the link to the force, and kill them. Or at the very least, just siphon off the power around the enemy while he's dying, so that he just dies without going into the power and without having the slightest chance of resurrection. The uncomfortable thing for me was that it was not easy to separate reality from fiction - there were inaccuracies in the world around me, and there were verbatim confirmations that this was still the same galaxy. The biggest difference was the history of the galaxy, which was described not by Lucas himself, but by a bunch of writers who expected to write books on the world already loved by everyone and get profit from it. Still they were created without considering the original, even if the described events were unreal from a logical point of view - where the question of publishing and buying books is concerned, other laws apply, the laws of commerce, not common sense. The reason to think so is simple - I remember the Trade Federation was a rather aggressive organisation and Qui-Gon and his padawan fought the Trade Federation in one book shortly before the siege of Naboo began. But Ben said this was the first time such a thing had ever happened behind them, so it made sense to listen. To listen and think.

We walked into a large room that I vaguely remembered from the film - this was where the Queen was seated. Outside the window were speeders and other vehicles of all colours and sizes, and inside, the Queen's team had already begun to take their seats. A wide sofa in the middle of the room attracted the attention of the pseudo-queen herself, the real one pulled her mother somewhere, the maids immediately started to tidy up the room, arranging the things they had brought, the dark-skinned captain of the royal guard, Panaka, started with the rounds - he was inspecting all the details of the interior, checking all the details with a small device that looked like a comlink. That was basically the whole "arrival of the Queen of Naboo" picture. After a while everyone more or less settled down, and I remained forgotten and neglected, except that Panaka looked half-eyed at me, or rather at my lightsaber on my belt - a weapon of any kind, but a weapon, so it could be used to the detriment of the royalty. The queen and the senator were in the living room, and the copy of the queen was listening to Palpatine's sweet speeches with a nonchalant face, the maids had fled to their quarters with the droids, Panaka had taken up his post near the wall and was now playing the role of a sentry. Now, didn't I say I'd keep an eye on the queen? You did. But for now, there's no point until the Chancellor starts seriously working on the Queen. And he won't start as soon as he arrives, the senate doesn't meet until tomorrow, I overheard the servants talking about that on the flight here. In any case, I couldn't give myself away now, so, ignoring Captain Panaki's glances at me, I took a determined step towards the same room where Padme and Mama had gone. If I was going to keep an eye on Padme, I should have kept to myself and kept Padme's "maid" away from the Sith.

The room was similar to the previous one, only smaller, clearly designed for a staff of servants and maids - a few armchairs, a coffee table in the middle, and doors to separate quarters for each servant made that clear. Mum and Padme found themselves sitting in the armchairs, in the company of the other orange and yellow ladies. Mum turned around and called out to me when the girl sitting next to her pointed at me.

- Ani!

- Mum... - I walked closer and said," I have to go out for a bit.....

- А? Where to?

- Well... - I looked down at my "clothes." I didn't understand why Anakin in the canon changed into something decent only after the Naboo blockade was lifted. I've never considered myself fashionable or at least somewhat fashion-conscious, but I don't like to stand out too badly or too well - practicality is practicality, but I'm in the retinue of a queen, and I'm dressed like a bum....

- Padme? - Mum turned her attention to the queen.

- Oh, yeah, yeah. Ani. we unfortunately don't have any suitable clothes, but we can order some. If I remember correctly...

- Padme, does this village of Coruscant happen to have such a wonderful invention of all intelligent races as a 'clothing shop'?

Padme chuckled, but in response nodded in agreement, with the words:

- There is, of course. Plenty, but walking around here without an escort....

- Hmm... - I looked expressively at the real Queen of Naboo and nodded, -Yes, you're right. Maybe I should ask the queen for permission or even for you to escort little me? After all, Mum and I are on the Naboo delegation's staff, albeit temporarily.

- Yes, yes! - Padmé rejoiced. The reason is as clear as day, as transparent as a tear. What woman would turn down the opportunity to go shopping? Or, at the very least, to walk around Coruscant not as a senator and queen, but as a mere mortal. The fish took the bait and immediately got up from her chair, walking towards the living room. But she stopped halfway to me and thought about something. I could see the work of thought on her face and the inner struggle. On the one hand the double could do something wrong, and on the other hand - I wanted to! A woman is a woman, no matter how you spin it. The desire to go for a walk won out, and Padme turned to her mum:

- "Shmi, shall we... go?

- 'Yes, yes,' Mum nodded, and Padme continued:

- 'We'll be back soon... hopefully.

Padme said nothing to her doppelganger, who was now standing with Senator Palpatine on the balcony and admiring the views of Coruscant. It was the height of the day on the planet-city. Panaka still stood guard in the living room and hypnotised the pseudo-queen with his gaze, and Padme approached him, making the black-clad captain curious.

- Panaka, will Anakin and I step outside for a while? After all, the boy needs to be dressed up, and he's in the retinue....

- Yes?" Panaka looked at me doubtfully, and then continued, "Shall I show you out? I can't leave the queen, so I'll have to take someone else.

- Panaka, but we'll go somewhere decent, buy some clothes.... I hope Anakin will walk me out. - The senator shot me a look, and I was supposed to be ashamed. But I didn't, almost, because my body wasn't as mature as my mind, and my mind wasn't known for its coolness and Buddhist-Jedi calm.

Padme was amused by my reaction, and she smiled and walked away from her senatorial suite.

After giving a couple of commands to Threepio standing there, I glanced at the Gungan and, sighing, hurried after the real queen. This Panaka is a real reinsurer or a freeloader - he let the queen go alone, I mean, with me, but I can't even fight! I have a light saber, though, and if necessary I can even block a blaster shot.

Padme immediately took matters into her own hands - she wanted to call a taxi on the comlink, but changed her mind and went to the garage. The noble house had a small garage with several speeders that served the senators in their daily transport needs.

We were met in the garage by the chauffeur, a young man of about twenty years of age, wearing the clothes of a servant. Padme took the brunt of the negotiations, while I took a closer look at the local transport. It was about the size of a car, hovering a few inches above the surface, and the driver's seat was about the same as an auto, except instead of a steering wheel, it had a steering wheel like those on small civilian aircraft. There are two rows of seats, front and rear, and a boot, but the engines appear to be in there as well, along with the fuel system. Repulsors are as common in the galaxy as the wheel is on Earth, and perhaps everyone, without exception, treats the technology as a must, for the Republic has existed for tens of thousands of years, and there has been repulsor technology throughout its existence. In the saga such a moment is poorly described, but here I can see with my own eyes all the variety and splendour of technology. Starting with small speedbikes, which are essentially flying stools that hover low above the ground, and ending with huge transports. The speeder, which stood in the garage, could be more correctly compared to a Mercedes - not the most expensive, but still representative and well-made, comfortable and unpretentious. The boy stood for a few seconds, looking at us, or Padme to be precise, and turned to her:

- Excuse me, can I help you?

- Yeah, we need to fly somewhere. Can you help?

- Yeah, yeah, sure. May I ask where to?

- Shopping. Senator's orders," Padme said, already walking toward the speeder. The boy nodded and stepped round the back of the speeder. The vehicle rocked as he climbed in, and Padme turned to me:

- "Ani, get in! - and pointed to the seat next to her. I had to take a seat too.

A couple more seconds and we were in motion, popping out of the garage like the devil out of a snuffbox. The senator's driver was a decent one - he drove carefully, but I couldn't have done that. I mean, I'd just hit full throttle and fly through here like a fighter jet. I guess car racing had left its mark on my worldview - the slow-moving traffic was starting to irritate me, so I decided to talk to Padme for a while.

- Padme? Listen, where are we going?

- Э... - she glanced at the driver. He, noticing her glance, answered me:

- "To the shopping district. You can find anything you want.

- There," Padme concluded, looking me over.

I don't like shopping as much as some people do, but I was really in a rush right now. I was distracted from my thoughts by a sudden manoeuvre as the speeder rounded a corner and ended up on a huge street. There was a steady stream of speeders going both ways, so I could see the Coruscant traffic. Padme didn't stay silent, but asked when I was distracted from watching the stream of speeders:

- Ani, do you have any money?

- Yeah, I've got some.

- If there's anything...

- No, it's not the money we have to worry about," I said, remembering the senator and Padme's doppelganger we'd left behind. 

The Galactic Republic, and the galaxy itself, was incredible, in my opinion. And it was best felt here on Coruscant, amidst the flood of cars, signs, street advertisements, and more. Why incredible? It was hard to imagine how two races could get along in one place, with three races there were three times as many problems, and there were millions of intelligent races in the galaxy. Of course, most of them could hardly be called common - the same Gungans did not leave the cosy forests of Naboo, and they were not alone, but they actively travelled, traded, fought, one and a half thousand races. Though the basis of all this ugliness is still humans. Both humans and those who are close to us in thinking and biology - Twi'leks, Duros, and others like them. Characteristically, they have two arms and two legs, and the Twi'leks are even quite cute from the point of view of humans. And all this diversity, millions of races manage to coexist, if not peacefully, then at least - not in a state of all-galactic war. It's incredible. The planets have different gravity, different atmospheres, different food, different traditions and laws. What is understandable and familiar to me may be a terrible sacrilege to another, brought up in other traditions and with a different mindset.

Although, it's fair to say that the galaxy didn't unite at once and not all forces at once. The original races - the Kwa, the Duross, the Dressels, the Rakata, and, of course, the humans - travelled throughout the galaxy - many races were underdeveloped at the time, but the aliens, especially the Rakata, cared little about that - they needed resources, new planets, new markets for their goods, and expansion. In the end, greed won out - most races took the opportunity to gain access to tens of thousands of inhabited planets as a sign from above, as a great opportunity for self-fulfilment. Of course, some succeeded, but in the end they all became citizens of the galaxy - adopting both the way of thinking and the language of their colonisers. But it didn't start out that way. And for some reason I had a thought, or rather a feeling, or a vague desire to go there, to the very beginning. To the very beginning of the whole story of the whole saga. But I chased that feeling away with the thought that I would definitely make it - if not now, then after I could defend myself. I didn't start training hard, but I did at least a couple of times a day - push-ups, pull-ups, and other self-development delights don't require any equipment. What to say about strength training and related skills. I had a whole year before it was time to embark on the path of history, and I had time to get myself up to speed with training and theory, too, as the holonet was readily available.

Padme was sitting there thinking about something when the repulsor sounds got higher and the speeder slowed down, finally coming to a stop. The driver flew into the car park and turned to the girl:

- That's it, here we are. "Galaxion is a good shopping place for humanoid races, especially humans, here you will find everything you are looking for, - after a short "advertising" slogan, the driver got out of the speeder, and Padme and I were not lagging behind, at the same time curiously looking at the place where this Susanin brought us. The car park was like an underground car park, but only upstairs, on the roof of several skyscrapers. There were rows of speeders standing, or rather hovering above the surface, and a little further away we could see the entrance - a solid building with glass, or rather transparent walls and a lot of signs, signs, and other light destruction.

Padme spotted the entrance and, taking my hand in hers, walked confidently in. So confidently, in fact, that I had to almost run - her steps were sprawling, even in her servant's robe. I looked back helplessly at the driver, but he was looking on with a "you're screwed, lad!" smile. Yes, he turned out to be right. I'm never going to shop with a Nabooan queen again! All I wanted to do was buy something civilised. But I was immediately changed at the first major shop under the woman's gaze, and a little bit of excitement. Padme's gaze was a little frightening to me at that moment-she was so absorbed in selecting styles and styles that she didn't seem to notice even if the Yuuzhan-wongs came to Coruscant with their hot bomb gifts. Strangely enough, fashion in the galaxy changed extremely slowly and was not distinguished by any special refinements and canons. Loose-fitting trousers, outerwear that reminded me of a Japanese kimono, and finally Padme dragged me to a hairdresser's, where an obliging knight of scissors and hair gel transformed my simple hairstyle into something that looked like the image of me they'd created in the film. Only my hair was a light straw colour, burned out by the aggressive radiation of Tatooine's stars. I decided to let it be as it was - Padme and the hairdressers would know what it looked like from the outside. After all the metamorphosis, I took quite a decent look, just to my taste - dark grey trousers, comfortable sports shoes, and something that looked like a turtleneck on top of a grey, like a London clerk's mackintosh. On top of this "turtleneck" - a leather waistcoat of pure white colour, which reminded me of the smuggler Han Solo - he wore almost the same, but there was style, you could say, fancy. Maybe someone will say that black colour is cooler, but I don't agree with them - I like white and light shades in general. And the only black colour I have is my belt, on which I immediately hooked my sword. Then Padme went shopping by herself, and I had the dubious honour of following her around. Gradually she bought herself a whole costume, a couple of dresses, some jewellery of different races, a painting.... Oh, power, a painting! When I was about to follow her into a lingerie shop, I noticed the signs with lacy lingerie-clad Twilight Girls, and I shouted at myself and Padmé for her company:

- No, not again! Padme, do you want me to help you pick out the prettiest panties? - I asked, adding so much sarcasm and dirty innuendo to my voice that even Monsieur Han OWLs would have died of envy. Only then did she stop, blushing:

- No, what are you...ah.... - She calmed down with visible regret and, regaining her usual complexion, turned around and said to me: "Forget it, come on, it's evening, we're late as it is.

I chose everything for myself in half an hour or so, and then Padme looked at everything like a child in a toy shop for the first time, trying on dozens of dresses. For lack of other options - flaunted before me, veiledly demanding recognition of her splendour and beauty. Of course, my "childish" personality liked it, so I didn't mind at all, and all this lasted for five hours, with breaks for lunch and sipping juices that are squeezed from exotic fruits from all corners of the galaxy right here, at every escalator.... And after this torture, "we're late." Who understands these women? I can change many things, even the fate of the galaxy, but such a feat as understanding a woman is beyond me. Although she did look a little too pretty when she blushed. But me, I definitely shouldn't care about that for the next five to ten years.

Here were the looks of interest from the people around me.... I guess the whole point was that I didn't want to carry four shopping bags behind me and especially not the queen, so I took them by force and carried them behind us. It wasn't particularly difficult, though the people were quite surprised - the Jedi were not, contrary to popular misconception, common knowledge and widespread. In the galaxy - twenty million races on one side and a few thousand Jedi on the other. This order was a drop in the ocean, but the government and co-operation with the Galactic Republic did its job - the Jedi were known, not by the majority, but by many, and the knights tried to search for gifted people wherever possible. Of course, they couldn't cover the entire galaxy, but at least in the explored and civilised part of the worlds, the Jedi worked seriously.

The bags floated through the air behind us and, supported by telekinesis, drew unnecessary attention to our persons. The force itself didn't mind at all, it even seemed to me that it was having fun with such free use, without any philosophy or piety in front of a mighty and little-studied force.

The driver was in his speeder, reading something on his tablet, only distracted when we got close. Padme was still wearing her orange-red robe, so it was impossible not to notice her, and I looked completely different from when I'd entered the mall, so he looked at me with curiosity and even complimented me:

- Now, boy, all the girls are yours," and winked when I, remembering my joke on Padme's infatuation, turned a little pink. However, Padme did too, and the driver continued," Are we going back?

- Yes, please," the queen replied. The purchases flying into the speeder were as interesting to the chauffeur as they were to the passersby, and he even whistled as he looked at them, saying:

- So you're a Jedi?

- Not quite. But it's a matter of time. So, shall we go?

- Yes, yes," the driver nodded hastily, putting aside his clipboard and starting the engines.

On the way back, I thought again about the Palpatine-Sidious situation. Nothing was set in stone yet, but he had better not be allowed to become Chancellor, or he would not only start a war, but exterminate the Jedi. I would be a fool to think that I have the right to decide such matters, much less think that I am smarter than the eight hundred year old Yoda and the entire Jedi Council. However, I will still keep an eye on the Palpatine situation, but with the Jedi Order behind me and the current Chancellor in my sights. And the Jedi can sort it out themselves. The main point of the rule of two is that it's a minimum number and a direct opportunity to maintain generational continuity, with complete secrecy. The Jedi have no idea that the Sith have not disappeared like mammoths, but are still actively conducting their business, building up the weight and problems of the current government in the Senate. The same Darth Maul was used by Sidious as a political tool to eliminate the unwanted. Sidious has now been exposed, if not publicly, then secretly. The Jedi Council is too cautious, dragging out its deliberations for too long, while there is hope for Chancellor Koschei - if his power is threatened, he will not sit back and wait for a vote of no confidence, so he will act, perhaps even rush the Jedi Council so they don't drown in endless collegial deliberations.

As we climbed out of the speeder, a call came in on Padme's comlink and she answered with a smile, but her face quickly changed. She became much more serious than before, and after briefly thanking her interlocutor, she looked off into space, becoming thoughtful and absent-minded - she almost fell, stepping on the hem of her unusually long robe. Perhaps her majesty was not yet accustomed to the attire of a servant. I, however, having a rough idea of what she'd been told, asked:

- Is something wrong?

- А? No, not at all," she smiled and hurriedly pushed me towards the door, "your mother must be worried, so hurry up.

I didn't hurry, but picked up my bags with the same telekinesis and walked in step with the queen, asking as I went:

- Can I help you? And don't try to hide it, are you in trouble? Have we been out there too long?

Padme smiled now genuinely and, running her hand over the ends of the hedgehog of my hair, said:

- Well, you could say that. And anyway, your mum's probably waiting for you.

As I approached the room, I sensed two Jedi inside. Standing near the door, in the small hallway-foyer was an astrodroid, the very pen-pen of the local continuum, Erdva. As we passed, it turned its optical sensor in our direction and, changing the colour of the lens illumination, squeaked something with a grumpy intonation. Padme passed without even paying attention to the robot - her thoughts were now occupied with more important matters. I wonder what Erdwa thinks about all this?

***

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