driftfleet | 01 ★ video & action

Entry tags:

01 ★ video & action

Who: Padme Amidala
Broadcast: Fleet-wide
Action: The Marsiva
When: Jan 19th, evening

[ It's cold.

That's the first thing Padmé thinks in her half-awake state. It's cold like metal, like space. Whatever she's laying on is lumpy and uneven. Some part of her mind thinks wake up, you're in danger!.

Her eyes snap open and she sits up quickly. Her body is tense, like she's ready to run or fight at a moment's notice. Her elegant headdress and long robes might make it a bit more difficult, but Padmé is used to them. She scans the room for threats, and her eyes settle on a device not too far away. It's unfamiliar, but she knows it's a recording device transmitting to nearby ships. It unsettles her that she knows that but not how she got here.

She could turn off the feed if she chose but she might as well try to communicate. Whoever is watching already know she's here. Padmé sits up straight, trying her best to look confident and approachable. As she speaks, it's clear she's choosing her words carefully. ]

Hello, everyone. [ She realizes that she has no idea who she's addressing, only that she's speaking to someone. Or many someones. ] My name is Padmé. [ She carefully uses her first name, rather than Senator Amidala. On the off-chance these people don't know that she's a Senator, she doesn't want to tip them off. ] I would greatly appreciate any information about my current situation. I'm afraid my memory is rather vague.

If the people in charge are receiving this, I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you.

[ She doubts she'll get a reply, but she says it anyway. Although it irritates her to no end, she's careful to avoid inflammatory words like 'kidnapping' or 'hostage.' She's decidedly Not Happy about any of this, but her political poker face is strong enough to hide it from people. Most people. ]

Thank you.

[ She shuts off the feed and her expression shifts from careful calm to determination. Kidnapping Padmé Amidala? Never ends well. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I've been here for a while now, almost a standard month. It didn't feel like it until I saw you.

[ He paused and wonders how he can explain this situation that he's - they're in. ]

There are going to be people, from the future. Our future. I wish we could talk about this in person but one of them already contacted you. [ And Han Solo does not count. ] You... need to be ready for anything that you and Leia might talk about.

Edited 2016-01-20 23:45 (UTC)

[ She stares at him, as if waiting for an explanation she can understand. Or a punchline. But she knows he's not joking and a sense of dread falls on her. Whatever he thinks-- or knows-- is going to happen isn't going to be good.

A standard month, the future, none of it makes sense.

Quietly: ] Anakin, what's going on?

[ He should wait to talk to her in person. At least then he can comfort her with his arms and hands. There's nothing he can do right now to ease her dread, a dread he can feel even though Padme isn't a Force-sensitive.

He rubs his temples. There's no way to put this gently but he does offer a gentle smile. ]

We're going to be parents in the future, Padme. We're going to have children, twins.

[ He lets that sink in, and hopes to see her smile. He tried to make this into a happy thing. He wanted to see her smile at least once before everything else has to crash on them. ]

[ Padme simply stares at him for a second, wondering how to respond, how to wrap her mind around it.

He's smiling, but there's... hesitation. She can imagine a myriad of reasons why. ]

We're going to be parents? [ Tentatively. Uncertainly. But there's the faintest trace of a smile in her eyes, if not on her face. ]

[ He looks haplessly happy for a moment, because there's a smile on her face that lights up his stupidly chaotic world ]

Apparently, soon. [ If Ahsoka had her ...calculations right ] This is a bad time to ask, but we ... never talked about it. Having children. A life together, yes, just not this. Not yet. With your career and mine...

[ His jaw sets and he press his lips to a thin line when he realizes he's bumbling through this. ]

I never... planned for this. Did you?

[ Padme looks down and shakes her head slightly. ]

No. The war, our careers. We can't even tell anyone we're married.

[ a sigh. ] They know. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan knows, I told them.

I know it's not what we agreed on but-- With two full grown adults claiming to be my children, I couldn't lie to them anymore. I'm tired of keeping it a secret.

[ Padme isn't angry or disappointed. In fact, some of the tension in her body eases. One less secret to keep. One less thing to hide. ]

Are you okay?

[ Telling them, especially Obi-Wan, must have been hard for him.

(It's easier for her to focus on Anakin now. On something real and true and solid and present. Not strangers from the future who claim to be their children.) ]

[ He smiles, just slightly, but warm. He feels warm just from hearing her voice. ]

With you here, I think I will be. Ahsoka took it pretty well. She apparently knew all along.

Obi-Wan. [ A beat ] I don't know. It must be as difficult for him, knowing the Padawan he trained has been lying to him all along. But I can't help wishing he was just happy for me-- for us. I can tell he isn't, and I can understand why he wouldn't be. It's --

[ He trails off as he runs a hand through his hair and down his neck, the lines on his face starting to show a bit more. ]

Forget about all that for now; I'll deal with it later. Are you okay?

[ She sighs, wondering how long he'd been holding that in. ]

No, I'm not okay. But neither are you. You don't have to carry this yourself. 50/50, remember?

[ Softly: ] I know but it's not your responsibility. Padme. This is something I have to do myself.

[ His lips quirks in a wry smile. ] Jedi business.

What can I do? I... I can tell Luke and Leia to back off for now, if you need time to think about this.

[ A small, rueful smile and a quiet huff. ]

Isn't it always?

[ She shakes her head. ] No, I owe it to them to speak with them directly. Leia has agreed to meet later, to give us both some time.

[ There's an unease to his features, not very surprising considering. ]

They asked me to meet them too, when I first sense Luke was here. He's Force-sensitive; Leia is too but I don't think she realizes it.

[ A beat; he almost doesn't say it ]

I should come with you.

[ Padme's just as uneasy. Please come with me. But he seems so uneasy and reluctant. Maybe it would be too overwhelming for them, having both parents in the same room, especially looking as anxious and uneasy as Anakin and Padme do. ]

You don't have to.

[ He can pick that up; almost as if she did say it. He smiles, soft ]

As your husband, I should. And I will. But I won't stay if they only want to see you.

[ She's gotten a sense that Anakin's meeting hadn't gone well. ]

Why wouldn't they want to see you?

[ He turns his eyes downwards and pause, not quite sure how to answer. ]

They didn't say it but I can tell. They didn't really wanted to talk to me. They asked me to talk about you. They wanted to talk to you. I'm only an intermediary.

[ It bothers him but he smirks, anyway, for Padme's sake. ]

I don't mind, I love talking about you. Now that I can.

Edited 2016-01-25 00:00 (UTC)

[ She can tell it bothers him and it shows in her expression. But she decides not to say anything, deciding the best course of action is to keep it light. ]

I hope you didn't exaggerate.

Edited 2016-01-25 01:38 (UTC)

[ You have to appreciate the little things; Padme reads him so well, he might've mistaken her for being Force sensitive. He laughs then softens to a smile. ]

Maybe I did a little. But it's not an exaggeration if it's true, is it.

It can't be true and an exaggeration. I see you've been talking about me to others as well.

I... might have. [ Nonchalantly, as if he was listing groceries: ] I told them you were a goddess that came into my life and I never stood a chance. Before you say anything... From my perspective, that is entirely true.

As I recall, you called me an angel, not a goddess.

[ With every word, the tension in her body eases. They're in a bad position with impossible and overwhelming things happening around them. But Anakin has always been good at pulling her out of her own head and turning her thoughts to the here-and-now rather than dwelling on the what-ifs of the future. ]

[ It's easier this way. If he can't hold her tight until the tension leaves, this will have to do. ]

I'm not going to tell everyone that.

Why not? I thought it was sweet.

[ He lifts on shoulder, a familiar smirk slides on his face. ] Because somethings are better if it's just between us.

01 ★ video & action

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