The trooper stepped back into position and removed his left hand from his weapon, while keeping his right hand firmly on the gun. He grabbed a datapad from his belt and skimmed through a file displayed on the screen. A minute or so of silence passed over the group, but the tension never lessened, with all eyes on the trooper.
"Approved personnel," the trooper stated, attaching the datapad to his belt and returning his hands to the proper position on his weapon. "Please proceed to your route immediately, and I request that once you arrive, your senator does not leave unless instructed otherwise."
"Of course," Captain Typho replied. "Thank you, trooper."
Taking a step forward, the group began to move again, their pace quickened and their eyes scanning everywhere. They had seemed completely alone within the giant vestibule, but as always, appearances could be deceiving. As if emerging from thin air, a sea of white appeared from behind another set of pillars, then another, then another, with three dozen or so clone troopers marching in formation across the Imperial Senate floor. The sight made Padmé's stomach turn even more.
"Such a large number of troopers are not permitted within the Imperial Senate," she whispered to the captain.
"I know," Captain Typho replied in the same hushed tone. "Just keep moving." He glanced at the members of the security detail walking on the opposite side of her and those following closely behind. He gestured toward the two men on her left– Felix and Marcus, if she remembered correctly. "You two," he commanded. "Stay with the senator." He indicated the other pair just behind themAnthony and Kasé. "You two come with me."
The group disbanded as they passed the final set of pillars. Padmé and her two armed security guards moved towards her office while Captain Typho and the two other guards headed in a different direction. She frowned, looking back and forth, moving forward with attentiveness as if entering the den of a killer beast. Padmé walked cautiously down the halls of the building, relaxing a small amount when she finally saw other senators and delegates.
To her surprise, they were doing the same as she was: walking quietly and cautiously through the hallways, their minds filled with uncertainty. It was almost as if they were prisoners escaping capture, afraid to be seen or to make even the smallest noise. She desperately wanted to stop them and ask what was wrong but ultimately decided against it. She wouldn't jeopardize her career further by risking criticism for not knowing what was happening. So, she chose to walk by silently, following their lead while pretending that nothing was wrong, even though she sensed there was something wrong– terribly wrong.
She didn't know what had changed, but she hoped that one of her people would. Silently cursing herself for not listening to Captain Typho when she had the chance, Padmé moved hastily in the direction of her office, wasting no time as she navigated through the nearly empty hall. Her security personnel jumped at the opportunity to urge her to quicken her pace whenever a clone trooper came into view, making her feel as though she was running a sort of marathon rather than simply walking to her office. The number of troopers increased the closer she got to the inner workings of the Senate's core, with white armor stationed at nearly every corner, which was impossible to avoid.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she turned into the most familiar hallway, knowing her journey would soon reach its destination. She rounded the corner to enter her chamber, but couldn't help pausing, surprised to see that the doors were firmly shut. It was an odd sight since no one ever closed her office doors, except for herself. It was a strange day that called for strange occurrences, but who would have shut them, and why would they be closed? She didn't know, but she quickly recovered and made her way across the room to find out.
Taking a deep breath to calm her panicked mind, Padmé nodded to her security team, giving them the silent command to leave her side and move to their post at the doorway. They saluted her kindly at her mark and took their positions at each corner without delay. After another deep breath, Padmé pushed the doors open and walked cautiously inside. It appeared she was alone; all Nubian personnel were either missing or had been dismissed without her knowledge.
What the hell is going on? she thought.
"Milady!" a familiar voice shouted as a woman leaped out from behind her desk and ran towards Padmé. She wrapped her arms tightly around the senator, pulling her into a close hug as tears slid down her cheeks. "Thank goodness you're alright!"
Padmé smiled widely upon seeing Dormé, her best friend since childhood, former handmaiden as queen, and current assistant as senator. Pushing aside her whirlwind of thoughts, even if just for a moment, Padmé embraced Dormé with all her strength. For once, she permitted personal comfort to seep within her professional walls, the day feeling like something out of a nightmare, even if it remained only partially understood. Dormé held onto Padmé for a while, until the hug shifted from comfort to worry, causing Padmé's fear to rise in her chest. When Dormé finally released her, she stepped back and noticed the apprehensive expression that had formed on the younger woman's face, immediately feeling guilty.
She quickly apologized for her actions with a small bow. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her face a picture of remorse as she shook her head. " I'm just so relieved to see you." She placed a finger on her lips, tears welling in her eyes again. "I thought…" her voice trailed off before she shook her head. "I was so worried."