"As much as I enjoy seeing my friends, I have to ask—what brings you here?" Padmé asked curiously. "I thought you two would want to rest after today's session."
Mothma and Organa exchanged glances before turning back to Padmé, slightly grim expressions on their faces.
"To be frank, Padmé, there's something that's been troubling me for some time," Organa said, frowning. "Mon and I share a common concern."
Padmé looked back and forth between them, puzzled.
"What is it?"
"Do you remember when we met and spoke with Natasha Romanoff from the Avengers a while back?"
The Naboo Senator nodded.
"Do you recall her asking us about the beginning of the war?"
Padmé's expression grew thoughtful as she considered this.
A hint of recognition crossed the Senator's face.
"Oh, yes—I'd almost forgotten. Thank you for reminding me," Padmé said, accepting the tea from the protocol droid. "Is there a particular reason you're bringing this up now?"
Mothma glanced toward Organa, who had crossed his arms.
"You remember her asking where the Clone Army came from, don't you?" Organa asked, and Padmé nodded. "Well... it's been weighing on my mind for weeks now, ever since that conversation. Frankly, it's a topic that's been completely overlooked for far longer than it should have been."
"The outbreak and rapid escalation of this war has left us without time to think clearly, and we've been doing everything possible to prevent basic civil liberties from being stripped away by the Supreme Chancellor," Mothma added.
Padmé was well aware of this issue, and she found herself internally troubled by the Chancellor's recent behavior.
He had always been kind, patient, and willing to listen to all perspectives.
However, some of his actions in recent months were beginning to concern the Naboo Senator.
It felt as though there were countless missing pieces to this war, and as the conflict dragged on, more questions kept accumulating, leaving Padmé with an increasingly unclear understanding of what they were even fighting for at this point.
"Obtaining authorization to investigate a clone facility will take time, especially with the war still raging," Organa said.
"There's no doubt that doing so would also attract unwanted attention, which could lead to a more dangerous situation," Mothma added.
"Let's not even begin to discuss the moral dilemma we face," Organa said, his tone darkening. "When people take a moment to consider our military—these clones were bred specifically to wage war for the Republic. A slave army created from nothing."
"Last I checked, the Republic outlawed slavery thousands of years ago," Padmé said, a growing sense of unease settling over her.
A heavy silence fell over the three as they contemplated what the Republic had gotten itself into with this war and its army.
The more they thought and discussed it, the less sense it made.
"We need to uncover the truth behind our military," Organa said after several minutes of contemplation.
"But where do we start?" Padmé asked. "You said it yourself—if we go directly to Kamino with official authorization, someone will immediately take notice."
"We need to begin somewhere," Mothma stressed, her eyes drifting toward the window where she could see the Jedi Temple in the distance. "Perhaps the Jedi could assist in the investigation. If I recall correctly, they have their own representatives stationed on Kamino, overseeing training and development."
"Yes..." Organa rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Shaak Ti, I believe."
"Then we should contact her," Padmé suggested.
"But what exactly would we ask her to do?"
"Have her investigate discreetly, if possible, and look for any irregularities," Mothma proposed, though Organa shook his head.
"That's easier said than done," Bail said. "It would also raise further suspicion."
"We don't have many alternatives," Mon said, frowning.
"Then we seek help from a third party," Padmé said, a gleam in her eyes. "An organization that's only nominally affiliated with the Republic but is actually independent."
It took her two friends a moment to grasp what she was suggesting.
"Do you think the Avengers would undertake such an investigation?" Mothma asked.
"Natasha drew our attention to this, intentionally or not," Padmé pointed out. "She was the one asking us about our knowledge of the clones, this war, and all the questions that should have been raised from the beginning. It showed me that the Avengers have had their own doubts from the start."
"Do you think they'd be willing to accept something like this?" Organa asked, looking conflicted. "I'd rather not drag them deeper into this war. They've already done so much for the Republic, and their goal is to return home—not become further entangled in a galaxy-spanning conflict."
"I know, and I don't want to burden them either," Padmé said seriously. "But objectively, they're the best suited for this mission."
"If we do approach them, it would have to be covertly and in a location where it wouldn't raise suspicion," Mothma said firmly.
"Well, my apartment would be perfect for that," Padmé said with a slight smile. "At this point, I consider several of the Avengers friends. If I reached out to Captain Rogers and Natasha, that could be a start."
Organa nodded approvingly, a sentiment Mothma echoed. "Very well. Do what you can, Padmé."
Senator Amidala simply inclined her head toward both of them, taking a sip of her tea as her two colleagues left her office.
She turned toward the window again and gazed upon the Jedi Temple, her hopes now resting on this new mission she and her fellow senators had set for themselves.
Padmé knew this would be a difficult undertaking, especially during wartime.
But it was work that desperately needed to be done.
Her thoughts drifted to her friends Natasha and Hope, wondering what they were both doing at this moment.
The latter was currently with her boyfriend and friends at the Temple.
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