It took a while to tell Padmè about everything that had happened to Jaden and his crew since he left known space. He'd been on a great many amazing but equally terrifying adventures and had seen things he'd never imagined before. She had listened on with rapt attention, turning her chair completely to face him—which he had to admit distracted him greatly as the outfit she wore exposed most of her body. He felt his gaze drifting across her various curves, and the flat of her stomach. While Aubrie and Zule were lean and athletic, Padmè was more soft. She had few traces of muscles, but her body was still incredible.
He had even lost track of what he was saying as he looked at her, just letting the words spill out of his mouth. 'This had to be the worse part of losing the brand...' he thought to himself as he continued speaking to her. The intense hormones that raged through his body were a complete distraction, and while he'd learned to block them out while meditating he found it harder to do with certain women.
He knew he liked Padmè, he wasn't stupid, she had risked so much for him and put herself in the cross hairs of Collan Eislo just so she could help him. He doubted she returned the same feelings, but even if she did he had to consider Aubrie and Zule as well. While they may be accepting of each other there is nothing to suggest he could add a third person into their... thing.
"Jaden."
Those words felt like hot air when he was with Padmè however, and when she was in an outfit like this they seemed almost laughable. Damn hormones.
"Jaden."
'Maybe I should get a hormone blocker, they sell stuff for Zules pheromones so maybe they'll have something for this?' He thought, though honestly he didn't like the thought of blocking any of his emotions or feelings ahain.
"Jaden!"
Jaden snapped out of his thoughts and immediately refocused on Padmè who looked at him with a touch of concern on her face. "Is everything okay Jaden?" She asked, as she leaned forward—giving an unrestricted view of the valley between her breasts. "You looked like you drifted off there while talking about the Chiss Cruiser." She touched his cheek to make sure he was alright.
"Sorry Padmè, I'm fine I was just thinking about the crew we countered on the ship," he said offering her a smile.
She tilted her head, her brown eyes searching his face with that mix of concern and warmth that always made his chest tighten. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Jaden replied, forcing a casual smile as he leaned back in his chair, trying to ignore how her leaning forward had pulled the thin fabric of her costume taut across her breasts, the material so sheer it outlined the dark peaks of her nipples beneath.
Padmé didn't look entirely convinced, her lips pursing slightly, but she sat back anyway, the motion causing the outfit's low-cut top to shift just enough to tease a glimpse of the soft swell of her underbreast. She crossed her legs, the high-slit riding up her thighs, exposing the smooth skin leading to the juncture between them. "Well, if you say so. Anyway... it must have been incredible, seeing all those things. Uncharted worlds, ancient ruins, species no one's ever documented. I wish I could've been there... splendid sights like that, free from all this... politics."
Jaden's gaze flicked down for a split second, before he cleared his throat, meeting her eyes again. "There's always space for you on the ship," he said with a smile, the words slipping out warmer than he'd intended.
She giggled, her hand brushing a curl of hair behind her ear. "I appreciate that, Jaden. Truly. But my obligations to the Republic... they're too numerous. I can't just disappear for months on end. Sometimes I feel like the whole thing's only one nail away from falling apart."
"It probably is," Jaden commented.
Padmé giggled again, her cheeks dimpling as she shook her head. "So, why are you back here? In the war? I thought after everything that happened Coruscant would be the last place you event to be."
He paused, the truth hovering on his tongue. "I came to see you."
Her breath caught, a flush creeping up her neck to color her cheeks a deep pink, her eyes widening just a fraction as she looked down at her hands, fingers twisting in her lap. The blush spread, making her skin glow under the cockpit lights. "I... well," she started.
"I mean, the ship's heavily damaged. We hit a star grazer out in the Unknown Regions, nearly tore us apart. We need repairs, parts, maybe some credits to make it happen. I was wondering if you could pull a few strings."
Padmé nodded quickly, her blush lingering as she reached out to grab his hand, her fingers warm and soft against his calluses. "Of course I'll help. Whatever you need." She squeezed gently, her thumb brushing his knuckles. "But it'll have to wait."
Jaden raised a brow. "Why's that?"
"Right now, I need to get evidence of Ziro's conspiracy to Jabba himself. If I don't, Jabba will believe the separatists and the whole treaty being struck will fail," she replied.
Before Jaden could respond, the ship's alert chimes softly. Jaden looked over and pressed a few buttons. "We are arriving at your apartment landing pad", he said.
"I can finally get out of these clothes," she said with a relieved sigh, tugging at the hem futilely. "They're so humiliating, feels like I'm one of those undercity dancers on display."
Jaden's mouth went dry, his eyes tracing the way the material clung to her like a lover's hands, highlighting the dip of her navel, the flare of her hips, the mound between her thighs. "I think you look good," he blurted, then clapped a hand over his mouth, embarrassment flooding his face as he realized what he'd said.
Padmé flushed deeper, her blush racing down her chest to tint the tops of her breasts, her nipples hardening visibly against the sheer fabric as she bit her lip, eyes flicking away in flustered surprise. "Jaden..."
'Idiot!' he chided himself inwardly. 'Way to make it awkward, you bantha-brained fool.' To cover, he shrugged off his jacket, the worn leather still warm from his body, and held it out to her. "Here. Cover up if you want."
She took it gratefully, draping it over her shoulders, the oversized garment swallowing her frame snd hiding the worst of the costume's indecency, though it still gaped open at the front, teasing glimpses of her cleavage. "Thank you," she murmured, her fingers brushing his as she pulled it closed.
Padmé headed down the ramp, her hips swaying with each step, the jacket's hem brushing her thighs. "I'll
go ahead and change," she called over her shoulder, disappearing into the apartment's entrance.
The ramp sealed behind her, leaving Jaden alone in the ship with SD8 and C-3PO, who had been standing silently in the corner like golden and black statues. The droid's photoreceptors flickered as it turned its elongated head toward him.
"Master Jaden," SD8 began, "if I may observe, your interactions with the fairer sex appear to require... refinement. That particular remark was rather ill-timed."
"Oh, yes!" C-3PO chimed in, his arms gesturing wildly. "Most undiplomatic, sir! One might say catastrophically so. Why, in my extensive database of social protocols, such a comment in that context is tantamount to inviting a diplomatic incident! You're fortunate she didn't deactivate you on the spot."
Jaden sighed. "You're not wrong there..." he muttered.
...
Padmé stepped off the ramp, the cool air brushing against her exposed skin, sending a shiver down her spine that only heightened her embarrassment. The dancer's costume clung to her like a second skin, the thin metallic fabric barely covering her breasts, while the high-cut bottoms wedged between her thighs and ass cheeks, leaving her curves on blatant display. She pulled Jaden's jacket tighter around her shoulders, grateful for the cover, but a warmth bloomed in her chest at his earlier compliment—"I think you look good." It was unintended perhaps, but the way he'd said it, the hunger in his eyes... it made her feel desired in a way that both flustered and thrilled her.
She approached her apartment entrance, the doors hissing open as her servants and staff emerged, their faces etched with worry. Handmaidens in flowing gowns rushed forward, followed by protocol droids and security personnel, all murmuring at once. "Senator Amidala! Are you alright?" one handmaiden asked with wide eyes as she took in Padmé's disheveled state and the oversized jacket.
"What happened? We were so concerned when you didn't return," another added, reaching out tentatively.
Padmé offered a reassuring smile, though exhaustion tugged at her features. "I'm fine, truly. Just a little exhausted from... an unexpected detour. Nothing a hot bath won't fix."
From the ship's ramp, Aubrie, Zule, and Scout emerged, their expressions shifting from concern to curiosity as they spotted her. Aubrie tilted her head, eyeing the jacket. "Padmé? You okay? And where's Jaden? That's his coat, isn't it?"
.
Padmé opened her mouth to explain, but she didn't need to, Jaden came striding down the ramp behind her, SD8's tall frame looming at his side and C-3PO tottering along. "Right here," Jaden said, nodding to his crew. "Long story, but she's safe now."
Padmé gave them all a nod. "I'm going to get changed. Jaden can fill you in on what happened." She turned toward her apartment, her servants trailing after her like a protective flock.
"Is there anything we can do, milady?" a handmaiden asked softly as they entered the opulent foyer. "Prepare tea? Perhaps some food?"
Padmé shook her head kindly, waving them off. "No, thank you. I just need a bath and some fresh clothes. Please, attend to our guests outside."
They bowed and dispersed, leaving her alone as she slipped into her private chambers. The door sealed behind her with a soft click, and Padmé let out a deep breath, leaning against it for a moment. Her mind raced back to the lounge on the ship... Jaden's eyes on her the entire time, drifting over her body like he was studyingf her. He'd tried to hide it, but she'd felt it, the way his gaze lingered on her breasts, her hips, the flat plane of her stomach exposed by the costume. It should have made her uncomfortable, objectified even, but instead... it stirred something inside her.
'No,' she told herself firmly, pushing off the door. 'You can't think of him that way. He's a friend, an ally. The Republic needs you focused.' But the words rang hollow as heat pooled between her thighs, her body betraying her. The outfit had made her feel degraded in Ziro's dungeon, but under Jaden's stare, it had felt... degrading but in an entirely different way. The barely restrained lust in his eyes, like he wanted to devour her, it made her pulse quicken, and her nipples tighten against the fabric.
She shrugged off Jaden's jacket, folding it neatly on a chair, then peeled away the costume. The top came off first, her large breasts spilling free, nipples hard and pebbled from the cool air and her lingering arousal. She shimmied out of the bottoms, the material sticking slightly to her slick folds, her slit glistening with wetness that had soaked her inner thighs. She chided herself, cheeks burning as she felt the evidence of her desire between her legs.
Glancing at the discarded outfit on the floor, her first impulse was to toss it into the incinerator. But then she remembered that look on his face, like he was seconds from pouncing. A thrill shot through her, making her clit throb. "Maybe I'll keep it for now," she murmured to herself, folding the skimpy pieces and tucking them deep into her closet, hidden behind rows of senatorial gowns.
She walked to the adjoining bathroom, breasts bouncing gently with each step. She activated the bath controls, hot water cascading into the sunken tub, steam rising in fragrant clouds infused with Naboo flowere oils. As it filled, her mind wandered to the war. The Separatists, Jabba's son, the fragile treaty hanging by a thread. If things went wrong, the Republic could lose the Outer Rim entirely. 'Could Jaden help?' she wondered. His ship, his crew they'd navigated the Unknown Regions; perhaps they could slip through Hutt space undetected.
She breathed out slowly, shaking her head. "I need to relax first," she said aloud. "Being imprisoned, the firefight... it's left me so high-strung."
The bath auto-stopped, the water steaming invitingly. Padmé stepped in, sinking into the warmth with a sigh, the heat enveloping her body like a lover's embrace. It unraveled the knots in her body, soothing her aches as she closed her eyes. But her thoughts drifted back to Jaden, the way he'd fought through Ziro's palace for her. In her mind, the scene shifted: back in the ship's cockpit. He grabs her, bending her over the console, his hands yanking the costume aside. She imagines him freeing his cock, thrusting into her wet slit from behind, filling her completely as she moans, her breasts pressed against the cold metal, nipples scraping with each powerful stroke. He pounds into her, one hand tangled in her hair, the other gripping her hip, pulling her back onto him, his balls slapping against her clit with every deep plunge.
Her hand slipped between her thighs, fingers circling her swollen clit, then dipping into her slick entrance, pumping in rhythm with the fantasy. "Jaden... oh, Jaden," she moaned softly, her other hand cupping her breast, pinching the nipple hard. The water sloshed as her hips bucked, chasing the building pressure, her hole clenching around her fingers as she imagined him coming inside her. The orgasm crashed over her, her body arching, a cry escaping her lips as waves of pleasure rippled through her core, her juices mixing with the bathwater.
Guilt flooded in immediately after, her cheeks flushing as she sank deeper into the tub. 'What am I doing? He's not for you...' She washed herself thoroughly, scrubbing away the evidence of her arousal, the soap lathering over her breasts and between her legs until she felt clean. Stepping out, she dried off with a plush towel, wrapping it around her body before selecting a simple Naboo tunic and pants from her wardrob.
She recomposed herself in the mirror, pinning her hair into a neat bun, her expression shifting to the poised mask of Senator Amidala.
...
Jaden leaned against the table in the main room lf Padmes apartment. Aubrie, Zule, and Scout stood around him, their expressions a mix of shock and admiration. C-3PO fidgeted nearby, muttering about the impropriety of Hutts and undercity ventures.
"And that's when SD8 went full attack mode," Jaden finished, gesturing to the droid. "Cleared the path, and we had Ziro cornered. The clones mopped up the rest."
Padmé rejoined them as he told the story, stepping out from her apartment in fresh clothing. Her hair was neatly pinned, but a few loose strands framed her face. "Ziro is a slime ball, hes been working with the separatists to kidnap his nephews son..." she commented.
Zule crossed her armsy. "The Separatists are despicable, plotting something like that, using family against family."
Aubrie shook her head, her expression darkening. "I can't believe Ziro would hurt his own. That's low, even for a Hutt."
Scout nodded vigorously, fists clenched. "Yeah, what a slimeball. Family's everything."
Padmé offered a small, knowing smile as she approached the group. "The Hutts are always scheming against each other. This is nothing new... in the end, it's all about power for them." Though Padmè couldn't say the republic was any diffident.
She moved to a nearby terminal mounted on the platform's edge, her fingers moving over the holographic keys as she accessed a secure channel. The screen flickered to life, connecting to the clone captain overseeing Ziro's compound. His helmeted face appeared, the white armor scarred from the recent skirmish.
"Senator Amidala," the captain said.
"Captain, do you have the information I requested?" Padmé asked, leaning forward slightly.
"Affirmative, ma'am. We ransacked the servers, found holorecordings, transaction logs, communications with Count Dooku. Clear evidence of Ziro's involvement in the kidnapping," the Captain replied.
Padmé's eyes lit up, a genuine excitement breaking through her composure. "Excellent!"
Scout whooped, pumping a fist in the air. "Woo! Take that, you bloated worm! Ziro's gonna rot for this."
Padmé nodded eagerly. "Send it to my personal terminal, Captain. Encrypted channel."
"Yes, ma'am," he replied, tapping commands off-screen.
The terminal chimed as the data packet arrived, Padmé scanning it quickly to confirm. "Received. Thank you, Captain, your team did outstanding work." She ended the transmission with a nod, the screen winking out.
Jaden stepped closer, eyeing the data stream. "What now? What's the play with that info?"
Padmé straightened, her tunic shifting against her body. "I have to take it to Tatooine. Deliver it to Jabba in person."
Aubrie frowned, crossing her arms. "Why not just transmit it? It would be a lot faster and safer."
"After Jabba was tricked into thinking Anakin killed his son, he cut off all contact with the Republic," Padmé explained. "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't, his channels are locked down. It has to be face-to-face."
Jaden shook his head, concern etching his features. "Someone else should handle it. Tatooine's a hellhole—slavers, bounty hunters, the worst scum in the galaxy. Dangerous as it gets."
Aubrie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, no kidding. Send a diplomat or something."
Scout chimed in. "Totally. Let the clones do it, they're built for that stuff."
But Padmé stood firm, her chin lifting with that usual resolve she always had. "No. I have a trustworthy reputation with the Clans, Jabba respects directness. Sending a messenger or clones would be insulting, like we don't respect the gravity of the situation. It has to be me."
Jaden rubbed his jaw, still feeling a little uneasy. "It's too dangerous, Padmé. You're walking into a viper's nest."
She paused for a moment, her eyes meeting his, a spark of something deeper flickering theres. "Why not escort me, then?" The words hung in the air, surprising Jaden and the others. Aubrie's brows shot up, Zule's stern expression cracked with a raised eyebrow, and Scout blinked rapidly.
Jaden hesitated, glancing at his crew. "I... we don't want to get pulled back into the war. None of us do."
Aubrie nodded solemnly. "After Jabiim... I can't imagine jumping back in."
Scout nodded rapidly, her usual grin fading. "Yeah, no way. That mess was enough for a lifetime."
Zule just shrugged, her orange-red skin catching the light, but her eyes looked ahead like the mere mention of Jabiim had sent her somewhere else.
Padmé nodded in understanding. "I won't force the matter. But even if it kills me... I have to do this." She turned, heading back toward her room to prepare, arranging transport on her comms unit as she walked.
The group stood in silence for a beat, Jaden's face etched with concern, his mind racing. Aubrie glanced at him, a light smile tugging at her lips as she read his expression like an open book. "When are we leaving?" she asked.
Jaden shook his head. "We aren't." He paused, then clarified, "I am."
That upset the girls, Aubrie's smile faded, Zule's posture stiffened, and Scout's eyes widened. "What? No way, Cap!"
He held up a hand. "I don't want any of you fighting in this war again. You don't need to. Stay clear of it."
Zule stepped closer, her lean muscles shifting under her clothing, her full chest rising with a frustrated breath. "You don't need to either."
"I do," Jaden replied firmly. "Padmé was there for me during the trial, she risked everything for my sake. If it wasn't for her, I might've ended up dead or worse. I have to help her, even if she won't push it."
Aubrie, Zule, and Scout insisted, voices overlapping in protest, but Jaden refused. "Focus on getting the ship repaired. This won't take more than a few days. I'll handle it," he said sternly.
Zule and Aubrie exchanged a glance, then moved to him together. Zule leaned in first, her lips brushing his in a fierce kiss, her cybernetic hand gripping his shoulder as her tongue flicked against his briefly. Aubrie followed, her kiss softer but deeper, her body pressing against his, her breasts soft against his chest as she whispered, "Fine but you better come back back safe."
He nodded, cupping their faces gently. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."
With that, he turned and went after Padmé, his boots echoing on the platform as he caught up to her just inside her room entrance.
_____________________________________
Vaylin sat on the ground inside her room on the Vengeance, she hadn't left once since they arrived on Coruscant but that suited her find as she had a lot of work to do. Her room was sparse, a converted storage bay she'd claimed as her own—dimly lit by red emergency strips, cluttered with scavenged tech and half-dismantled stuff from their Unknown Regions hauls. She clutched the medical device in her hands, a sleek neural recalibrator she'd swiped from the Chiss Cruiser during their time on the ship.
She set it on the console, her fingers trembling with anticipation as she reactivated it with a flick of a switch. The device hummed to life, its indicators glowing a sickly green. She connected it to the ship's main power conduit, jury-rigging the cables with sparks flying from the overload but the connection holding.
"This better work," she whispered. She placed the device's crown-like headset over her m head, the cold electrodes pressing into her scalp like needles.
With a deep breath, she activated it. Electricity surged through her neurons, and pain exploded in her skull—a white-hot lance that ripped a scream from her throat. Her body convulsed, muscles seizing as she collapsed to her knees, back arching unnaturally, her breasts heaving against her tight vest with each violent twitch. Veins bulged in her neck, her fingers clawing at the floor, nails scraping durasteel as spasms wracked her frame, her hips bucking involuntarily and clenching in agony clenching in agony.
Flashes assaulted her mind... a woman's face her mother, Senya, she could see her eyes filled with sorrow.
Then Valkorion, her father, the man who had ruined her life, who had hurt her, who had ruined her. Her fury surged as the memories of him and what he did became clearer.
It's working, she thought through the haze of torment, hope flickering amid the pain. Finally...
But then it stopped. The device shorted with a pop, the memories dissolving like smoke, leaving her mind barren once more. Vaylin gasped, ripping the headset off and hurling it across the room. Rage boiled up, her eyes glowing with yellow Sith fury as she extended her hand. The Force answered, crushing the device in mid-air, the metal crumpling, circuits exploding in a shower of sparks until it was a mangled orb of scrap, which she slammed against the wall with a crack.
For months now, she'd tried everything, neural stimulators, biositumulants, even crude Sith alchemy, but nothing restored the memories of the original Vaylin. She was no master in biology nor in Sith alchemy; her skills lay in destruction, not creation.
However...
Darth Sidious was both. He'd forged her in his hidden labs, a twisted clone infused with the essence of the real Vaylin from another era, but he'd sealed away most of those memories deliberately. A failsafe, in case her implanted loyalty shattered. The original Vaylin had been one of the most powerful Force users of her time... she had raw, unbridled might that could shatter fleets and bend worlds to her will. If she unlocked that power... everything would be hers. No one could manipulate or hurt her again. There would be no Republic, no Separatists, only her and the Eternal Empire, reborn under her rule.
Jaden could join her as her equal. She pictured it; teaching him the secrets she'd reclaim, his raw power merging with hers. He was so strong, so untamed... together, they'd be unstoppable.
But none of that would happen until she unlocked these damn memories. She growled, slamming her fist into the console, denting the metal. She needed to find Sidious... needed to hunt him down and kill him, rip the knowledge from his dying mind.
But she couldn't do it alone.
(AN: Bit of an Interlude chapter, mostly setting up the next one and future chapters. The next few you'll find Jaden developing his relationship more with Padmè as well as finally meeting Ahsoka Tano. Wooo. Also Ahsoka and Jaden are the same age in this. Hope you enjoyed)
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