41"How exactly do you breathe in these things?" Anakin gasped, struggling to finish putting on the dress.
Padme rolled her eyes, delving her whole self into the comfy organic fibers of her husband's Jedi attire. But when she heard the definite sound of ripping fabric, she shivered involuntarily, despite the fact that the dress was of inexpensive material. Nonetheless, her temporarily female husband (oh, what a sincerely disturbing thought) was in dire need of assistance.
"Well, Anakin. Now you know how it feels in the life of a politician. You may like to gape at my clothes and exclaim at the 'beautiful garments,' but it comes at a heavy price!"
Adjusting the collar, she continued in that deep, Anakin-voice, "The only reason you know how to put a bra on, my inexperienced Jedi Protector, is because you've seen it taken off. But you've never had to undress elaborately complicated buttons and hidden seams."
He gave her a smile that might have tried to resemble his usual grin - on her face. It didn't look quite right. "Yes, but that's why we're Jedi. We lack material possessions all but our lightsabers. And when it's needed, ships. Besides, not all politicians dress like you do. I cringe at the thought of Senator Orn Free Taa in one of your royal ensembles."
At that, Padme couldn't keep herself from laughing just the slightest bit. She reverted back to mock-somber. "That's besides the point. Are you sure that the Archives will give us any answers?"
Straightening the creases over "his" belly, Anakin said, "According to Master Nu, if it's not in the Archives, it does not exist. But really," he added, sensing his wife's glare, "they must have some sort of information. If not. . . well, they'll have something. I'm sure of it."
"I can only hope you're right Anakin," sighed Padme. The pair climbed into the Jedi Starfighter stationed outside and took off for the Jedi Temple.
"This is where the fun begins."
The hood of the Starfighter inclined backwards, allowing Padme to exit and then help her pregnant husband from his seat. Why did this have to happen before the baby had come? It was so inconvenient, especially if they were still to be in each other's bodies by the time – well, it was better that she didn't think like that. Surely, this would all be resolved and without fuss. Or at least, that's what she kept telling herself.
Despite the lack of speed in Anakin's step, he led the way to the familiar doors of the Jedi Temple. Once inside, they were greeted by emptiness. Most of the Masters had retired for the night already, and the Padawans and younglings had departed far earlier. The two were able to scurry all the way down to the Archives, completely unseen. The wide, arched stone entrance of the Archives was engraved in ancient symbols that depicted a phrase of the Jedi code: There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
Open-mouthed, Padmé fingered the carvings lightly, feeling like the whole experience of body switching might not be so bad. Perhaps, she thought, it might bring us closer together. The clear, elegant voice of Jocasta Nu prompted her out of her musings.
"Master Skywalker, Senator Amidala. What brings you at this late hour?" The serene expression on her face indicated worry. Her eyebrows were arched infinitesimally.
"Uh...well...uh...we were-" Anakin stammered with Padme's voice.
He was making her look like a fool.
"I was just showing Ana- the Senator around the Archives. She was curious to read up on some of the history, right Senator Amidala?" Padmé intervened.
With a slight purse to her lips, Jocasta answered calmly, "That's fine, then. If you have need of assistance. . . I will be in the periodicals. Goodnight, Master Skywalker, Senator Amidala."
Master Nu's tan skirts ruffled ever-so-slightly behind her as she scurried back to her magazine, which contained quite an interesting description of a scandal involving her favorite holo-star. Once she was out of ear-shot, the couple were cautious to speak to each other.
With wide eyes and a tempered breath, Anakin turned back to his wife, shout-whispering. "She knows! I know she knows! Oh, Force! What are we going to do?"
"Nonsense," she admonished, "if Master Nu had known, she would have said something."
"You don't know Jocasta Nu, Padme; when I was thirteen, I told her that I had a crush on you and she said she wouldn't tell. Guess what? The next day, Obi-Wan gave me a huge lecture on the Jedi Code forbidding attachments, as well as, that 'jubba birds and bees' talk!"
Padme rolled her eyes. "Anakin, when I was thirteen, I got the same talk - minus the Jedi Code, of course. Now hurry up, who know how long we might be stuck like this?"
Over two hours had passed, and not even the most ancient of the Jedi Holocrons had anything to say about body-switching. Dawn was approaching fast, and they became more frantic with their search.
Padme felt it was time to voice her concerns - the same thought that encircled both of their minds.
"What if - what if we stay like this forever? What if it can't be reversed?" She cast aside a holobook carelessly.
Silence answered her. That, and the sound of whimpering. "But-but-but. . ." her husband blubbered, "I can't stay a WOMAN!"
"Obviously," she sighed. "Honestly, I think that we should ask for some assistance. We can only do so much on our own, and we don't have to reveal our -erm- relationship. Obi-Wan is such a close friend to both of us, and I'm absolutely confident that he will stay discreet."
Anakin bit his temporary lip quietly. He was taking a moment of consideration, weighing his pros, cons and emotions. Finally, he replied, "Fine. I guess that's really all we have left, isn't it? Damn. . . will you ask him then? I refuse to do it - it'll only give him another reason to humiliate me."
"I thought Jedi couldn't be humiliated."
"Oh, no. According to Master Yoda? Never."
Not another word was spoken as the aggrieved spouses tidied their monstrous mess of holobooks, holocrons, and numerous other reading materials. It was in complete and utter silence that they went back to Anakin's Jedi starfighter, and then onto Padmé's apartment. As she was collapsing on the couch from stress and exhaustion, the former Queen then realized that she would have to return in a couple of hours and face Obi-Wan. The thought very well made her want to scream with desperation, but the need for sleep was slowly pushing any coherent thought from her head. She would deal with it later, whether Anakin liked it or not.