a not so silent night.

It was the middle of the night when another attempt happened, the commotion waking everyone up. Jar Jar looked out the window just in time to see Anikin blast past in an open-topped speeder car, with this hint that something was happening he got up and followed the security guards to the senators meeting room where everyone was gathering. There Captain Typho was arguing with Senator Amidala that this was proof that whoever was behind this would not stop, and that as her safety was paramount to his job he could not suggest any more strongly to get her to safety. The look on his face was a lot less diplomatic displaying a look that he was this close to throwing the Senator on the first flight off-planet, no matter what she said. The Senator stood resolute for several tense minutes, arguing that the attempts just highlighted how important her presence at this vote was. The argument got heated, the handmaidens standing with the Senator as their friendship, meshing personalities, and beliefs also told them that the vote was important, however, Captain Typho eventually played the one card that he was holding in reserve. The Captain argued successfully that if the assassin was willing to use ship bombs, and attacks even on a senators apartment, then the next escalating attempt would be worse, and likely occur in public, putting bystanders at jeopardy. This finally took the wind out of the Senators sails, as she was willing to put her own life on the line, however, putting innocents at risk was too much. Trapped between her duty as Senator, and her conscious at putting innocents at risk, she looked torn, trying to find strength looking at each face in the room.

When the Senator looked at Jar Jar however, she blinked in thought as an idea came to her. For such an important vote, a representative from Naboo needed to be there, as many swing votes would follow its lead, however, the assassin was targeting her, if they did a quick switch, then with the assassin focused on her, then she could stay in an area that could remove the danger from innocents, but send someone to represent Naboo in her stead. Of the group, she could not send her handmaidens, as they would be targeted as well, and no one would recognize any of the security forces as a legitimate Representative, but the Gungan that served as a General during the invasion of Naboo? No one could nay-say him as a representative, especially as the subject of the bill was about creating an army, in fact, the choice might be seen as even more legitimate then herself on this issue in particular. A quick discussion and plans were set into motion, the Senator and her Handmaidens starting to pack, the security forces keeping a watchful eye out, with orders to only let the two protective Jedi through.

"Jar Jar, will you go in my stead, to represent Naboo to the Senate for this important vote?" The Senator asked the Gungan.

"Sure." Binks agreed, even though his memories as Naboo's senator were distant and blurry, he was sure that it would come back to him pretty quickly, this time he would have even more of an advantage from the first time around as many of the senators would look on him like the backwoods bumpkin that they saw him as when he was the first thrust into the political arena. This time he would use that against anyone that would underestimate him.

"Well then, Representative Binks. I know I can count on you." Then-Senator breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that her duty to her people should be in safe hands.

"Yousa betchen mesa bottums." Binks gave a smile and a thumbs up in a loose relaxed stance, his mind already going over how he should play the senate crowd.

"...What?" Senator Amidala was shocked, did she put too much faith in the Gungan perhaps? If he was like that, the senate would metaphorically eat him alive.

Binks cleared his thought and stood up straight, seeming to gain several inches as his posture went from loose and relaxed to stiff and proper, his cadence of his speech changing to a practised orators measure. "Oh, pardone-ay, Senator. I mean, I am honoured to accept this heavy burden. I take on this responsibility with deep humility tinged with overwhelming pride." At this point, his stance relaxed a bit and he gave a humourous bobble of his head and a wink to the slack-jawed Senator, then really cranked up the cheezy pompous style of several of the more full of themselves senators that Padme had to deal with over the years. "After all, it is not every day that I am called upon to..." At this point, he was interrupted by Amidala breaking out in laughter and giving the Gungan a hug.

"Thank you, I needed a laugh, you're a good friend, Jar Jar. I don't wish to hold you up. I'm sure you have a great deal to do and don't let those windbags change you." Padme said with a smile, the stress and tenseness of the situation seems to flow out of her as the hammy overacting was just what she needed to know that Binks would be able to hold his own in the Senate, especially as the sudden shift was jarring, as if a totally different Gungan was standing before her.

"Of course M'lady." Jar Jar gave a fancy bow after the hug ended, the over the top formality signalling the end of his impromptu performance, his demeanour returning to his normal relaxed state. "Yousa be staying safen out there." With that he walked out to leave the Senator to the last of her packing, as he also had to read up on the details of the Senate proposal, one thing he did not miss from his senate days his first time around was the mountain of paperwork that came with the job. As he left he saw Anikin pass by he held up his hand for a high five, the Jedi Padawan giving a halfhearted and tired seeming clap as a passing greeting, the chase and long watch shift having taken most of his energy, but the greeting enough to bring a ghost of a smile to his face. The brief wordless greeting was enough to convey that both of them were on for a long night, the moment of a fellowship of those doomed to be up all night in an effort to get things that needed doing done was over all too quickly as they trudged to where they needed to go.