Padmé tries knocking the tethered hunter off while his accomplice slams his speeder into hers. The trailing Hyoki finally draws in the cable and boards the rear of her speeder. Padmé pulls out the tethered claw, causing a rush of engine fluid to stream into the thug's face. A police speeder spots the chase and pursues.

Padmé finally knocks Hyoki off her speeder by flying under a floating billboard. As Robonino picks his accomplice up on his speeder bike, the police speeders block Padmé's escape, claiming she is riding a stolen bike. The two bounty hunters avoid detection and take off.

In her apartment, Padmé's handmaiden Teckla cleans a wound on the Senator's face. Finding Padmé dispirited, Teckla reminds her that the Senator's strength is in her willingness to listen to the people, people like herself. This gives Padmé an idea -- she presses Teckla for details of how the war is affecting her family.

In a parking garage, Bail Organa is confronted by the two thugs. Quickly calling for security on his wrist-com, guards move in to arrest the aggressors. A firefight ensues, and Bail is injured as he tries to escape in a speeder.

Padmé learns of Bail's condition via hologram. He will not be able to make the speech. He asks Padmé to address the Senate on his behalf. Meanwhile, the Senate has grown impatient with the delay in taking a vote. They move to proceed without Organa's address.

In her office, Padmé confides to Senator Farr that she is not confident she can deliver the speech as effectively as Organa. Teckla, who readies Padmé's Senatorial headpiece, reminds the Senator that her strength is in her willingness to listen to the people.

As the Senate prepares to vote, Amidala announces she will speak on Organa's behalf. She uses the example of Teckla, her aid, to argue for the basic services the Republic has provided, services that will be lost if they choose to further fund the war. To preserve the lives of the people, the bill must be defeated. She receives a unanimous applause.

The bill will be defeated. In his office with Mas Amedda, Palpatine ruminates about the power of a single senator -- a power which can change a course of action set forth by the ruler of the galaxy. For now, Palpatine will not interfere with the workings of democracy...