Obi-Wan knows this one! "Naboo is one of the main sources of a rare strain of plasmid that acts as a natural liquid capacitor. It's quite valuable in certain industrial applications."

She nods. "I guess that's in the Trade Federation's wheelhouse. Stupid to be invading people over money, though..."

"The Trade Federation is testing their leash."

"And their droid army."

"Droids? They invaded Naboo with droids?"

"Yes," says Qui-Gon. "Centrally controlled, I believe."

Elesse shakes her head. "Foolish."

"Why's it foolish?"

"Droids are inflexible, limited by their programming. Even the most sophisticated cannot learn, grow, or adapt as fast as a living mind. Droid armies have been tried before, and they have always failed. Besides which, a central control is a single point of failure. It would make an individual droid easier and cheaper to manufacture and therefore there might be some volume advantages-"

     "Oh is there ever-" mutters Obi-Wan.

"-But there would still be an upper limit to how many the processor can control at once before it becomes too big to be practical."

"Huh. But if it's cost effective it could let someone build a big army - quickly and in a way that outstrips their initial personnel capacity? Manufacture probably takes less time and money than training."

"And the Naboo don't have a standing army," Qui-Gon says. "Resistance was minimal."

"Is that gonna cause problems for the Queen when she tries to rally her people?"

"They may not have a standing army, but the Gungan natives do."

"Gungans... tall, amphibious, long ear-fins?" Qui-Gon nods. "Did they not fight the invasion?"

"They live primarily underwater, and on the outlying eastern islands. The Naboo are concentrated on the main continent in the south and west. The Trade Federation ignored them in the initial landings, and their relations with the Naboo extend mostly to agreements delineating plasmid harvesting regions. They're not formally part of the Republic, and don't much care what happens on the surface."

"So she's gonna be trying to convince them, too?"

"That is our understanding."

"It makes sense. I can't see the Trade Federation being content to let them remain unaligned and with harvesting rights. The trick will be in getting the Gungans to see that."

She nods. "So Trade Federation, and maybe separately, maybe connectedly angry desert guy going after the Queen... Anyone from her own planet angry at her?"

"As far as we know, no. She has very widespread support among her people."

Nod. "That's good, at least..."

Elesse and Qui-Gon begin going over the political situation in finer detail. It'll be the Queen's responsibility to make any deals, but she likes to have a complete picture. She also presses a complete account of what happened on Naboo and Tatooine out of him.

Anakin listens intently, asking a few clarifying questions but mostly letting Elesse take the lead.

Eventually, dinner ends, and they make plans where to meet tomorrow, and depart back their separate rooms.

Anakin, of course, goes with Elesse, keeping beside her. "That was really informative," she says, humming a bit.