War profiteers! In time of war, credits are the fuel that fund all operations. Senator Amidala is sent to Scipio to resolve matters between the Republic and InterGalactic Banking Clan. Here she is reunited with Rush Clovis, a once close friend, but now known traitor to the Republic. When Clovis reveals corruption at the core of the Banking Clan, Senator Amidala helps him steal vital files that may uncover the full extent of the plot. Anakin Skywalker is sent to rescue the Senator and escort the information back to Coruscant leaving the Banking Clan in chaos....

Within the rotunda of the Main Vault on Scipio, the members of the Core Five and Nix Card bicker over who is to blame for this growing scandal. Nix places the blame squarely on the Core Five for allowing this situation to happen, while the bank leaders reprimand Card for letting the Jedi leave the planet with Rush Clovis in their care. Clu Lesser tries to downplay the damage, insisting that Clovis' evidence can't be that damning and any further investigation would need to be abetted by someone highly placed in the banks.

Leaving the rotunda, Card nervously slips into a side room and pulls a holographic communicator from his robes. He contacts the mysterious Darth Sidious with word that Clovis has escaped with evidence in hand. Sidious is pleased to hear this, and assures the nervous Card that he will be protected.

Anakin Skywalker's Jedi shuttle settles at the Senate landing platform, where it is greeted by Jedi Master Yoda and a contingent of Senate guards. Such an honored escort has arrived at the behest of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Yoda welcomes Clovis, but warns that much distrust surrounds him. Rush is not surprised, but he is determined to right his wrongs.

Inside Palpatine's office standing amidst Senators and Jedi, Rush stands accused by Bail Organa of his past misdeeds. Rush offers no excuses, however, and instead attempts to focus attention to the crisis at hand: the corruption in the Banking Clan. Rush wants to oust the criminals responsible for such financial malfeasance, and return the Clan to its former self, a fair system of trade and commerce. Rush's datapad links to the display systems on Palpatine's desk, projecting graphs indicating the funneling of huge amounts of credits. Padmé backs up the veracity of this data.

Palpatine assigns Padmé to spearhead this investigation into the secret accounts, ordering her to work closely with Rush Clovis. Anakin tenses at this news, and Yoda can sense the discomfort in the young Jedi. As the audience departs the office, Anakin hangs back to talk to Padmé. He demands that she not work with Clovis, but Padmé does not take to demands well. She angrily insists that Anakin trust her, and returns to Clovis.

On Serenno, Darth Sidious devises a plan placing Clovis in command of the Banking Clan, but first Count Dooku must entrap the Senatoro. On Coruscant, Anakin putters about, tinkering with machinery in his quarters in the Jedi Temple when Obi-Wan arrives to talk to him about his clouded emotions. Anakin tries to dismiss it solely as finding Clovis untrustworthy, but Obi-Wan can sense there is more. Kenobi brings up his feelings for Satine, and reminds Anakin that these feelings are natural, but Anakin insists he and Padmé are only friends.

That night, in Padmé's penthouse apartment, Clovis and Amidala return from a night at the opera to continue their research. Clovis has found that the Separatists have not been paying interests on their loans, and yet the Banking Clan continues to lend what appear to be nonexistent funds to both sides of the conflict. When Clovis steps too closely to Padmé, she asks him to stop. Rush realizes it's Skywalker who holds Padmé's heart. When Padmé's denials become more emphatic, Clovis sees it as an opportunity to force a kiss on Padmé.

Just then, the doors to the apartment open, and Anakin sees Clovis standing too close to his wife. His temper boils. With the Force, Anakin grabs Clovis by the throat and hurls him across the room. Anakin ignites his lightsaber, but Padmé, shocked, tells him to stop. At Clovis'goading, Anakin turns his weapon off and casts it aside as the two men begin a brutal brawl. Throughout this, Padmé yells at them to stop but they are incensed. Only after he has thoroughly pummeled Clovis does Anakin stop, realizing he has dangerously lost control.

Padmé calls for her security team led by Captain Typho to enter. Clovis covers for Anakin, claiming an attacker infiltrated the apartment but he had the good fortune that a Jedi was present. Anakin doesn't deny Clovis' claim. Anakin attempts to apologize to Padmé, but she tells him to stay away from her.

Anakin sits on Padmé's verandah when she exits her room where Clovis is being tended to. Anakin again attempts to apologize, but Padmé refuses the apology. She questions their union if Anakin does not trust her. She realizes their marriage is too steeped in lies and deception, and that no marriage could sustain such strains. She suggests that they take a break from one another.

In Padmé's bedroom, where Clovis recovers, the medical droid suddenly reveals itself to be a servant of Count Dooku. The droid produces a holographic projector, from which an imposing image of the Count appears. Clovis tells Dooku that he is closing in on uncovering illegal collusion between the Banking Clan and the Confederacy leadership. Dooku instead offers to make an alternate arrangement. Dooku offers to help make Clovis the head of the banks. Dooku knows the location of the misappropriated funds, and can make them available to Clovis to help make his claim to the Senate.

Clovis acts on this information, and a hasty meeting is called in Palpatine's office. A Muun representative reports that their government has seized the illegal accounts and that the Core Five have been arrested. In an act of appreciation, the Confederacy government has endorsed Clovis to be the head of the Banking Clan, and endorsement that Chancellor Palpatine echoes.

The issue goes before the Senate. Rush Clovis states his case, exposing the corruption in the Banking Clan, and asking the Senate for a nomination to lead the now headless organization. Some Senators like Meena Tills and Mot-Not Rab question Clovis' integrity, but he assures the assembly that he will restore order and return the banks back to secure and neutral negotiations and transactions. The Muun representatives fully back Clovis, as does Palpatine. The Senate votes and by a resounding majority, Clovis is named head of the Banking Clan.

Palpatine leaves the Senate chamber and sees Anakin troubled. Skywalker tells the Chancellor that it is a mistake to trust Clovis. But Palpatine is far wilier; he admits to Anakin that he doesn't trust Clovis either, and hopes that putting him into the spotlight like this will allow for his true character to be exposed.