An alternative Star Wars story

What if the story of Anakin Skywalker had been different? What if another kind of circumstances led him to become the terrible Darth Vader?

This thought crossed my mind and this was the story that was born from that idea.

THE PHANTOM MENACE CHAPTER 1

Opening text

The Republic is protected by a relative peace, achieved after decades of conflict and sacrifice. It is the most prosperous decade that the Galactic Senate has experienced. Poverty rates had been reduced to an unimaginable minimum, unemployment was down and most importantly, there were no more wars between nations.

But as once a wise man said in some old text that I no longer remember: "When something seems too good to be real, it is most likely ... that it isn't"

In the slums of the cities, problems such as the trafficking of human organs, forced slavery, the use of illegal substances, forced labor ... were daily problems.

Even though the Senate tried to hide this truth with false statistics and corrupt politicians, reality is always difficult to hide from the eyes of those who are interested in seeing it. The pain does not escape the eyes of the one's who suffers it.

However, like everything in this life, there was an exception to the rule. The Naboo Planet. Ruled by the wise King Admidala and his precious daughter, Princess Padme, it's people were protected from the darkness that haunted the other planets of the Galaxy.

Thanks to the trade of medical technologies between Naboo and the other planets, their influence was felt in all nations and even sometimes, envied, by those ... who were closer than they thought.

End of the text

In the darkness of the night and hidden from a few rays of moonlight, a group of imperial guards from Naboo entered the caverns of Nuben's mines, hidden in a rock formation on the outskirts of the planet's capital.

Although the entrance route to the caves was dangerous, they knew that there was something more important, a greater good, that impelled them to continue walking. An inherent risk in the depth of the planet that rose like silent foam ... a rebellion.

"Be careful," said one of the guards as he lifted the youngest member of the expedition, a boy just 21 years old who had stumbled over one of the rocks.

"We need to remain silent or they will find out that we are here," said the King, a man in his late twenties with a dark look that would make anyone in the group accompanying him mute. The royal guard and the young man nodded with their heads down.

The truth is that everyone in the expedition group was nervous. If they discovered what they were begging not to find, they would be lost.

For months the rumors of a rebellion had been cooking in the streets of the cities and the means to a possible insurrection was palpable in the population. When they had discovered months ago that a group of soldiers had been secretly found in the mines, the fear increased.

"We have to verify it ourselves," the King said to himself. His heart beat like crazy in his ears and the terror of what could happen, flooding him. However, his face reflected something totally opposite, an unshakeable determination, which filled with inspiration the royal guard that accompanied him.

After walking several minutes and sneaking through the rocks, they could see a faint light at the end of the road. Suddenly, what they feared the most was in front of their eyes.

Hundreds of sentinel bronze robots were lined up in front of the walls of the cave and the further they went, the more units they found; an infinity of them. By the looks of it, there were at least 50,000 units, without counting the higher levels.

"We have to go now! If they discover us ... ", suddenly the young soldier as he hurried out the door, in his nervousness, hit one of the units with his rifle and the white eyes of the robot turned into bright red.

"INTRUDER ALERT," said the unit and immediately the rest of the robots went into attack mode.

"Run!," shouted the King as he pulled out his blaster to dodge enemy fire.

While trying to escape among the stones, some soldiers fell wounded. It was only a matter of time until they were caught in the fire.

The King took the young soldier by the arm, "Run! You are the fastest of us. Find the Jedi masters ... "more bullets crossed over his head" tell them what happens. Tell them to save my daughter "

"Protect the King," the young soldier heard as he ran after the King's order.

As he ran among the stones, an immense feeling of guilt filled his heart, "How could I be so stupid?" He repeated at every step of the way. He knew that he had to erase those feelings from his heart and run away in search of the knights; he could not disappoint the King again.

He knew he was not useless as he appeared. Just down the hill, he climbed one of the gliders and drove as fast as possible. He soon realized that a group of rebels was following him.

He tried to dodge the bullets, eliminating some enemies with his blaster on the way. But in the glare of the battle, a laser hit the front of the vehicle and he was thrown off the aircraft towards the rocks.

He was still alive, but badly hurt.

The rebels approached, and seeing him so beaten and bleeding, they thought he was dead and they continued on their way to the city.

But the young man was still alive. He had a broken leg and probably had internal bleeding from the pain he was feeling in his chest that kept him from breathing. He got up with difficulty, giving a cry of pain with the first step he took, but he had to get to the city. He knew he had to alert the Jedi Knights.

The Gangan rebels had always been a threat. He could still remember his childhood days, when the Gangan came out of the depths of the water and killed his family. Yes ... he lost it all that day, as well as many others.

However, the most vivid memory of that morning was how he was saved from dying.

The King, in his magnificent white vehicle, arrived with his troops and saved all the inhabitants of his village, sending the Gangan army deep into the sea after hours of struggle. He had never seen anything like it, someone worthy to admire and follow at all costs.

The monarch had given him everything, he could not disappoint him, regardless of the pain, he had to get to the capital. He had to save his daughter. It was the least he could do.

…..

"Damn it!,"said a young man with golden hair and light eyes as he picked up a stone from the ground. His clothing suggested that he was a Padawan in training.

"Don't give up Obi Wan," said his teacher with a smile as he fluttered three small stones in the palm of his hand.

"Master Qui-Gon-Jinn, it's impossible," said the young Jedi as he tried again to levitate the rock in the palm of his hand.

"All that's worth doing, takes time and dedication my young apprentice," the wise teacher said as he placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, "You're doing fine, Obi. Some master's don't get any progress in this subject for years. You should feel proud."

"Pride it's not a feeling that should be instilled in a Jedi," Obi Wan said.

"Yes, but when you try hard and give your best, it ok" the teacher said as he handed the stones he had in the boy's hands.

Suddenly a deafening noise took them by surprise. They saw the young soldier collapsing on the ground in the main courtyard, badly wounded.

Obi Wan ran to him, followed closely by his master. The young soldier held the Padawan by the arm, trying to catch his breath, with a desperate look in his eyes.

"What happened to you?" Said the master while trying to calm the young soldier.

"The rumors ... the rumors are true," the young man said as he tried to articulate his words with difficulty. "An army ... the princess"

There was no time for more words. The young man died in the arms of Obi Wan.

With his peripheral sight, Qui-Gon observed a group of rebel soldiers enter the castle. "Run, find the princess, find me in the hangar," said the master as he drew his lightsaber from his belt.

Obi Wan gently released the soldier's body on the ground and ran to the main hall, jumping through the rubble of the fight that was beginning at the entrance. The only thing that crossed his mind was to get to the princess as soon as possible, "Padme ... please, no, stay safe. Wait for me"

….

Padme got up suddenly because of the loud noice outside her room. Suddenly, one of her maids ran into the bedroom and locked the door.

"Run my lady, they are coming for you," said the young woman as she placed a sofa in front of the door.

Immediately, Padme got up and took her nightgown. The maid approached the princess and adjusted her belt since the young woman's hands trembled with the nerves that began to fill her.

"My father ...," Padme asked.

Suddenly, someone started pushing the door. Both girls hid behind the back of the bed and covered themselves with blankets. The maid began to sob because of the screams of despair that were heard outside, but Padme hugged her and covered her mouth with her hand.

More screams were heard and loud, dry sounds, rumbled, the sound of bodies falling to the ground. A knock on the door.

"Padme, open me."

"Obi," Padme said and ran to the door. When she opened it, she could not believe what she saw, the knight had come for her. She hugged him tightly.

"Padme we have to go. They're coming to kill you, "said Obi Wan as he removed a blaster from one of the fallen.

"My father ..." Padme said as he took the blaster from Obi Wan's hand.

"I don't know, but I have to get you out of here," said Obi Wan, taking her by the hand. It was the first time he hold her and the circumstances ... could not be worse.

The Knight knew he had to keep her safe. Protect her at all costs. She was the most important person in his life after all.

While running down the stairs, they encountered several enemies, but the Padawan defeated them easily. The three of them continued running down the main corridor of the castle when Padme spotted a group of soldiers of the imperial guard holding a man in their arms, he was the King.

"Father," Padme yelled, letting go of Obi Wan's hand and running to his father's side. The knight and the maid followed closely.

"Light of my life. You have to go, "said the King. He was seriously wounded, bleeding alarmingly.

"No," Padme said, tears were beginning to form in her eyes. He took his father's face between her hands while the soldiers placed the King gently on the ground.

"Child, obey me. Go away. Obi wan and QuiGon will keep you safe. Tell the Senate ... tell them what is happening. Hide yourself until you reach the Republic. Do not let anyone know you're alive," he said as he held his daughter's hand.

"What are you trying to tell me?" The girl said as she put her father's hand near her cheek. Trying to conserve his heat and the safety that his hands offered her.

"I must stay," the maid said between tears, "I am not brave, but my life belongs to the princess. I will die in his place "

"No!" Padme shouted, but the maid grabbed her other hand tightly.

"I must. It's my destiny. Yours is to live and save others, "said the maid as she lifted the girl from the ground. Padme could not stop crying. His father, his dearest friend, his life, everything had been uprooted in less than two hours.

The maid hugged her, fixed her belt and sat next to the King, holding her hand. "My love, run. I love you with all my soul, "said the King, the he looked at Obi Wan, "Her life is in your hands"

Padme was scared, she could not believe what was happening. But Obi Wan pulled her out of her trance. He took her by the hand, and with a gesture of affirmation for the King, runaway with her.

"I love you dad," was the last thing she yelled before leaving the hall. "I will recover what is ours," she repeated constantly as she ran. She could barely see where she was going because of the tears that fell down her cheeks.

Arriving at the hangar they joined Qui Gon Jin, apparently the rebels had burned the ships to prevent them from escaping. Although they were gone, they would soon return.

While trying to decide what they should do, an aircraft landed in the hangar. It was a commercial ship; apparently, the pilot had not realized what was happening from the air.

"Let's go there, it's the best option!" Padme shouted as she ran towards the ship. Obi Wan tried to grab her but couldn't, she ran too fast.

A young pilot, blond with blue eyes and only about 18 years old, opened the door. His face was surprised to see that young girl covered in blood and dirt, followed by two Jedi knights.

"Please, try to kill us!," said the agitated princess.

The pilot was confused, it was not something you would imagine seeing in Naboo, one of the most peaceful planets. Suddenly the boy noticed soldiers entering the hangar. He took the girl's arm almost instinctively and put her into the ship. The Jedi followed her.

"Quick, go into the closet," said a girl, barely 16, guiding them to a kind of hideaway behind the ship's controls.

Suddenly they heard screams, "Open the door!," it was the soldiers. The young pilot waited for the girl to close the hiding place and opened the door.

"Why did it take so long?" Said the soldier pushing the boy aside and entering the ship by force.

"I just landed. What the hell is happening? " said the young man. The soldier looked at him with hatred.

"It's none of your business," said the soldier, "register the ship."

"Hey, what the hell …", he tried to say, but the soldier pointed a gun at him before he could say anything.

"You don't mind if we check, right?" the soldier said, pointing the gun at his forehead.

"Nope," said the young man. He took the girl who accompanied him by the arm and waited for the soldiers to check the ship.

"We just landed," the girl said.

"Shut up!" Said the soldier, trying to point the gun at her, but the pilot got in the way.

"Captain!," said one soldier, "There is something here"

"Are you sure you aren't hiding anything?," said the captain.

"Yes," said the young pilot.

The three passengers that were in the closet knew they were lost. The captain opened the door suddenly and with surprise found those he had been looking for. He turned around and saw the soldier accompanying him on the ground.

"Bastard ...", he tried to say but the young boy put his hand in front of the captain and with a quick movement, said, "These aren't the people you are looking for"