Here it is. Chapter 1 of Episode III. Now originally I was planning on the first chapter being about Revan and Barriss drifting apart, but then I thought: "Do I really wanna write a chapter focused solely on them drifting or get straight to the episodes?" So I decided to go with the second one and get right to the action. Besides it probably would've boring reading about them bitch to one another anyway.
PANTORA IN PERIL!
THE NEWLY ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF PANTORA, BARON PAPANOIDA, IS CAUGHT IN A DEADLY POLITICAL GAME.
THE TRADE FEDERATION HAS BLOCKADED PANTORA AND SUSPENDED ALL COMMERCE WITH THE SYSTEM.
ISOLATED FROM THE REST OF THE REPUBLIC, THE PEOPLE OF PANTORA ARE BEGINNING TO RALLY AGAINST THE SENATE, WHO HAVE SEEMED UNSYMPATHETIC TO THEIR PLIGHT.
TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, COUNT DOOKU HAS COME FORWARD OFFERING AID IF PANTORA JOINS THE SEPARATIST ALLIANCE.
CHAIRMAN PAPANOIDA HAS DISPATCHED SENATOR CHUCHI TO CORUSCANT WITH THE HOPE THAT SHE CAN MOTIVATE THE SENATE TO ACT IN FAVOR OF PANTORA BEFORE LOTT DOD CAN LEGITIMIZE THE BLOCKADE...
Revan and Ahsoka ran up to Anakin, Padme and Rex on a ship landing platform high up on Coruscant. "Senator Amidala, Master Skywalker!" Ahsoka greeted urgently. "What is it, you two?" Padme asked them. "Someone has kidnapped Chairman Papanoida's daughters." she answered quickly. "I was afraid something like this would happen." Padme said with worry before turning to her husband. "Anakin?" she asked. "The Jedi can't get involved. This is a job for the local police." he replied. "I'm not so sure local authorities can handle it. The Separatists are putting a lot of pressure on Pantora to join them. I'm afraid this blockade may give the Pantorans no other choice." she worried.
"Master, if the Jedi can't officially get involved let me do this on my own. Senator Chuchi is a good friend of mine." Ahsoka offered. Anakin looked at Revan. "You plan on going with her?" he asked the padawan. Revan looked at the ground in thought. 'I do have a date with Barriss in an hour… Screw it! We're pretty much drifting apart anyway. She can bitch all she wants about it later.' the young Jedi looked back up. "I'll go." he agreed. "Alright. With the Separatists involved I guess it gives you cause to investigate. Go help Senator Chuchi, but don't get in the way of the local authorities." he warned lightly.
"Aren't you going to help?" she asked with a small curious smile. "I said the situation gives you cause to investigate, not us. I need to go back to the Jedi Temple and make sure the Council doesn't find out about your little expedition." he replied, folding his arms. "Should you really proceed without the Council's approval?" Padme asked him. "We do it all the time, don't we?" he asked the padawans with a light smirk. "Yep." they agreed with smirks of their own. "Well be careful, you two." Padme said before smiling up at her husband. "I still can't believe they let you teach." she teased. Anakin smiled back.
The two padawans walked into the Chairman's office in the Senate and were greeted with the sight of Chuchi, Papanoida and a younger male Pantoran. 'Holy mother of…' Revan's thoughts trailed off at the sight of Chuchi's beauty. He mentally shook his head as Ahsoka spoke. "Chuchi. Senator Amidala sent me to help if I can." Ahsoka offered. "Chairman Papanoida." she greeted him with a small bow. "This is my good friend, Ahsoka." Chuchi introduced her. "And you are?" she asked Revan with a soft smile. "This is Revan." Ahsoka introduced for him before elbowing him lightly. "Hello…" he greeted Chuchi shyly. 'Oh my god… Another pathetic greeting?! Arrgh!' he mentally face palmed.
The Chairman's voice broke him out of his thoughts. "Good. Jedi can always be of help." he said. "Senator Amidala thinks this might have something to do with the Separatists." Ahsoka informed. "They've already made contact with us. I don't think this is a kidnapping. I think they're holding them hostage." the young man suspected. "A not very subtle attempt to get us to join the Separatists?" the Chairman asked. "If the Separatists are involved, your daughters may be held on the Trade Federation ship blockading your planet." Ahsoka suspected. "That, is a possibility. Why don't you and Chuchi pay them a diplomatic visit and see what you can find out, we'll stay here and follow the police investigation." the Chairman said before he and the younger man left.
The padawans and senator came out of hyperspace in their T-6 shuttle near the blockade and landed the shuttle in one of the capital ships' landing bays. Revan and Ahsoka donned short hooded robes to disguise themselves as servants, something Revan hadn't been too happy about. The three exited the shuttle and were greeted by two male Neimoidians. "Senator Chuchi, to what do we owe this pleasure?" the one on the left asked. "I bring word from the Chairman of Pantora." she informed. "The Chairman has finally decided to agree to our terms?" he asked smirking arrogantly. Revan's hand twitched and he fought the urge to drive the slimy bastard through with his lightsaber.
"Not exactly. The Chairman wanted to inform you of an impending alliance between Pantora and the Confederacy of Independent Systems." she explained. "The Chairman is planning to join the Separatist Alliance?" he asked, sounding pleased. "If that were the case, would you remove your blockade of Pantora?" she asked him. "If that were the case, the Chairman would have to the Senate and renounce the Republic. Then we could discuss how quickly we can resume commerce." he replied. Ahsoka subtly grabbed Revan's hand to keep him from taking a threatening step forward, he begrudgingly complied.
"Very well. I shall contact the Chairman. We can discuss the finer details of the terms later this evening." she concluded. "Agreed. Now you and your servants may stay as our honoured guests. Come this way to your rooms." he said gesturing them to follow. After they were led to the rooms, the three snuck out a few minutes later and made their way to the ambassador's office. Ahsoka used the Force to make some items shake, causing some noise. The guard at the console stepped away and walked over to the items, as the three quickly snuck by and entered the vacant conference room and crouched down beside a door.
"This is the ambassador's office. Maybe we'll find something here." Chuchi said quietly as they heard someone talking. "The Separatists are still recovering their defeat on-" she cut the voice off as it got closer to the door. "They're coming! Hide!" she whispered urgently before quickly hiding under the table as the door opened. "We need to know who our supporters are." they recognized the voice as the one spoke earlier. "I understand your profit margins with the Separatists can be considerable. However, I object to the kidnapping." the second one snapped the last part. "The Chairman's children are leverage. Besides they're well taken care of." the first assured him.
"Yes, but why on my ship?" the second asked, not sounding too happy. Chuchi gasped in surprise. Revan quickly placed a hand over her mouth, and she placed one of hers on his hand as they watched the Neimoidians carefully. "What was that?" the first wondered aloud. "Are you certain we're alone?" he asked the other after a moment before taking a few steps towards the table. Revan quickly moved the hand from her mouth and wrapped it around her shoulders, then wrapped his other one around her stomach before he used the Force to move quickly into one of the alcoves as the first looked under the table and the second was focused on him. Ahsoka had managed to hide on the opposite side.
"I'm sure I heard something." the first said, sounding suspicious. Revan quickly shifted positions and wrapped her arms around his shoulders before jumping silently and propping himself against the two sides of the alcove, near the ceiling just as the first turned his head into it. Revan arms wobbled a bit and he was starting to struggle to keep them up. "Come on, come on! You sons of bitches! Leave already!"he whispered urgently as he was dangerously close to sliding down. "All of this scheming with the Separatists is making you paranoid." the second pointed out as the first started walking back to him.
"Do not worry. The daughters are not to be harmed. At least for now." the first said with a small ominous chuckle as the door opened and the two walked out. Revan gently slid down and used the table to keep himself up once Chuchi let go. "My arms are killing me." he murmured under his breath. Ahsoka dropped down from where she was and the three made their way to opposite end of the table. Revan rubbed his arms while Chuchi spoke. "You see? The Trade Federation is behind the kidnapping." she whispered. "Let's find the detention area. Come on." Ahsoka whispered as they exited through the same door from earlier.
A guard stood in front of the entrance to the detention area. "Have you done this before?" Chuchi asked them as they walked. "No. But, i've been practicing." Ahsoka assured. "Besides if it doesn't work, I got a plan B." Revan said, flexing his hand in a cupping gesture while the Senator gave him a confused look. They reached the guard before she could question him. "The detention block is closed to visitors. Move along." he ordered. Ahsoka made a swiping motion with her hand. "You will let me pass." she said. "Mind tricks do not work on me, i'm afraid i'll have to report-" the guard was cut off when he started choking before falling to his knees and grasping at his throat.
"You really should have let us pass, you know." Revan said casually, keeping up the hold. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" the guard choked out pleadingly. The padawan closed his hand slowly and the guard slumped to the ground, no longer moving or making a sound. "Apology accepted." Revan said casually as he stepped over the dead guard and walked through the open door. The two girls still had a look of horror on their faces before snapping out of it and catching up with him. "You didn't have to kill him, you know." Ahsoka chastised. "Look. One way or another were going to get caught and i'd prefer it be after we've rescued the Chairman's daughters and at least made it back to shuttle before were neck deep in shit." he defended himself as they walked into the detention area.
"This is the fifth area we've checked, and there's no sign of the Chairman's daughters." Ahsoka grumbled after an hour of searching. "Can't you sense where they are? Isn't that something you Jedi can do?" Chuchi asked them. "It's not something I can just turn on or off. He, however can." she said pointing to Revan as they walked. "While I indeed can. The downside is, that I can't sense normal people only Force wielders who aren't hiding their signature." he explained. "We'll just have to keep looking." she said as the other two nodded.
"Let's hope she's in this one." Chuchi said as they stopped outside another cell door after spending another half hour of searching. The padawans placed their hands on their sabers before Ahsoka used he Force to open the door. Once it opened all the way they saw a female Pantoran on her knees with two battle droids on either side. The female looked at the padawans before the droids noticed as well and opened fire. Ahsoka jumped in first and slashed the head off the one on the right while Revan cut the left one's blaster barrel off before cutting it's head off. The Chairman's daughter stood up and looked at the padawans before turning her attention to the door as Chuchi stepped in. "Senator Chuchi, how did you find me?" she asked with a grateful smile. Chuchi placed her hands on the girl's shoulders for a moment. "It's a long story. Where's your sister?" she asked. "I don't know, we were separated." the Chairman's daughter told them.
A moment later they heard a familiar clanking sound and the two padawans stepped out of the cell and turned to see the first Neimoidian from earlier with six super battle droids beside him. "Stop them!" he ordered the droids as the two Pantoran females looked outside the cell. Revan and Ahsoka ignited their sabers and rushed forward as the droids opened fire. They jumped into the middle before slashing and stabbing. After a few seconds the droids fell to the ground in pieces before the two padawans pointed their saber at the Neimoidian, who raised his hands in surrender.
"Surrender, Separatist!" Ahsoka ordered him before they turned their heads at the guards running towards them. Her and Revan sheathed their sabers as the four guards surrounded them with blasters aimed and the second Neimoidian from earlier walked up to them. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "You've been holding the Chairman of Pantora's daughter as a hostage." Ahsoka accused. "What? Sib Canay, what is she talking about?" he asked the one now identified as Sib Canay, who looked at him. "I want my litigator." Canay said instead of answering. The other one looked back at Ahsoka. "We are businessmen! We deal in trade and commerce!" he defended as Chuchi stepped up to him. "Yes, but perhaps your 'business' is war profiteering." she accused.
"How dare you!" he sounded offended. "I dare because you claim to have no involvement, and yet here stands the Chairman's daughter held on your ship! Held by your administrator!" she accused before her expression became one of false concern with a smile. "Ah, I understand your position but I doubt the rest of the Senate will." she said. "Blackmail!" he accused. "No, business. I could of course, be persuaded to defend your unfortunate circumstances to the Senate. That is, if this blockade ended." she offered. "I'll see what I can do." he said, in a defeated tone.
Back on Coruscant the two padawans watched the Trade Federation representative speak on the viewer. "It has come to our attention that the ugly head of the Separatist has once again raised itself in the ranks of our very own Trade Federation. Nute Gunray's influence extends farther than we ever imagined. It was Sib Canay acting on his own accord who kidnapped the children of Chairman Papanoida. In good faith, we have returned them to him. And also as a gesture of friendship, we are removing our blockade and reopening trade with the Pantorans." Revan and Ahsoka turned their heads to face one another with smiles on their faces.
And that concludes the first chapter of Episode III. I should have the next one up soon, mostly depending on how long it is.