F A L L E N F U T U R E 2
[Probation]
MasterOfdisaster – I'm glad that you like Obi-Wan's use of the Force, that's going to be a big difference in this series from the movies. Obi-Wan and Anakin's relationship will be different, but they still are two good a combination to pass up on entirely, so expect to see plenty of Kenobi/Skywalker banter in the series, though not so much in this story.
Master of the Obvious 7 – believe it or not, I had actually pencilled this sort of fight in long before I actually saw the Clone Wars series, but I agree it's similar. I always think that (great weapons though the lightsabers are) there should be more "Force Fighting" in Star Wars. Though obviously the Clone Wars instance is just a little over the top...
Nxkris – Thankyou, Qui-Gon and Anakin will have a big part in this story without been major characters; if that makes any sense.
Gravniel – Thankyou, here it is!
Darksidesparkles – gee thanks. I never realised my story was so compelling! It really means a lot to me. You're right, Darra shouldn't be so mean to him, but you can understand where She's coming from.
The Reaper55 – Yup, it will take more than just a few miserly battle droids to shake his resolve.
BlueSapphire92 – sorry it took so long
Angel of Melius Prime – isn't it annoying when people do that? Sorry though, I just can't see Jango being this devious...
Thankyou to everyone for reviewing—This was really odd to write, I started it and got to about the same point several times before stopping, I went away & wrote 2 chapters for my StarFox Story (Which still only has 3 reviews, mumble mutter, death threats...) and then all of a sudden I sat down and wrote the whole chapter, I just kept writing. Weird. Any way I hope you enjoy it, And I'm pleased to say that at least one of you got the Mystery Person Correct!
-Probation-
C H A P T E R – F O U R
A New Enemy
-"I can't believe that idea of Obi-Wan's worked. And I certainly can't work out how he convinced me to go along with it…"— Mace Windu
Master, I thought you were on the other side of the galaxy!" Said Obi-Wan in surprise.
"Well, so we were, but we were chasing a pirate who conveniently managed to run all the way out here only to be captured by the local authorities. So we were nearby when we picked up your homing beacon."
"Our homing beacon?" inquired Master Windu. As they began the sprint for the landing platform.
Obi-Wan winced at his mistake, "Yeah, I activated it when I went to free you; I guess I forgot to turn it off again."
"Never mind that now," said Master Windu, "We can use Qui's help here, four Jedi are better than two if we are going to be storming a Battleship."
"Storming a battleship? What are you guys doing down there?!"
"Running from a vicious herd of battledroids at the moment." replied Obi-Wan. Behind them the locked door finally was blasted in and the Battle droids streamed through, firing as they came.
A rocket propelled detonator came looping lazily towards them, its engine whining. As Master Windu repelled the blaster bolts, Obi-Wan thrust out a hand at it, directing it away with the Force. Instead it smashed into the wall, detonating and chucking rubble everywhere.
"Master Windu, look out!" cried Obi-Wan, diving into a side passage as the roof threatened to give way. The councillor looked up to the roof splitting dangerously and threw himself into the opposite passage just as the ceiling collapsed, dropping large chunks of Duracrete across the floor. The walls now being unsupported also fell in under the firing of the droids. The end result, as Obi-Wan backed away from the still settling pile of rubble, was that the two Jedi were cut off from each other.
"Obi-Wan?" called Qui-Gon across the comlink.
"Can you just hold for two seconds, Master." spoke Obi-Wan, not really meaning it as a question. He flicked off the input into the comlink and instead raised his voice into a loud hail, "Master Windu?" he called.
"I hear you, I'll take it you're cut off." returned Windu's muffled Voice.
"I think so." agreed Obi-Wan, eyeing the pile of rubble in front of him.
"Listen, I can get to our transport, you get Qui-Gon to land on your side of the building, and go with him and Anakin, we can link up in the droid control ship. Don't use transmissions more than you have to; we don't know whether 'what's his name' is listening in."
"See you there, Master Windu." nodded Obi-Wan, turning from the blocked intersection he began to jog towards the palace's secondary landing platform which he had seen on their flight in. As he jogged, he flicked back on his comlink, "Master" he began.
"Qui-Gon." corrected his former teacher, cutting across him.
Obi-Wan winced, however much Qui-Gon insisted on it, he was quite sure he would never get used to calling his former master by name.
"Sorry, M Qui-Gon." said Obi-Wan, just catching his mistake in time.
"What's going on down there? We're about five minutes away from your position if you need us."
"Part of the palace has collapsed, and I've been cut off from our ship and Master Windu," said Obi-Wan, "Can you pick me up?"
"Right," said Qui-Gon, "We'll head towards your position," he paused contemplatively, "But only if you come and have dinner with me and Anakin tomorrow night."
"What!?" Exclaimed Obi-Wan, stopping thunderstruck. "Master, Are you mad?!"
"Nope, I merely find death threats a good way of motivating you. And besides, we don't see any where near enough of each other these days my former Padawan." returned Qui-Gon's voice, "And remember, it's Qui-Gon."
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, "Well, when you put it that way, how can I refuse?" he said, "But you could have just asked nicely you know."
"This way's more fun." replied the master, "Anakin assures me that we'll be there in precisely one-hundred-and-eight secondssee you then." Obi-Wan gave a quick nod as he shoved the comlink back onto his belt; they would arrive at more or less the same time. Taking off at a run, Obi-Wan dashed through the halls, using the map he had taken earlier to guide his way through the halls of the palace.
In less than a minute, Obi-Wan found himself at the door onto another landing platform, with a quick slap of the control pad; he was dashing out onto the duracrete balcony.
He didn't have to wait long, after a few seconds, a subtle stir in The Force drew his attention to a small dark speck in the sky, and it wasn't long before that speck turned into a large space launch which slipped through the thin clouds like some bird of prey.
The ship was some thirty metres long and a matte black colour, its forward end tapered to a point, and at its rear were two large streamlined external engines. In fact except for the colour, it might have been the same ship that they had used to escape Naboo those three-and-a-half years ago. The similarity unsettled Obi-Wan as the ship swooped down into a perfect hover, its boarding ramp lowering to within half a metre of the edge of the balcony. Obi-Wan smiled slightly at what was obviously the piloting of Anakin Skywalker, it would not be long, perhaps another two or three years; before Anakin was the best pilot in the Jedi Order—perhaps the best in the galaxy.
"Look there he is! Blast him!" Obi-Wan whipped around, the smile sliding off his face as no less than a dozen battle droids ran through the open door behind him.
Not bothering to stay and fight so many at once, Obi-Wan turned back towards the waiting ship and used The Force to speed his jump straight through the open hatch, he heard the distinctive ping of blaster fire as the droids began to shoot, but already the ship was jerking away from the palace, the hatch closing up as the launch tilted back and shot towards the upper atmosphere.
Stumbling toward the cockpit, Obi-Wan patted a smoking patch of his cloak where evidently a blaster shot had come a little too close for comfort.
"Aboard welcome, Master Obi-Wan." Growled Anakin in a dreadful Yoda imitation without looking around.
"And I thought my Yoda's where bad." Returned Obi-Wan, as the ship lurched, sending him sprawling into the navigator's chair, "And what's with dialling the inertia compensators down? You'll make the old man over there sick. Oh, sorry that's you Master." He grinned at the indignant older Jedi, Something about being back in life threatening situations with his old master—albeit with Qui-Gon's new Padawan as well—relaxed something in him.
"It doesn't take you long to hit form, Obi-Wan," said Qui-Gon dryly, "You've been here less than ten seconds and you've already insulted everyone on the ship.
"It's nice to see you too, but remember it's Qui-Gon."
"Except he insulted himself too." Said Anakin, "You're not supposed to do that. Three Vulture Droids behind us Master. Mom always said that there are enough people in the world to insult you without insulting yourself." He continued without taking pause.
Obi-Wan smiled slightly, though he wouldn't admit it, he liked Anakin; his constant and easy banter reminded him of himself before... well before Ibonek, now though he was able to get away from it in the midst of a mission, all his interaction outside of that was forced and cliché. Dimly he wondered if it would ever go back to the way that it had been before; he doubted it.
"Stabilize the rear deflectors." Ordered Qui-Gon, viewing the pursuing droids on an aft camera.
"Already done, Master."
"It certainly seems that you've got someone's attention Obi-Wan." Said Qui-Gon turning his chair to face him, "Where's Master Windu?"
"On our shuttle hopefully." answered Obi-Wan, "It seems that someone up there has a very high opinion of themselves, high enough to be holding both the Neimoidians and the Carreggians hostage at the same time."
"Ah."
"So we pretended to run away scared, giving us a chance to land on the battleship without the palace getting blasted to pieces, hopefully—unfortunately the droids brought a corridor down around us and I got cut off from our ship."
"The Naboo are going to have a field day with this," said Qui-Gon, "They're still furious about Nute Gunray getting off, I told Queen Amidala he would, but still."
"Well they won't get much out of this," said Obi-Wan, shaking his head, "I promised Hacku that they would be portrayed as the victims here."
"Why did you do that?" burst out Anakin as he swerved to evade cannon fire from behind, "Those miserable cowards got off scot free from the Naboo Crisis, this could have been our chance to bring them to justice!"
Obi-Wan opened his mouth to answer, but Qui-Gon saved him the trouble. "A Jedi does not go back on his word, my young Padawan. And besides, in the eyes of most of the galaxy, the Federation did nothing wrong, they were acquitted over all charges."
"Only because of a technicality." Grumbled Anakin, but he let the matter drop.
The ship swung to the side again as the pursuit fired at them again, "Can't we do something about that pursuit?" asked Obi-Wan, rubbing his head from where it had struck the consol next to him.
"This ship, much to Anakin's displeasure, has no rear facing cannons." Qui-Gon informed him.
"Not yet, anyway." Gritted out Anakin as he was forced to dodge another flurry of cannon fire.
"And where exactly did this ship come from?" asked Obi-Wan as the ship rocked and the shields recorded their first hit.
"I'm sure you've already guessed," said Qui-Gon, his voice completely calm despite his teeth gnashing apprentice working the controls this way and that to evade the torrent of fire power behind them, "A small gift of gratitude from the queen of Naboo; the Silent Shadow."
"The Silent Shadow? Odd name, does it have cloaking abilities?"
"Not yet." Growled Anakin again as the shields took another hit.
"Its black." Pointed out Qui-Gon brightly.
"And that'll be... by The Force!" exclaimed Obi-Wan as the Shadow slipped out of the top of a large cumulus cloud. In front of them were dozens of Vulture Droids bearing down on them from the front.
Anakin cursed in a language that sounded suspiciously like Huttese, even Qui-Gon inhaled sharply. Before he knew what he was doing, Obi-Wan lurched forward and leaning over Anakin's shoulder, dialled the inertia compensator up to one-hundred-percent and activated the repulsorlift engines.
"What are you doing?" cried Anakin.
"A trick." Said Obi-Wan. With a tug at one of the controls, the ship went into a dizzying spin, climbing at the same time, just as a lethal amount of fire power came their way. The spinning of the ship caused the repulsors to generate an anti-gravity field around the entire ship, causing the shots to refract slightly as they drew near.
The craft still shook like it had run into the side of a mountain, but the shields only fell by thirty-odd percent, rather than the debilitating damage that Obi-Wan was sure would have been caused otherwise.
"Neat trick." Breathed Qui-Gon. An alarm warned them that the repulsors were over heating from the prolonged use above their specifications. Clenching his jaw, Obi-Wan flipped the craft over and dived back towards the Vulture droids just as they adjusted course to climb towards them. "Yeah, some Corellian smuggler I met in a bar suggested it." He said as he narrowed his eyes in concentration.
Trusting the repulsors to hold a little longer, Obi-Wan kept the ship in the spin and opened fire with the main guns, half a dozen Vultures were reduced to slag, as Obi-Wan brought the Shadow out of its spin behind the enemy fighters, and once again adjusted course for the battleship, now just coming into sight.
The droids soon caught onto the idea though, and looped around to cut them off from the side. "Any one got any more ideas?" asked Anakin as he angled the deflector towards the droids.
"I've already had one—isn't that enough?" complained Obi-Wan as he tried to increase the throttle.
A bright streak flying over them followed by a brilliant explosion from the direction of the Vulture Droids answered their prayers as the shadow's engines spluttered; forcing Obi-Wan to throttle down a little.
"Concussion Missile detonation." Said Anakin, eyeing the explosion with an expert eye. "Got at least six of them."
"Hopefully it's Master Windu." Said Obi-Wan, sparing a glance toward the mass of droids that were reforming their formation, "Our ship was equipped with two missiles."
Sure enough, seconds later Master Windu's voice crackled along the cockpit speakers. "I'll draw them off, you three get to that battleship!"
"Copy that, Mace." Said Qui-Gon.
The shuttle flew overhead, making for the remaining Vultures as Obi-Wan once again pushed the engines forward, accelerating towards the Trade Federation Battle cruiser.
"What's a diplomatic shuttle like that doing with weaponry?" asked Anakin as the Shadow pulled away from Master Windu and the droids.
"The Bothen's don't trust anyone. Even for diplomatic missions."
"So it seems. Look out; three droids inbound at point-four!" Called Anakin.
"Here then," Said Obi-Wan, handing the controls back to Anakin and slipping back into his seat. The young Padawan threw him a smirk before dialling down the inertia compensators again and throwing the Shadow into a series of evasive banks and rolls.
"I'm surprised you took the controls at all." Commented Qui-Gon over the ping of cannon fire behind them. "I thought that you'd grown to hate flying in your old age." He added dryly.
"It's one of the few things that doesn't remind me of Ibonek." Muttered Obi-Wan, no trace of humour in his voice.
"Uh, have either of you figured out how we're supposed to land on an enemy battleship?" asked Anakin suddenly, bringing their attention back to the issue at hand.
"I assumed you had one, Obi-Wan." Said Qui-Gon.
"Uh, I hadn't thought that far ahead..." said Obi-Wan sheepishly, "Oops..."
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes while Anakin was far more vocal about his opinion. "Great, well it's comforting to know that this mission has been thought down to the letter..."
"Alright then, what do you propose?" Shot back Obi-Wan shortly.
"I say we do the same thing as I did during the Battle Of Naboo, we wait until they release fighters, and then we slip past the shields."
"That has so many things that could go wrong with it..." Said Obi-Wan.
"Sometimes improvising is the better part of planning." Pointed out Qui-Gon.
"Don't tell him that." Groaned Obi-Wan, "He might start to believe you. And what happens if they don't release any fighters?"
"Better than not having any plan at all." Shot back Anakin.
"That is true, but remember not to let your plan get in the way of other opportunities." Said Qui-Gon, providing resolution to the argument.
With steady hands, Anakin piloted the craft over the larger Federation Battle Ship, so close to the surface that two of the droids wiped themselves out on the shields, while the other one got caught in the blast of one of the massive manoeuvring jets as the battleship adjusted its position slightly. The whole time the anti-air guns remained strangely quiet. "This isn't right." Said Obi-Wan with a frown, "Why would the weapons be offline?".
"No more ships on the scope," Reported Anakin as he flew past a large transmission antenna, "Master Windu did a good job of drawing them off."
"This is strange," said Qui-Gon with equal perplexion, "All the hanger bay shield are down."
"What does this mean master?" Asked Anakin, "No one in their right mind would leave the shields down in a battle."
"Oh, that's easy—it's a trap." Said Obi-Wan.
"What do we do, then?"
"We spring it." Answered Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon at the same time.
"Well okay, since you feel so strongly about it." Said Anakin, looking a bit bemused by their simultaneous response. With a deft hand he lowered the ship into the main hanger bay, and landed in the very middle of the area, dozens more inactive Vulture Droids lined the walls, their silver bodies glinting in the glow of the Shadow's landing lights.
"This is creepy." Muttered Obi-Wan, "This hanger should be full of movement—there is something seriously wrong here." At that moment the hanger lights went out, leaving the Shadow's lights as the only illumination.
"Great," Wined Anakin, "Evidently someone didn't agree with your assessment of creepy and wanted to add to it."
"Let's go." Said Qui-Gon in a subdued voice. "Have you got your lightsaber Padawan?"
"Yep."
"Right, I just need to retrieve mine from my quarters." Said the older Jedi, Obi-Wan saw his eyes flick in the direction of Obi-Wan's belt and then look up towards his face with disapproval. "Where is your lightsaber, Obi-Wan?"
"Back in the Temple in the display case you gave it to me in." He answered unabashed.
Qui-Gon threw up his hands and left the cockpit without another word shaking his head as he went. "Why don't you have your lightsaber?" asked Anakin in a surprised whisper as they followed the man who had been or was their teacher.
"The same reason you didn't want to carry yours after you stabbed me; I caused far too much damage with one." Returned Obi-Wan.
"Common, Obi-Wan. No one blames you for that, just like you didn't blame me..."
"Now that's where you are wrong, Anakin." Said Obi-Wan, "There are still those in the Temple who do blame me for it."
"You mean Darra?"
"Initiate Thel-Tanis is among others." Confirmed Obi-Wan, "But even if that wasn't the case, I blame myself."
"You shouldn't." Said Anakin, "You didn't know any different. Besides I don't think there are any besides Darra..."
"So I am frequently told."
"Has Darra still not been chosen as a Padawan?" asked Anakin, changing subject. Obi-Wan winced, he no more preferred the new topic than the old, but still he answered. "No, no one will consider her now; she carries too much anger—my fault again."
Obi-Wan gazed through Anakin thoughtfully. It was a strange relationship that the two of them shared, forged over mutual guilt over their respective injuries that they had inflicted to each other. For Anakin, it was made worse by it being the first major injury that he had caused, and for Obi-Wan it was made better by the fact that he could apologize to one of his many victims. It wasn't an especially close relationship, but more of one of mutual understanding, if for nothing else other than having been effectively brought up by the same person. Nevertheless, he and Anakin got along quite well, they both had a similar dry sense of humour, and dozens of stories revolving around the person they both called Master with much affection.
The two younger Jedi were in the main room of the launch by now, Qui-Gon emerged a second later from a side room with both his robe and lightsaber now fitted correctly. "Shall we?" he asked as he reached out and released the catch for the hatch.
As soon as it was fully open, Obi-Wan charged down the gangway and ran towards the exit to the hanger bay, the blast doors' shape barely visible through the gloom. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a shuttle fly close by the entrance to the hanger bay, followed by several droid fighters as Master Windu led them on a merry dance outside. Once again Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes suspiciously; the B-1 battle droids were still nowhere to be seen, yet.
He slowed to a walk as he reached the blast doors; all too aware of what could be waiting on the other side. A soft clanging behind him alerted him to Qui-Gon and Anakin trotting up.
"You know, waiting a few seconds wasn't likely to hurt, Obi-Wan." Observed Qui-Gon.
"What's this? Getting slow in your old age, my old Master?"
"Hardly, I've just got a young one to slow me down instead." He answered, shooting a conspiratal look at Anakin as the blast doors began to open. But the Padawan wasn't going to play along with the master this time, "Me slow you down master? Need I remind you who it is who spends the first five minutes after they wake up creaking around?"
Obi-Wan snorted as the blast doors opened to reveal... an empty passage. "I still don't like this." He said.
"Of course not, It's a trap—as you've already pointed out." Huffed Qui-Gon, apparently still upset that both his former and current Padawans thought him old.
Continuing on the three of them walked through the polished metal corridors of the battleship, Qui-Gon and Anakin with their lightsabers in hand but unlit. Obi-Wan without a weapon, had his hands held slightly in front of him in anticipation of the ambush that would surely come at any moment.
But the three of them went unhindered, running off Qui-Gon's and Obi-Wan's Memories of the Droid Control ship over Naboo, they made it all the way up to the central control room without meeting anyone at all. "This is really not right..." whispered Anakin, putting voice to the words that they all felt.
Obi-Wan glanced over at Qui-Gon as they approached the blast doors into control room which were locked tight. He wondered if he was going to employ the same tactic that they had tried over Naboo.
But before they had quite reached them, the doors began to slowly open, receding enough to admit a silver protocol droid. "Greetings, I am TeeCee-Fourteen at your service, once stationed aboard the ship of viceroy Gunray himself, but recently reassigned to this dreadfully unimportant ship." It finished sounding as put out as would have been possible for a droid.
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon looked at each other in disbelief of the same droid that had welcomed them aboard the droid control ship over Naboo years ago, but in doing so, committed a critical error. One from which they were lucky to survive.
"Gun!" Screeched Anakin leaping forward as his lightsaber buzzed to life. With a lunge, he sliced the droid in two, the blaster that it had suddenly produced from nowhere discharging and missing Qui-Gon's ear by scarce centimetres.
"Well done, Padawan." Said a shocked Qui-Gon. With a shake of his head he continued, "Let this be a reminder to all of us never to let down our guard." He said looking at the sparking remains of the droid in distaste. "I don't like this," he said quietly to Obi-Wan, as the two of them squatted next to the remains, "Hiding a blaster on a protocol droid; it reminds me too much of Xanatos."
"We will have to be much more careful from now on then." Said Obi-Wan.
Picking themselves back up, the two older Jedi crept to the partially open door and slipped through it one after another, Anakin following directly behind. At the end of the control room, staring off through the large viewports into space, stood a single cloaked figure, their hood up and covering all visible parts of their head.
"You took your time, Jedi." Said a deep male voice, "I was beginning to think that maybe you'd gotten yourselves killed before I got privilege of doing you in.
"I've been looking forward to this." He said as he turned around. Qui-Gon froze—Obi-Wan didn't blame him. Staring back at them was the face of Qui-Gon's fallen apprentice, Xanatos.
Or rather someone who looked extremely similar, the eyes were a bit paler, and he looked younger than when Obi-Wan had known him, maybe in his early twenties, but he carried himself the same way, and he had the same cool, calculating look to his face. "Oh yes, I thought my appearance might do that." Said the Xanatos lookalike, "How does it feel to look back into the face of someone that you murdered?"
"But you're not Xanatos." Said Qui-Gon, regaining his composure at last.
"Oh look how cleaver we are!" said the man with mock enthusiasm. "Y'know it takes an utter genius to work that one out."
"Who are you?" demanded Obi-Wan bluntly.
"That my friend, I don't think I'll tell. But I'm sure you've already worked it out to an extent."
"You are related to Xanatos." Guessed Anakin, who knew the spectre from Obi-Wan's and Qui-Gon's past only by name, and by reputation.
"Oh, another bright one! we could put an end to the galaxy's lighting problems with the three of you." Said not-Xanatos with sticky sarcasm.
"Well if you won't tell us your name, at least tell us what you want." Commanded Qui-Gon gruffly.
"And then if you would be so kind as to accompany us to a maximum security prison," Added Obi-Wan, as the three began to move slowly towards him, "There are quite a few people in this planetary sector who are hoping to press charges against you."
Completely ignoring Obi-Wan, the man turned to Qui-Gon, "What I want is very simple, I want to rid the galaxy of Jedi, and starting with you particular three just couldn't get any sweeter.
"So much as I would like to stay around chatting with you all day, I'm afraid it's time to say... goodbye." With a flourish, he produced a small remote and pressed a button on it. With a deadly rattle no less than five droidekas rolled into the room through the still partly open door, which then closed behind them. Rolling into position around the Jedi, they unfolded and deployed their shields.
"Master...?" gulped Anakin, "Can I make a confession before we die?"
"I have no intention of dying," said Qui-Gon through clenched teeth, "But go ahead anyway."
"I'm the one who ate the last muja fruit before we left."
"Oh, how could you?" asked Obi-Wan with over dramatic sarcasm. That was the last thing said before the droids opened fire.
Qui-Gon and Anakin's green blades whirled back and forth, deflecting as much of the fire as possible. Obi-Wan meanwhile stood hunched between them looking for any weakness he could exploit; while at the same time staying out of the way of the two lightsabers and dodging the blaster fire that made it past Qui-Gon's and Anakin's defences.
At last, finding an opening, Obi-Wan reached out with The Force and flung one of the droidekas across the room where it smashed into hundreds of pieces. Ducking under a wild Anakin swing, Obi-Wan reached out with The Force and grabbed the head of the recently smashed droid, with a gesture of his wrist, he sent it flying at a second droideka, the large chunk of metal shorting out the shield as the energy field tried to over compensate. Qui-Gon took advantage of the opening by sending a few errant bolts into the now defenceless droid, which quickly fell into a pile of sparking ruin.
With a flash of The Force, Anakin let out a powerful Force Push which knocked over the third driodeka, its shield shorting out too as it lay on its back, firing its blasters pathetically at the ceiling.
With both Anakin and Qui-Gon focused on a droid each now, nothing was getting through. Obi-Wan looked around for their mysterious attacker but couldn't see him, instead he looked up at the ceiling which was beginning to break apart under the knocked over droid's continues fire. Reaching up with both hands, Obi-Wan used The Force to put pressure on the roof, the already creaking and cracking metal now fair groaning against the stress.
With a large ping, the metal tore free and the heavy plating as well as the several air coolers, scrubbers and light transformers that were behind it rained down on the three still operating droids, crushing them.
"Whew, good workout." Commented Anakin, slowly pivoting around with his lightsaber buzzing in search for additional enemies.
"Any one spot him?" asked Qui-Gon.
"There!" shouted Obi-Wan, pointing towards a dark shadow making to dart out through a side door.
The three Jedi bounded over as fast as they could go, Obi-Wan and Anakin flipping over the smoking rubble and computer consoles, Qui-Gon running around to cut off his other escape. As they drew near, the shadow turned and fired a holdout blaster, the discharge striking centimetres from Anakin's boot.
"Uh, nuh, nuh." Said the man, shaking his head as he backed towards the door, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Before any of the Jedi could ask why, the whole ship jolted uncomfortably. The man sneered, "That was the main engines igniting," He said, "This ship is now on a crash course with your precious palace down there, I don't have to tell you that it would kill all occupants, not to mention the ghastly environmental effects of a ship this size hitting the surface of the planet." His feral grin widened, "And it takes a minimum of four people to control the movements of this ship, maybe you three are up to the task of four, maybe not. Either way, it's either me or the planet. Bye!" spinning and running in one movement he was halfway down the corridor before the Jedi could act.
"He's bluffing!" declared Anakin as he hesitated at the entrance to the corridor, though not with total confidence.
"We can't take that chance—not with so many lives at stake." Said Qui-Gon, turning back towards the controls, sure enough through the viewport, the planet was rapidly growing, and the view outside was already beginning to redden as they buffeted the upper wisps of the atmosphere. "I'll put a warning out to the palace."
"Just like Xanatos." Muttered Obi-Wan as he threw himself at the engines console and Anakin claimed the steering. "Always got an escape route."
"Right," Called Anakin, taking charge of the situation as the best pilot out of them, "Obi-Wan, reroute all power to the manoeuvring jets, and try to shut down the main engines, Master, try to jettison everything that you can—we've got to lighten the ship."
"It'll take time." Said Obi-Wan as he began typing furiously at his consol, "The thrusters I can do, but the engines have to be shut down bit by bit."
"Just do your best, Master Kenobi." Said Anakin from where he too was furiously hitting different buttons in an effort to slow and redirect the ship.
"I've just opened the magnetic field on all of the hanger bays," reported Qui-Gon, "And I'm about to jettison the garbage, standby."
The three worked at a feverish pace, typing out different commands and sequences as they desperately tried to avert disaster. They only had to spare a look out the viewport to see just how fine they were cutting it. Through the fiery inferno of entry into the atmosphere, they could see the small, almost toylike outline of the castle, and they were heading towards it fast—two-hundred and sixty-six metres per second1.
"We're just too heavy," Gasped Anakin, "The ship isn't responding fast enough."
"Qui-Gon, order all the battle droids to activate and enter the hanger bays." Said Obi-Wan, "They must be lying around somewhere."
"And the vacuum in the hanger will suck them out." Nodded Qui-Gon as he scrambled to execute the command.
"Cutting primary slave engines," Announced Obi-Wan. "Stand by." With a jolt, the ship slurred downwards, plummeting even faster than before. "Oops."
"Reengage the engines!" Shouted Anakin. As Obi-Wan scrambled to do just that, "The engines are the only thing stopping gravity from taking effect at the moment!"
After several heart stopping seconds the slave engines refired, stabling out the craft again. "I've just had twenty thousand B-1 Droid units dumped from the ship." Reported Qui-Gon, "The rest is up to you Anakin."
With nothing more to do, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan turned towards the viewport watching in anticipation as Anakin tried to level off the craft while the palace and the ground got steadily closer. At last the palace was close enough that Obi-Wan could pick out individual window, he winced, waiting for the crash... and then nothing, the clouds were coming closer again as the craft began to climb again.
A great shuddering collective sigh of relief was heard across the room, "That was entirely too close." Breathed Anakin.
"How close?" asked Qui-Gon apprehensively.
"We passed twenty metres over the top of the largest peek."
"Then we probably blew out all the windows on the approach side." Said Obi-Wan, "The back wash would have been tremendous."
The craft decelerated to below five-hundred kilometres an hour as it started to ascend again after its freefall, and fifteen minutes later they were back into space. Obi-Wan was just about to suggest that they got back to their ship when his comlink began to beep urgently. "Yes?" he answered, pulling the device of his belt.
"Obi-Wan, are you in control of the station? I just saw that crazy dive... oh look blast it I'm gunna have to ditch... scape po... doids are all over m... ..."Master Windu's frantic voice cut off into static.
"Deactivate those droids," cried Obi-Wan to Anakin who was already putting out the call. Qui-Gon meanwhile had manned the radar, and now called out, "I've got him on radar; he's in an escape pod. The droids around him have shut down."
"Is he in range of the tractor beam?" asked Obi-Wan.
"Just." With a series of commands, Qui-Gon locked onto the floating pod with the tractor, and it slowly began to drift towards them. "Are we in secure Orbit? I don't know about you guys, but I'd like to get off this ship as soon as Mace is aboard."
"According to the guidance computer, we are." Said Obi-Wan, "I think we're good to go. But what about the Neimoidians? Presumably there are still some on the battleship here."
"Probably the brig." Agreed Qui-Gon. "I'll go check. Anakin, Prep the Shadow."
"I'll go recover Master Windu." Said Obi-Wan, "He's not going to be happy that he had to eject, he fancies himself as a pilot, you know."
Qui-Gon snorted, "I'll have to remind him of the time he crashed in the level one simulator then." He said.
"In the level one?" asked Anakin, aghast. "I thought that was impossible!"
"Well, he claimed sabotage. But if there was, they were too clever to be found out and the record goes down as the lowest level in recent history at the Temple." Said Qui-Gon, his twinkling eyes giving Obi-Wan a pretty good idea of just who it was who had sabotaged the simulation. Shaking his head, he turned away from the others and hurried along towards the secondary hanger bay in which the tractor beam operated.
He arrived in the recently re-pressurised hanger just in time to see the escape pod slide through the magnetic field. Without even waiting for it to touch down, a purple lightsaber stabbed through the pod's skin and slashed a hole through it. A rather windswept Master Windu, climbed out and jumped down to the floor, wobbling slightly as he staggered across the hanger. "What's the matter Master Windu?" asked Obi-Wan as he went to support the other Jedi. "I surely can't have been that bad in there."
"You would have jumped out too if you'd had to put up with an Aqualish choral choir for quarter of an hour." Groaned Master Windu. "Evidently some damn brightspark decided if the destruction of the shuttle didn't kill its occupants then they'd make sure their ears bleeding to death would—they had the speakers playing an endless loop of the same piece over and over... its sabotage I tell you."
"Just like the simulator back at the Temple, huh?" smiled Obi-Wan, "Level one... Tut, tut." Master Windu glared daggers at him, if looks could kill, Obi-Wan would have been a puddle by this point. "Besides, Master Windu," Said Obi-Wan as he poked his head into the now grounded escape pod, "Pressing the stop button might have been a good way to stop the music..."
The look on Master Windu's face was priceless.
AN: Okay, This chapter is a touch massive. Sorry for that bit of weirdness at the end, I think that Master Windu and I were suffering from a slight case of brain asphyxiation. Any way, Sorry for taking so long, is I outlined above I've been trying to get this out for monthes, but nothing seemed to stick. I hope you liked the end result. The winner of the Biggest and chocolatiest virtual cookie I have is Master of the Obvious 7 who correctly guessed Granta Omega as the Mystery Figure, Congratulations! Hopefully it won't take me as long to get the next chapter out, so until then...
NEXT TIME: The repercussions of the Carreg mission, a party, and rejection.