Well kiddies, we're nearing the end. The end of summer, the end of freedom, the end of history, of time, etc. And more importantly, we're nearing the end of this fic. Though I always had plans to make this an epic of proportions, unfortunately due to real life, lack of interest (on my part as well as others'), and time constraints, I'll be wrapping up this little project soon. I hope you've enjoyed it though...hang in there, we've got about two more chapters to go. They should be up fairly shortly.
In the meantime, enjoy the ride.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything original related to Star Wars, not even those super sweet Death Star battle station toys from the '70's. Darn those lucky kids. Darn them.
10
What Does This Button Do?
We snuck into the Queen's palace swiftly and stealthily, taking down a few battle droid control tanks on our way. I have to commend the Queen and her Captain for having the maneuver so well planned out—a plan I mapped out with my holographs, of course.
Just before we made our way to the ships, I heard Qui-Gon tell Anakin to find cover once we got inside the hangar.
"Yeah sure," was Anakin's answer as he tried to look sincere.
I trust him about as far as I can throw him. I informed Qui-Gon but I received no reply. The Jedi had something else on his mind, I could tell. And whatever it was, it didn't bode well for our mission, I knew.
Within minutes we were inside the main hangar of the palace. All around me the resistance pilots scattered to their fighters as the rest of the group, the Jedi and the Queen prepared to fight their way to the throne room. I dutifully scrambled to the nearest fighter that I could find, a classy N-1, and allowed the mechanical arms to take me up into the droid's seat. I got to work right away adapting the computer to my functions, ready to take whatever pilot I could into space.
Then I saw Anakin scrambling into my cockpit.
Hey kid what do you think you're doing? I cried out as the battle in front of me raged.
There was nothing for it though; Anakin was there to stay. Soon the resistance fighters were all taking off and the Queen's group was reforming, preparing to head towards the throne room and capture the Viceroy.
"Where are you going? I want to come too!" Anakin called from his hiding spot.
"Stay where you are!" Qui-Gon called up lovingly but sternly as he and Obi-Wan rushed off to do the real fighting.
"But…" Anakin whined pathetically.
"Stay in that cockpit Anakin!" Qui-Gon ordered again and I swear a corner of Obi-Wan's mouth twitched up as they continued walking past.
Then the time for jokes was past as suddenly, the hangar door to the interior opened and there stood the black-cloaked figure that Qui-Gon had fought on the deserts of Tatooine, ready to fight.
Padmé took one look and ran. Literally. I don't blame the girl for this though, that thing—whatever it was—was pure ugly. He was like a bad joke—red and black and horned all over.
However, this enemy meant business and as the Queen and her group left to take the long way to the throne room and the Viceroy, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan tossed off their cloaks, pulled out their lightsabers and prepared to do battle.
At that same time, a fresh assault on the Queen's troops began as a number of droidekas rolled into the hangar bay and began relentlessly attacking the soldiers.
Hey kid! Wake up! Your girlfriend's about to get killed! You might wanna do something. I snapped, shaking Anakin out of his fascination as he watched the Jedi and thing battle.
"We've gotta do something Artoo!" Anakin cried as he noticed the sudden predicament. Immediately, he began to push buttons.
Hey, watch what you're pushing! I cried out as Anakin accidentally activated a number of functions that were meant to prepare the ship for launch.
"Oops. Here we go!" Anakin smiled with glee as he found the guns and immediately began to take out a number of droidekas.
Nice shooting kid. But you'd better hang tight. I advised as the ship's automatic pilot began to take us on the pre-planned course. This is probably gonna be more than you bargained for.
"Hey!" Anakin exclaimed in amazement. "What's going on?"
It's on automatic pilot kid. I can't do a thing. I snapped tersely at him as the ship shot out of the main hangar and into space, barely missing an automatic turbo laser that shot at us.
"Well try to override it!" Anakin snapped as he pulled on a way too big helmet and took the controls as if he knew what he was doing.
Yes sir. I said sarcastically. Unfortunately, even though Anakin could now read what I was saying on his screen, sarcasm doesn't transmit very well when written.
There was no time to dilly-dally however, as soon we came upon the other ships that our N-1 was trying to catch up too.
"Whoa! This is tense!" Anakin commented smartly.
Criminy. I whistled, still frantically working on overriding the auto pilot. Almost…
"Yeeeaaahh!!" Anakin cried out as we entered the fray of the battle and we began to take potshots from the droid starfighters. "You'd better get us off of this auto pilot Artoo it's gonna get us both killed!"
I'm working on it Mr. Hotshot! I snapped back. There you go! Finally! I said in relief three seconds later.
"Woo hoo, all right let's try going left!" cried Anakin right afterwards, immediately making me regret handing control over to the kid. "You did it Artoo!"
'Course I did! Cripes kid! I cried out as we whizzed past starfighters. You wanna tone it down a little bit? We should really head back now.
"Go back?" Anakin sounded indignant as he swerved perilously close to a laser beam originally aimed at his tiny head. "No way! Qui-Gon told me to stay in this cockpit and that's what I'm going to do!"
Smart aleck. I snapped back. You know that's not what Qui meant! You little-
But whatever witty retort I had in mind for the pipsqueak was cut off as we suddenly shot past an enemy fighter.
"Whoops! Whoa!" Anakin cried intelligently. "I know! Let's try spinning that's a good trick!"
And we went spinning into space, me unable to do anything under the circumstances except scream a list of words that probably shouldn't be mentioned in official records here. Luckily, Mr. Hotshot Ace Pilot was too busy trying not to lose his lunch himself to read my translation screen. Lucky thing too. Didn't want to bust the kid's innocence too early on.
Would you lay off? I cried when Anakin had finally managed to gain some control. We're in serious kriffin' trouble here!
Okay, so maybe I did let slip a word or too. These things happen in the heat of battle.
"I know we're in trouble!" Anakin cried back as we juked and jived, all headed towards the Trade Federation Control ship and what looked to be an open hangar bay. "Hang on!"
Over the comm I could hear the shouts of our fellow pilots and ascertained, as we spun to our certain doom within the bowels of the Trade Federation ship that no luck was being made against the ship's strong control shield. Quickly, my databanks kicked into gear as Anakin worked furiously to slow the ship down as it skidded against the floor of the ship.
Yikes! I cried as we finally came to a stop. My optic sensors trained on everything around me, including the dozen or so battle droids that were rushing out, ready to take us out.
"Everything's overheated," Anakin, the mechanical genius informed me. "Uh-oh," he continued as he spied the battle droids coming our way. "This is not good."
Understatement of the year. I said mildly. But even as Anakin's little organic mind struggled to form a plan I was already light years ahead of him. Hang tight kid. We'll get out of this yet.