Well, it's been forever again hasn't it? I do apologize. The start of college, applications to grad school, messy personal relationship business, and the like have distracted me majorly. Fortunately, with most of it out of the way I present you with the second to last part of this "epic" adventure. I know I have one person who wishes me to continue. I will seriously consider this, but unless there's serious interest, I'm afraid I just don't have the time for massive writing anymore. Still, I'll do what I can.
In the meantime, do enjoy. All comments are welcome, as always.
Disclaimer: After all these years I still do not own Star Wars. Though no one's taking those autographed pictures of Kenny Baker and Dave Prowse from me. No one.
11Saving the Galaxy
Calmly and coolly, I turned my head to see the battle droid captain approaching our ship, blaster raised. He was your average battle droid, tall, lanky, clumsy, and incredibly stupid. It would be no challenge to talk him down while I surreptitiously worked to fix the fighter.
"Where's your pilot?" the captain snapped in a very impolite tone.
I trained part of my optic sensor to see if Anakin had enough sense to hunker down in the cockpit. He had. I thanked the Maker. The boy wasn't entirely hopeless.
I'm the pilot of this starfighter. I answered the captain slowly.
"You're the pilot?" the battle droid was confused. Had I been human, I would have rolled my eyes. What were they rolling off of the factory assembly lines during the war?
Yes. I replied, noting that if I could just keep him stalled for a few more seconds Anakin would regain full control of the starfighter. I could only hope he would have a good plan to get us out of here. Or just any plan, really.
"Let me see your identification," the captain commanded as he and his brainless troops crowded closer to the ship.
At that precise moment I finally got the ship working again.
"Yes!" Anakin said, sitting up, abandoning all precaution to the wind. "We have power!"
Come on kid. Use some of those podracing moves. I urged Anakin, hoping to any power source above that he would be able to at least get us out of here.
"Hey you come out of there!" the captain cried, turning his blaster on Anakin.
But Anakin was already on the move, bless him. "Shields up!"
Okay kid let's get out of here. I suggested. It was no use though, Anakin had his finger on the trigger and a strange gleam in his eyes. He was grinning, blonde hair tousled and blue eyes shining.
Cripes. I whistled, unaware that this was just the first time I'd see a Skywalker going into "hero" mode.
"Take that!" Anakin cried as he pulled back and shot a few battle droids. "And that!"
The ship rocked back and forth as Anakin suddenly grabbed the trigger that released two of the ship's proton torpedoes. They went flying out past the confused battle droids who swiveled their heads to watch the weapons hit their mark—the ship's main reactor, conveniently and scenically located right in front of us—and deliver their doom.
"Whoa," was Anakin's only comment as the ship rocked back and forth.
Then the ship began to self-destruct.
"Let's get out of here," Anakin commented to me, guiding our craft quickly and smoothly out of the main hole.
Couldn't agree with you more kid. I answered as the flames came perilously close to licking our ship.
I had to hand it to the kid. He'd gone in with no clue of what he was doing, but thanks to my quick mechanical work and distraction, he'd been able to do something, even if it was by accident. I cheered a little as we exited the Trade Federation control ship and burst out into the stars.
Then, of course, Mr. Hotshot had to mess up the perfect moment with, "Now this is podracing!"
I sighed. We have so much work to do with you kid.
Behind me, the Trade Federation Control ship blasted into a million pieces, effectively severing the connection between the evil doers and their army of minion droids. I figured I'd not only saved the Queen whom I served, but had liberated millions of poor and helpless droids. They'd thank me later, I knew.
As we shot across the stars and back home I felt the first triumphant victory of my life. For a moment I wished that Geenine could have seen me saving the galaxy. I imagined her reaction, her whistles and beeps. I was certain that soon I'd see her and tell her of my heroic deeds and she and I would be counterparts for the rest of our mechanical lives.
Then, being a practical astrodroid, I came back just as we landed back at the Theed Palace hangar bay, prepared to receive a hero's welcome.
I was not disappointed, but there would be a lot more that had transpired back on Naboo than I would have ever thought possible. The galaxy was changing and I was going to watch it all unfold.
