Here is the first chapter of the Naboo Arc, a bit shorter than the Mandalore Arc and with a bit of tragedy. Anyway I hope you enjoy it.
LD: I do not own Star Wars.
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Padme Amidala walked through the door of her family in law's appartment after an specially tiring day at work on the Senate, it seemed war had reached her planet, the Queen had contacted her and informed her about the situation, a blockade had taken place on Naboo since a week ago and due to the interferance of the separatist forces the Queen had only managed to contact her the previous day so she had spent the whole day dialoguing with the Jedi Council and the Supreme Chancellor to send a fleet to liberate the planet, it was specially hard on her since it reminded her so much of the first blockade more than ten years ago, despite the situation being very different the feeling of hopelessness was the same. And Jar Jar worried, shadowing almost everywhere and posing difficult questions about the future of his species if Naboo was invaded by the Confederacy didn't help matters either.
Of course aside from Jar Jar she thankfully had other company since she had ended up fed up and snapping at her and if other times she had snapped at him could serve as presence she would leave her be for a few days. But she was not alone, never alone. Since Anakin departed for the clone wars five months ago only returning to Coruscant twice since he left, her in laws had made a point in not letting Padme feel alone. Shmi came out of the kitchen with Beru following him, both women smiled at her.
"Padme" Shmi greeted her daughter in law with a smile although she saw her so tired. "You seem tired. Did something happen?"
At that moment Padme was glad that she had the key to the home and that they had seen her after she had tried to hide her worried expression since his expression was much worse before she entered the house. "Don't worry Shmi I am just tired. Where are Owen and Cliegg?"
"They had to work tonight" Beru replied. Padme nodded, after arriving in Coruscant Owen and Cliegg had found job on nearby electronic store, it seemed that even though they weren't as savvy about technology as Anakin they knew more than enough to repair droids and other electronic devices, learning what they didn't know from some of the other employees. They seemed happy about their new life. Shmi and Beru also seemed to appreciate the commodities of Coruscant over the hard life of Tatooine and Shmi was specially happy to be near her son again.
Shmi threw Padme a look and Padme knew she hadn't fooled her mother in law. Padme sighed and decided to tell them. "Naboo is being blockaded by the Separatist again. I've been talking with the Chancellor to arrange a Republic fleet to liberate the planet."
"And what did they say?" Shmi asked her worriedly
"They will help us of course" Padme replied with a smile. "The Jedi are tasking two knights to go on this mission with a fleet. The Supreme Chancellor has assured me he would personally monitor the situation."
"But you are worried about your family." Shmi said. It was not a question it was an affirmation. Padme's lips shivered a little as she nodded. She felt like a frightened child. Shmi and Beru were quick to comfort her.
"Oh honey that's perfectly normal" Shmi said. "The Confederacy hasn't invaded yet right?"
"No" Padme said with a nod.
"Then I'm sure they will be alright." Beru said comforting her sister in law.
"I would like to see it with my own eyes. The council has denied my petition of going with the fleet. Chancellor Palpatine seemed to think it was not such a bad idea but was convinced otherwise by Master Yoda.
"Padme" Shmi said. "We all know you are a girl of action. But you are needed in the Senate, I'm sure that's why the Jedi won't let you go. You have to put your trust in them, have they ever failed you?"
Padme thought about it, the Jedi didn't normally fail her, in fact they were an organization that had done the best to protect the Republic despite the Republic's best efforts to destroy itself. And Shmi was right she had to be there in Coruscant looking for a diplomatic end to the war before it destroyed them all, if she did that not only the Galaxy but Naboo would be saved and her family with it.
What Padme didn't know was that this Battle of Naboo would cost her a very high personal price.
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Ferus Ollin observed his lover Kiara Jade as she stirred awake on her side of the bed. Ever since the Code was changed Ferus had the feeling that he was living in paradise. He knew it was the same for Kiara as they now could enjoy their relationship without the fears of being found out. They were on their shared quarters given to them on Kiara's "Indepence" Venator-class Star Destroyer that served as the command ship of the fleet they were leading composed of 6 Venator-class Star Destroyers. Kiara opened her eyes and looked at him and smiled.
"Hey" She greeted him.
"Hey yourself" He replied. "Did you sleep well?" He asked.
"Of course, I always sleep well when I'm with you" She said and Ferus chuckled. The line was cheesy but well, it was what he felt too. The moment was interrupted when Admiral Sacks, admiral of the fleet carrying them to Naboo appeared in holographic form.
"Sorry to disturb you Generals" He spoke. "But we'll arrive to Naboo within two hours and I would like you to come to the bridge to go over the plan, plus I have grave news."
"What is it Admiral?" Kiara asked as the sheets covered her naked body, they were supposed to be resting as they had seemed tired to the admiral when they boarded the ship. But half of the time they were supposed to be resting they had been "otherwise engaged" and she wasn't visible.
"We got news that shortly after Senator Amidala received the message from the queen, the confederacy began their invasion, they have occupied Naboo"
"We'll be there shortly" Ferus told the Admiral.
"Yes sir" Admiral Sacks said as his image disappeared. Kiara looked at him and he nodded.
"Yes I have a terrible feeling about this too." Ferus said as Kiara rose to get ready.
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Clone Commander Xierra and ARC Captain Xander, Kiara, Ferus and Admiral Sacks met on the briefing room near the "Independence" bridge. Together with them a young human male, blond and with brown eyes and robes of a merchant which was precisely the category of the ship he'd come in from Naboo evading the blockade. Ferus and Kiara had thought it suspicious that the Separatist had let any ship slip past their blockade but the boy seemed sincere, there was always the posibility that the separatist had let the man escape to lure them into a trap.
"According to this young man." Admiral Sacks began. The Separatist are launching an all out assault on the planet." The Jedi looked at the boy who nodded and the admiral continued. "He says the blockade is made up of about two Lucrehulk Capital ships and several other vessels, with different proportions. He says he couldn't count but he says they at least doubled our numbers. The good thing is that our intelligence reports they do not have fleets that could reinforce them nearby while we do have at least a small group of ships on a nearby system, a Venator, two acclamators and at least five support vessels ready to reinforce us."
"Is there a Jedi with them?" Kiara asked. Sacks shook his head.
"No Ma'am." Sacks said. "Since the commander of the fleet was a clone I believe they are new soldiers and ships from Kamino. Perhaps the middle rim command told them to stand by until further instructions."
Both Jedi nodded. "Tell them to stand by until further instructions" Ferus said. "How long will it take them to reach Naboo once we call them?"
"Is a pretty short jump, they should be arriving 20 minutes after we call." The Admiral said.
"That's good." Kiara said, she then looked at the young man who'd brought them the news. "Is his ship in good condition to fly?"
"It's not too damaged." Commander Xierra said.
"Then repair it and have the kid leave." Kiara said.
"Bu... but I can fight." The young man said.
"Perhaps when you've joined an army but right now we won't risk any more civillians than I have to." Two clones in combat armor entered the room and grabbed the kid. "You two pick a pilot when we come out of hyperspace you will take the kid to nearby safer system."
"Yes Ma'am" Both clones said taking the boy away.
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General Grievous was a kaleesh cyborg covered by a white armor that covered all his body or what remained, most of his body was artificial and whil in fact the only organic things were his face, his ternal organs and his face, his badly scarred face, the rest was all artificial. He hadn't been always like that, he'd been a healthy Kaleesh once until he had a shuttle "accident". Since then his existance was one of eternal suffering. Suffering he turned into pleasure by inflicting on other people.
Such a being stood on top of his personal ship, the "Malevolence" , one of the three biggest fleet on the fleet along with the two Lucrehulk-class ships, a subjugator-class heavy cruissers. The rest were mainly frigates and support ships indeed, perhaps not enough to hold a blockade over a planet over a long time, but he didn't want to blockade Naboo for a long time, not even hold it for a long time, no, despite the appearances Grievous had a very specific mission in mind. One that he intended to accomplish.
"Sir" the Commander droid spoke to him in his robotic voice. "Colonel Sius, wishes to speak with you."
Grievous nodded recognizing the name of Lord Sidious latest experiments a Dark Force Soldiers, one of the failures who was completely obedient and lacked almost any form of independent thinking. Grievous despised the thing but Countess Alexa had warned him against harming Sius, it was a project Lord Sidious had put a lot of effort and hopes into and he wouldn't be happy if he destroyed any of the soldiers he'd been forced to incorporate to the CIS military with the rank of Colonels.
The image of a boy a human, or so Grievous thought wearing hooded a dressed in a dark robe, his head covered by a hood and a mask modelled after Darth Revan's mask. He knelt before the image of Grievous, perhaps the only good trait he had was his obedience and respect.
"What news do you have for me boy?" Grievous asked coughing loudly.
"We are inspecting the Theed home of the targets right now general." Sius spoke in a raspy yet young voice. "The family is not here."
"I see" Grievous replied coughing harder. "Have you interrogated the people that live nearby?"
"We did" Sius replied. "They told us they have a house on the Lake Country."
"I see" Grievous replied. "Leave some forces on Theed and head for the Lake country then."
"Yes General, are your orders still the same concerning Theed and other Nubian cities?" Sius asked.
"Burn them to the ground boy, show these republican rats what happens when you go against us." Grievous said coughing louder this time.
"It will be done General" Sius spoke before his image disappeared. Grievous looked at the planet below, soon such a beautiful scenery will be tainted with a precious scarlett red color.
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Chancellor Palpatine observed the sunset over the giant Megalopolis of Coruscant. Together with him, Vice-chancellor Mas Amedda and Sly Moore his senior administrative aide he'd been going over some of the latest intelligence reports from the war. It seemed Jango Fett's betrayal had been more bothersome than he'd first imagined it would be and the Jedi order and Republican Intelligence had caught wind of several Force Sensitive beings working with the Separatists. Of course the Bounty Hunter had not known much, not even much of the clone army and their special role on the downfall of the Jedi.
Whenever he thought about the clones and the Jedi however he felt uneasy, he didn't know what it was but something didn't seem right with that. He'd tried to have some of his Kaminoan followers try to find out what it was but they never found anything wrong, not that they could investigate much before their very secretive peers found them out. So Palpatine now acredited his feeling to nervousness, he admitted he wouldn't be completely calm until the Jedi had been completely obliterated.
"How is the invasion of Naboo coming along?" He asked his aides. Both Mas Amedda and Sly Moore knew he referred to the separatist invasion. They had to admit, it bothered them a little how the Chancellor held no affection whatsoever for his own home planet.
"The Separatist have defeated the little resistance the nubian guards gave them and have occupied the planet." Mas Amedda spoke, making sure it didn't sound suspicious in case someone overheard it. "Our forces should be arriving at Naboo shortly."
"And our VIPs?" Palpatine asked.
"We haven't received a report about that yet?" Sly Moore replied.
"Make their safety a priority. We wouldn't want our dear Senator Amidala to lose her family." Palpatine spoke with a cruel smirk.
"It will be done my lord" Both aides said as they exited the office.