DISCLAIMER: Lets keep it simple, k? All the Star Wars characters mentioned here on out belong to George Lucas. There are a few people, rather minor characters, who come in later who belong to me but I don't care if you use them - just let me know. Thanks!

Things were quiet as we entered the gardens . . . It was extremely surreal. When I'd come out here, there would be sounds galore. Now, it was quiet . . . as quiet as death.

Sabe half expected the gardens to be destroyed completely. If they weren't destroyed, they should have been soaked with blood. That's the kind of creatures she expected the Trade Federation to be - cannibalistic mongrels. She was extremely afraid of the fact that she was going to be sent into a camp when this whole thing began . . . now what had happened to the people she had left behind? The soldiers serving under Captain Panaka? Sache? Yane?!? If anything had happened to her two surrogate sisters, she would personally get the head of the Trade Federation Viceroy on a silver platter. It was against Nubian philosophy, but she cared about the well-being of her friends more.

When they reached the gardens, they were all surprised to find it in the same condition as they left it - the only difference is that it was extremely quiet. The flowers there were in full bloom - red, blue, purple . . . any color and it was there. "Come on," one of the guards said. "We haven't much time - for all we know a tank could come up any minute now." As the group moved forward only a couple of inches, there was an explosion a few feet from them and the statue that once stood there became a pile of rubble. They all turned around and a tank had its gun pointed right at the decoy queen.

When people say they have had their lives flash before their eyes in situations like that, they are correct. I thought I was just about to die!

One of the guards pulled Sabe down behind a flower bed as the tank started to fire and some droids came up to give it back-up of sorts. The four other guards followed their lead and began to fire on the droids and a few got an idea to fire on the tank. "It will do no good," Sabe yelled to them. "Unless you have several thermal detonators on you right now, the shields will protect it and a meager blaster bolt will never penetrate it!" "You're right," the Captain said. "Private Souhain," he said pulling over one of the younger guards there. "Get her to the castle - there is still hope!" "Yes, sir!"

The two people quickly made their way to the other side of the fountain which was in the center of the gardens. "See that path? That's the one leading in town and, accordingly, into the hangar." "Are you ready, soldier?" "Yes, ma'am. I am . . ." Souhain trailed off as he saw a large group of about 20-30 droids coming down that path - obviously to see what the commotion was all about. "Force!" The duo started to fire at the droids, taking down a few. When they realized what was going on, they all fired back at them. "There's too many of them!"

If I wasn't going to die by tank, then I was most certainly going to be killed by droid! One of their bolts grazed my leg, eventually leaving a scar, but I was able to push down the pain and walk without a limp at the time. Anyway, we were just about to get rushed by them when someone threw a thermal detonator in the middle of the group and destroyed it all. It was a little group, maybe about 10-15 soldiers who were from the Underground Resistance Force. Private Souhain and I ran up to join them and we all began to make our way to the hangar. . .

"Milady." I turned my head to the side to see one of the soldiers I knew who usually served under Captain Panaka. "Yes?" "I am glad to see you alive. We were told you would be coming through the side way to the hangar, though . . ." "Lieutenant Triste," the girl said. "Her Highness is going to be coming in through the side. Its me . . . Sabe." The man looked at her in shock before he nodded, understanding. "I never thought this plan would ACTUALLY be put into use. I'm just glad it's worked for you thus far." The girl nodded, her attention turning to the few droids standing between them and one of the necessary pathways.

In order to put a long story short, we took out the droids easily. Since I am running out of room in this book, I will jump to the point when we arrive at the hangar - about 5 minutes behind what I reasoned. We already heard blasters firing from inside and we opened the doors, seeing the Queen, Rabe, Eirtae, the guards, and the Jedi were taking out most of the droids and some of the pilots were heading up to the droid control ships. At that moment, as we joined in the fiasco, I said a silent prayer for them that their mission would be successful.

When everyone was safely in their Starfighters, I turned to Padme and nodded, apologizing silently for us being late. She motioned for me to go on - possibly to clear the way for them into the throne room. I grabbed Triste and Souhain and told them to bring two men each. We all ran out of the hangar and headed down the hallway connecting us with the castle.

We found the side entrance all right and got into the castle. Things were silent in the immediate area, but you could hear blasts coming from the swamps. We were definitely detected as we were met by droids at the end of the first hallway we came to. We got through them and by now I could feel my leg beginning to hurt. The second hallway was just like the first, and we got through that taking out a few more droids than the first. We came upon the third one - still having a while to go before we reached the throne room, which was practically on the other side of the castle . I know I was unprepared for the surprise we saw at the end of that hallway . . .

"Is that . . .?" Private Souhain pointed down to the figure at the end of the hall wearing an awfully familiar red outfit. "Where?" Sabe followed her friend's gaze down the hall, locking her blaster when she saw the same figure. "The Viceroy . . ." The figure turned in their direction and, seeing that they actually had guns, took off running. "STOP!!!" The group took off running. Sabe fired her blaster but right before it came upon him, the Viceroy turned sharply. "Force!!!" The group took off running after him.

He led us through the halls and up a stairwell. We chased him up to the top of the stairs, leading to what was a storage hallway. There were other entrances, but if he went to the right there would be no escape from us.

He went right.

The group of seven burst out of the hallway. The guards' guns were locked and ready to be fired as Sabe came upon him. The figure didn't put up a fight - he just turned around and put his hands up. "That was too easy . . ." The girl looked him over and sighed. "It isn't the REAL Viceroy. Its just one of his lackeys." The guards were just itching to fire and end this creature's life for what he just did and, not to mention, his affiliation but the girl motioned for them to put their guns down. "Nubian philosophy doesn't believe in this - he didn't DO anything wrong. Let him go." The cowering Nemoidian got up and quickly ran off.

"Well, what do we do now? Anyone know where we are?" Triste sat down against a wall. "How far away are we from the throne room?" "We shouldn't be that far," Sabe said. "I remember that there is a supply room up here. Panaka sent me up here for something a few weeks before the invasion." "So how far from the throne room?" Sabe walked over to a window and motioned for them to come over. "Right down there is a patio. See?" "Yea?" "The hall it connects to connects with the main throne room hallway." "Great. How can we get down there?" "I think that the stairwell that we came up connects with the same hall as the patio." "Great . . ."

Before Triste even had the chance to get up Souhain suddenly said, "Change of plans . . ." Everyone listened and they heard the distinct squeaking which could only be associated with droids. "Wonderful . . . we're trapped." "We can't! I've got to fulfill my promise to Padme - I need to get down to the throne room!" As one of the guards tossed the Lieutenant some rope, he said, "If you really have to get down, the only way I can think of right now is repelling down to the patio." He tied it around Sabe's waist as another guard shot out the window. Sabe leaned her head out and saw that beyond the patio was a good 200-300 meter drop. She took a deep breath. "Are you sure you want to do this?" "Well . . ."

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