Chapter 3 - A Queen's Hope
Breaking into the palace was not as easy as it should have been for Qui-Gon. With Jar Jar at his side he had to constantly check on his companion to ensure the Gungan did not give them away to the enemy or just trip over his own feet.
Qui-Gon made his way towards the palace, hoping he would find Queen Amidala there; if he was lucky the invasion army would not have moved her or secured her. He chose a path that avoided the main streets, instead keeping to the deserted buildings and, where necessary, using the covered walkways that passed over the main streets. He and the Gungan were just walking over one of these walk ways when a group of droids approached the passageway that past beneath them.
Qui-Gon could see from the place where he knelt below a low wall that it was not a patrol that approached. He could see that the droids were escorting prisoners and not just any prisoners. The Queen, her handmaidens and other officials walked at the centre of the group of mechanical soldiers.
Signalling Jar Jar to stay low, Qui-Gon vaulted over the railing and jumped down the one story to stand in front of the approaching guards. Not allowing time for them to react, he activated his lightsabre and destroyed two of the battle droids with the first swing. He saw that some of those with the Queen used the opportunity to grab at their captors and take their weapons. He was also dimly aware of Jar Jar, who had not done as he was told. He was stumbling around behind him, having fallen from the walkway.
As soon as it had begun the ambush was over and the Queen was free. The Jedi bowed low to the young woman and introduced himself.
"I'm an ambassador for the Supreme Chancellor."
"Your negotiations seem to have failed, Ambassador." One of the officials accused.
"The negotiations never took place." Qui-Gon explained impatiently. "We must make contact with the Republic."
"They've knocked out our communications."
"Do you have transports?" Qui-Gon asked the guard.
"In the main hanger."
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"There's too many of them"
"That won't be a problem." Qui-Gon turned to the Queen. "Your Highness, under the circumstances I suggest you come to Coruscant with me."
"Thank you, Ambassador," she said. "But my place is with my people."
"They will kill you if you stay." The Jedi warned her.
"They need her to sign some treaty to make this invasion of theirs' legal." Captain Panaka told him. "They can't afford to kill her."
"There is something else behind all this, Your Highness. There's no logic to the Federation's move here. My feelings tell me they will destroy you." Such a warning from a Jedi Master was not to be taken lightly.
"Our only hope is for the senate to side with us. Senator Palpatine will need your help."
The warning, the Governor's plea and her handmaiden's courage was enough to convince the Queen.
"Captain Panaka?"
"Yes, Ambassador?"
"If you can free those pilots then I shall procure a ship."
Panaka nodded before nodding to several of the guards. Together they pealed away from the main group and headed over to the seated pilots while the rest continued on to the ships.
"Halt!"
"I'm as ambassador to the Supreme Chancellor, I'm taking these people to Coruscant."
"Where?"
"To Coruscant." The Jedi Master repeated.
"Er, that doesn't compute. You're under arrest."
The sound of battle reached Qui-Gon's ears. He plunged his lightsabre into the droid's chest and signalled the group up the boarding ramp while he dealt with the droids that remained. He looked over to where Panaka was fighting. The pilots were free and running to the ship. As Panaka and his guards followed, Qui-Gon could see parts of droids scattered over the floor as well as a body of a pilot. He took another look at the running man as they passed him and saw several of them were being helped along by their comrades.
Panaka drew level with the Jedi. Qui-Gon looked back over to the body left behind.
"Nothing we can do for him now." Qui-Gon nodded at the explanation and backed up the ramp, deflecting the constant blaster fire. As soon as he was aboard he felt the powerful ship take to the air and rocket out of the hanger with its engines at maximum.
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Obi-Wan slowed his vehicle and looked up in time to see a Nubian space ship take off from the direction of Theed and head up wards out of the planet's atmosphere.
'Where is he going?' Obi-Wan asked both himself and the Force.
'Coruscant.' Was the reply.
'Yes, but they won't make it.' The gift the Force had given to him stirred and sprung to life. He allowed the feeling to overwhelm him. The knowledge was brief and all he saw was a glimpse.
'They won't make it.'
'The blockade will damage the ship.'
'They'll need to land to repair.'
'Desert.'
'Tatooine'
"I need a ship."
With Qui-Gon managing to get into the capital stealing ship and escaping the security in Theed would have increased. Not to mention the obstacle of the blockade. He needed a ship, a fast one, and it needed to be able to avoid the Trade Federation ships in orbit. The vessel he had see take off was a Nubian, catching up to it was going to be difficult even if it was damaged.
"Force damn you, Qui-Gon, no other Jedi had caused me this much trouble. Only you would make me need to hide, steal, fight...and get caught. You'd have thought I would have learnt from being your apprentice the kind of trouble you can get yourself into."
So it was that, an hour later, Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi entered the capital of Naboo and was captured by a patrolling group of droids who contacted the Viceroy.
"He says his name is Knight Ben Ibon."
"That it not the name of the Jedi who arrived here. His Lordship may be interested in this one's presence." The Viceroy spoke to someone outside the holo projector's range. He turned back to the droid. "Put him on a transport and bring him here. Make sure he is heavily guarded and confiscate any weaponry."
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The Viceroy broke off the communication to the surface and turned to Hakko, the settlement officer who had spoken so highly of the Jedi.
"These Jedi are not so mighty if they are so easily caught."
"What was he doing here?"
"I don't know, but I think Lord Sidious will want to know. Let's hope we have something to tell him."
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"The ship has been badly damaged; we'll need to land to do any repairs if we are to have any hope of reaching Coruscant."
"Here." Qui-Gon reached over Panaka's shoulder to point to a planet on the ship's navigational computer.
"Tatooine," the guard said incredulously. "It's controlled by Hutts."
"Exactly, it is outside the Republic. No one there will be looking for us."
That decided, the damaged vessel changed its course and limped its way to the desert planet of Tatooine.
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Obi-Wan was escorted to a large transport designed to go between a planet's surface and a ship in orbit. He was secured by the droids who clearly knew nothing of Jedi. The Viceroy's arrogance would have been amusing if it was not so worrying. Recently the power of the Jedi seemed to be diminished; as their numbers dwindled so did their reputation. Obi-Wan was not a Jedi who believed the people of the Republic should live in awe of them; however the respect they once had for the work they did seemed to have vanished. Even the old myths and legends about Jedi sorcerers and inhuman abilities did not prevent the growing open disrespect.
Obi-Wan had counted on this arrogance in order to get back onto the ship in orbit. He was not altogether pleased his plan had worked.
The journey to the other ship did not take long and soon he was being forced out of the transport into the ship's cargo bay. There was exactly what he needed. Five fighters with hyperdrive rings stood in a line ready for flight. They had not been sent to the planet because they required a person to fly them. The failing Jedi reputation had made this ridiculously easy.
Obi-Wan reached out his hand and with the aid of the Force drew, from the belt of the droid who carried it, his lightsabre. He kicked out, as he felt the cool metal cylinder enter his grasp, knocking back the guard who tried to grab him. He somersaulted over the heads of the remaining droids and ran towards the Fighter. As he ran he flung out his hand again this time in the direction of the control room, inside the Force wrapped itself around the controls for the bay doors and pulled.
He did not bother to fight, he just ran. The droids were still operating on their orders to bring the Jedi to the Viceroy alive and so their attack was almost harmless. The few humans in the cargo bay fled as the doors to the space beyond began to open. Reaching the closest Fighter, Obi-Wan jumped in and initiated the engine. He would not have long before someone realised what was happening and closed he bay doors.
The ship rose and, at full speed, headed for the still opening doors. No, wait, they had started to close. Gritting his teeth, Obi-Wan forced all the acceleration out of the small ship. The bay doors would close, but he would be on the other side of them. The blaster fire that the droids fired at him damaged the outer shell of the Fighter though Obi-Wan was not concerned as he could see it was mostly superficial.
'That's the trouble with droids, not too bright and can't think for themselves.'
The gap continued to close. With a final lurch forward Obi-Wan's vessel scraped through the gap. Now, out in space, he was even more of a target. Quickly he set the lightdrive coordinates and engaged the drive. Obi-Wan was forced back into his seat as he made the jump, but not before the jolt of a blast knocked him forward. His head connected with the control panel.
As he lost consciousness and the stars became lines around him, he hoped he would wake before reaching Tatooine. The ship would pull out of lightspeed itself, however he did not want to be found drifting is space close to a planet controlled by Hutts.
Breaking into the palace was not as easy as it should have been for Qui-Gon. With Jar Jar at his side he had to constantly check on his companion to ensure the Gungan did not give them away to the enemy or just trip over his own feet.
Qui-Gon made his way towards the palace, hoping he would find Queen Amidala there; if he was lucky the invasion army would not have moved her or secured her. He chose a path that avoided the main streets, instead keeping to the deserted buildings and, where necessary, using the covered walkways that passed over the main streets. He and the Gungan were just walking over one of these walk ways when a group of droids approached the passageway that past beneath them.
Qui-Gon could see from the place where he knelt below a low wall that it was not a patrol that approached. He could see that the droids were escorting prisoners and not just any prisoners. The Queen, her handmaidens and other officials walked at the centre of the group of mechanical soldiers.
Signalling Jar Jar to stay low, Qui-Gon vaulted over the railing and jumped down the one story to stand in front of the approaching guards. Not allowing time for them to react, he activated his lightsabre and destroyed two of the battle droids with the first swing. He saw that some of those with the Queen used the opportunity to grab at their captors and take their weapons. He was also dimly aware of Jar Jar, who had not done as he was told. He was stumbling around behind him, having fallen from the walkway.
As soon as it had begun the ambush was over and the Queen was free. The Jedi bowed low to the young woman and introduced himself.
"I'm an ambassador for the Supreme Chancellor."
"Your negotiations seem to have failed, Ambassador." One of the officials accused.
"The negotiations never took place." Qui-Gon explained impatiently. "We must make contact with the Republic."
"They've knocked out our communications."
"Do you have transports?" Qui-Gon asked the guard.
"In the main hanger."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"There's too many of them"
"That won't be a problem." Qui-Gon turned to the Queen. "Your Highness, under the circumstances I suggest you come to Coruscant with me."
"Thank you, Ambassador," she said. "But my place is with my people."
"They will kill you if you stay." The Jedi warned her.
"They need her to sign some treaty to make this invasion of theirs' legal." Captain Panaka told him. "They can't afford to kill her."
"There is something else behind all this, Your Highness. There's no logic to the Federation's move here. My feelings tell me they will destroy you." Such a warning from a Jedi Master was not to be taken lightly.
"Our only hope is for the senate to side with us. Senator Palpatine will need your help."
The warning, the Governor's plea and her handmaiden's courage was enough to convince the Queen.
"Captain Panaka?"
"Yes, Ambassador?"
"If you can free those pilots then I shall procure a ship."
Panaka nodded before nodding to several of the guards. Together they pealed away from the main group and headed over to the seated pilots while the rest continued on to the ships.
"Halt!"
"I'm as ambassador to the Supreme Chancellor, I'm taking these people to Coruscant."
"Where?"
"To Coruscant." The Jedi Master repeated.
"Er, that doesn't compute. You're under arrest."
The sound of battle reached Qui-Gon's ears. He plunged his lightsabre into the droid's chest and signalled the group up the boarding ramp while he dealt with the droids that remained. He looked over to where Panaka was fighting. The pilots were free and running to the ship. As Panaka and his guards followed, Qui-Gon could see parts of droids scattered over the floor as well as a body of a pilot. He took another look at the running man as they passed him and saw several of them were being helped along by their comrades.
Panaka drew level with the Jedi. Qui-Gon looked back over to the body left behind.
"Nothing we can do for him now." Qui-Gon nodded at the explanation and backed up the ramp, deflecting the constant blaster fire. As soon as he was aboard he felt the powerful ship take to the air and rocket out of the hanger with its engines at maximum.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Obi-Wan slowed his vehicle and looked up in time to see a Nubian space ship take off from the direction of Theed and head up wards out of the planet's atmosphere.
'Where is he going?' Obi-Wan asked both himself and the Force.
'Coruscant.' Was the reply.
'Yes, but they won't make it.' The gift the Force had given to him stirred and sprung to life. He allowed the feeling to overwhelm him. The knowledge was brief and all he saw was a glimpse.
'They won't make it.'
'The blockade will damage the ship.'
'They'll need to land to repair.'
'Desert.'
'Tatooine'
"I need a ship."
With Qui-Gon managing to get into the capital stealing ship and escaping the security in Theed would have increased. Not to mention the obstacle of the blockade. He needed a ship, a fast one, and it needed to be able to avoid the Trade Federation ships in orbit. The vessel he had see take off was a Nubian, catching up to it was going to be difficult even if it was damaged.
"Force damn you, Qui-Gon, no other Jedi had caused me this much trouble. Only you would make me need to hide, steal, fight...and get caught. You'd have thought I would have learnt from being your apprentice the kind of trouble you can get yourself into."
So it was that, an hour later, Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi entered the capital of Naboo and was captured by a patrolling group of droids who contacted the Viceroy.
"He says his name is Knight Ben Ibon."
"That it not the name of the Jedi who arrived here. His Lordship may be interested in this one's presence." The Viceroy spoke to someone outside the holo projector's range. He turned back to the droid. "Put him on a transport and bring him here. Make sure he is heavily guarded and confiscate any weaponry."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Viceroy broke off the communication to the surface and turned to Hakko, the settlement officer who had spoken so highly of the Jedi.
"These Jedi are not so mighty if they are so easily caught."
"What was he doing here?"
"I don't know, but I think Lord Sidious will want to know. Let's hope we have something to tell him."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The ship has been badly damaged; we'll need to land to do any repairs if we are to have any hope of reaching Coruscant."
"Here." Qui-Gon reached over Panaka's shoulder to point to a planet on the ship's navigational computer.
"Tatooine," the guard said incredulously. "It's controlled by Hutts."
"Exactly, it is outside the Republic. No one there will be looking for us."
That decided, the damaged vessel changed its course and limped its way to the desert planet of Tatooine.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Obi-Wan was escorted to a large transport designed to go between a planet's surface and a ship in orbit. He was secured by the droids who clearly knew nothing of Jedi. The Viceroy's arrogance would have been amusing if it was not so worrying. Recently the power of the Jedi seemed to be diminished; as their numbers dwindled so did their reputation. Obi-Wan was not a Jedi who believed the people of the Republic should live in awe of them; however the respect they once had for the work they did seemed to have vanished. Even the old myths and legends about Jedi sorcerers and inhuman abilities did not prevent the growing open disrespect.
Obi-Wan had counted on this arrogance in order to get back onto the ship in orbit. He was not altogether pleased his plan had worked.
The journey to the other ship did not take long and soon he was being forced out of the transport into the ship's cargo bay. There was exactly what he needed. Five fighters with hyperdrive rings stood in a line ready for flight. They had not been sent to the planet because they required a person to fly them. The failing Jedi reputation had made this ridiculously easy.
Obi-Wan reached out his hand and with the aid of the Force drew, from the belt of the droid who carried it, his lightsabre. He kicked out, as he felt the cool metal cylinder enter his grasp, knocking back the guard who tried to grab him. He somersaulted over the heads of the remaining droids and ran towards the Fighter. As he ran he flung out his hand again this time in the direction of the control room, inside the Force wrapped itself around the controls for the bay doors and pulled.
He did not bother to fight, he just ran. The droids were still operating on their orders to bring the Jedi to the Viceroy alive and so their attack was almost harmless. The few humans in the cargo bay fled as the doors to the space beyond began to open. Reaching the closest Fighter, Obi-Wan jumped in and initiated the engine. He would not have long before someone realised what was happening and closed he bay doors.
The ship rose and, at full speed, headed for the still opening doors. No, wait, they had started to close. Gritting his teeth, Obi-Wan forced all the acceleration out of the small ship. The bay doors would close, but he would be on the other side of them. The blaster fire that the droids fired at him damaged the outer shell of the Fighter though Obi-Wan was not concerned as he could see it was mostly superficial.
'That's the trouble with droids, not too bright and can't think for themselves.'
The gap continued to close. With a final lurch forward Obi-Wan's vessel scraped through the gap. Now, out in space, he was even more of a target. Quickly he set the lightdrive coordinates and engaged the drive. Obi-Wan was forced back into his seat as he made the jump, but not before the jolt of a blast knocked him forward. His head connected with the control panel.
As he lost consciousness and the stars became lines around him, he hoped he would wake before reaching Tatooine. The ship would pull out of lightspeed itself, however he did not want to be found drifting is space close to a planet controlled by Hutts.
