Part 28: Duel Of The Fates (Part One)
As their "borrowed" partol vehichle approached the docking bay, Arnold Skywalker and Gerald Windu were both crouched as low as they could be, without exposing who they were to the other battle droids and Federation personel.
Their lightsabers were in their hands, still deactivated, but ready when the time came.
Arnold could feel a disturbance in the Force and, searching out with his feelings, he could sense what was happening...Helga was fighting for her life somewhere in the ship.
Gerald, seeing that the young Padawan was almost ready to give in to his anxieties and charge out unprepared to save someone he obviously loved alot, put a hand on his shoulder and said, "I can feel it too, Arnold. Just one more minute and we will be inside." Gerald knew exactlyt how Arnold felt, remembering that Phoebe was in there somewhere also. Though he could sense her presence through The Force, he was unable to recieve any feelings from her at all. Something was obviously restraining her.
The small patrol vehichle rolled up a large ramp and made its way inside the ship. There Gerald piloted the small vehichle to an empty place and cut it off. The spot was close to the wall, near one of the vents that Arnold and Stinky had used the first time they were aboard.
Before they could descretely exit the vehichle, a battle droid walked over and began, "You are not authorized to..." which was as far as it got before Gerald activated his lightsaber and cut it into two pieces before it could send out an alarm.
"Damn!" Gerald said, frustrated. He'd counted on the element of surprise, which was not lost to them as other droids began to converge on their location.
"The vent shaft!" Arnold called out, pointing. Gerald nodded.
Arnold activated his "borrowed" lightsaber and they both exited the vehichle together, running to the vent shaft, dodging lazer blasts aimed at them. Arnold, using the Force to rip the vent cover off, ran into the vent shaft, followed by Gerald, who also dived in quickly.
About a dozen battle droids and several rolling droidekas converged on the open shaft near the patrol vehichle to follow them in...but the explosion from the overloading engine of the vehichle (which Gerald rigged up before they left) destroyed them all,as well as set off a chain reaction that ruined the whole lower docking bay.
"What is going on?" Viceroy Rhonda demanded.
Commander Nadine checked the monitors, "An explosion in Docking Bay Two."
"I'll go check on it," Harold Fett said, putting his helmet back on and leaving.Meanwhile, in the dark throne room, Helga Amidala was engaged in the fight of her life with the twisted Darth Curly as both of their lightsabers clashed in the semi-lit room, casting red and blue light with every connection of the repelling engergies of the weapons.
Helga was backing up, trying her best to try some sort of offense against the Sith Lord, with little success. Indeed she was barely managing to hold her own, however, much to Darth Curly's amazement, the girl actually was.
The self-appointed Emperor Olga watched on in amused glee at the fight before her.
In the far corner of the room, Big Bob and Master Phoebe, both of whom were feining unconsciousness while Big Bob was working on the lock of the Force restraining collar around the small Jedi's neck, tried their very best to avoid drawing attention to themselves until the task was done.
Big Bob was silently praying along with Master Phoebe that Helga would be ok. Phoebe watched on with one eye open as Helga was being backed up towards the carbon freezing pit and the conversion apparatus. She was very worried and hoped that Helga managed to avoid it.
Darth Curly, for his part, knew exactly what he was doing as he backed the girl ever closer to the mouth of the carbon freezing pit. He slashed, Helga ducked and he kicked the lightsaber from her hand. It went sliding across the floor to the foot of the stairs.
Helga backed up worried to the edge of the pit.
"Your destiny lies with us, Helga Amidala! You know it is true!" Curly said to her.
"You'll have to destroy me!" Helga shouted back defiantly. She no longer feared her own death. Indeed, if it was her destiny to die here and now then she would hopefully be with Arnold again.
Darth Curly only smiled, seeing her heels at the edge of the pit. "That wont be necessary." He used the Force to knock her into the pit. He smiled triumphantly as he used the Force again to activate the controls and a screen of steam suddely emerged from the pit.
From over in the corner, Phoebe gasped and Big Bob looked worried. Olga, still sitting in her throne, smiled in triumph.
Darth Curly deactivated the one side of his lightsaber that was lit and muttered, "All too easy. I guess you are not as strong as the Emperor thought." He smiled a dark amused smile.
His amusement, as well as Olga's was short lived.
"Time will tell you big doughnut hole!"
Darth Curly blinked, startled. Helga shouldn't be able to talk at this point, she should be frozen! He looked up hearing a noise and saw, through the haze of the steam, that Helga was hanging over the pit by the large cables and hoses.
"Impressive," muttered Darth Curly as he swiped at her with his reactivated lightsaber, cutting one of the hoses releasing steam. "Most impressive my sweet...Ahh!" Helga fliped from the ceiling as Darth Curly charged at her, she used the Force to turn the steaming hose on him and extende her hand to call Arnold's lightsaber back to her other hand.
Their lightsabers clashed again.
Darth Curly nodded a little, "Arnold Skywalker has taught you well, I just hope that he was able to do a better job that he apparently could in practice." He smiled cruely.
Helga's eyes flashed at that. She was about to attack, when he noticed Olga's grin and stopped herself. Darth Curly was still trying to manipulate her into using her anger and the Dark Side of the Force. She knew she had to remain calm as Gertie and Arnold had taught her...
Arnold, she thought sadly, trying to focus on her good feelings and her strengths to defeat this monster before her, knowing it may be her only chance.
Darth Curly lunged again, a sneer on his face...
To Be Continued...
Way To Go Helga!!! Just hold on for one more chapter...it will be here just as soon as I go take care of that annoying little gungan at the door...(activates red lightsaber)...lol! Stay tuned! D.R.