It took a long time to lose the Acklay, and even longer to elude the Geonosian guards that seemed to come at them from all directions, but at last Jacen and the two Masters found themselves in a place of temporary safety, an alcove at the junction of two passages, with time to catch their breath and consider their options.
"We've lost Master, and Anakin and the Queen." Jacen said worriedly. Dooku looked expectantly at Qui-Gon, so he did too.
The younger Master stared into the distance, face remote but intent, focused on the Force. "This way." he said and headed purposefully up the passage immediately opposite their hiding place.
The Jedi heard or sensed something coming and hustled Amidala into a convenient recess. They huddled there, trying not to breath too loudly - and a stubby blue R2 unit rolled around the bend of the passage ahead to bleep inquiringly.
"Artoo Detoo!" Anakin practically squeaked, then stepped out of hiding to confront his droid. "What are you doing here?" he was answered by a spate of bleeps and whistles which he interrupted impatiently. "Where's Threepio?" a rather discouraged sounding bleep from Artoo. "Well find him and get back to the ship!" the little droid emitted an angry squealing buzz that needed no translation. "Listen, Artoo, we're going to have to get out of here in a hurry. I want the ship warmed up and ready to go the minute we're aboard, you got that?" a chastened bleep showed that he did.
The R2 unit seemed to droop a moment, then turned and started back up the corridor. "And find Threepio!" Anakin called after him. A long whistle of acknowledgement floated back as the droid disappeared around the bend.
Anakin turned and gave his companions an apologetic shrug. "He just wanted to help. Artoo's got a lot of initiative."
"There's an understatement for you." Obi-Wan said dryly.
Qui-Gon's long stride faltered and a frown of concentration wrinkled his brow.
A look of concern flickered over Dooku's face and they exchanged glances. Jacen, who wasn't sensing anything out of the ordinary, looked at them both anxiously.
Moving slowly and cautiously they continued down the passage and around a sharp corner. A tall, thin, black cowled figure stood there, waiting for them, with Jango Fett's armored form at her shoulder and a row of super battle droids behind them.
"Madam Moore." Dooku's expressive voice held a silken mockery. "You rate yourself lightly, Lady Sith. Is all this really necessary for two old men and a boy?"
"Unlike my predecessor I do not allow overconfidence to lead me into folly." she replied as a second file of four giant battle droids marched into position behind the three Jedi.
Jacen pivoted to face them. 'Oh help.' he thought, and glanced quickly over his shoulder at the two Masters, neither of whom had turned a hair. He just hoped that meant they had a plan. The battle droids leveled their weapons, Jacen gulped and had just a second to think 'Looks like we don't have time for a plan.' before the droids opened fire.
Blaster-bolts crossed and re-crossed, sizzling through the air as they ricocheted off three flashing lightsabres exploding against rock walls and the plating of the massive droids. When the stone dust cleared all eight droids were down and Lady Sinistra and her metal cased flunky had vanished.
"We should go after them." said Dooku.
Qui-Gon shook his head. "No. first we must find Anakin and the Queen."
"And Master Obi-Wan." said Jacen.
Qui-Gon smiled at him. "I trust Obi-Wan to take care of himself, but looking after Anakin and Queen Amidala as well is too much to ask - even of him!"
Jacen grinned and Dooku's lips twitched in what might have been a smile. "An excellent point my former Padawan. Very well, we will track down our strayed companions and then go after the Sith together."
Obi-Wan stopped so suddenly Amidala ran into him, and Anakin into her. "What is it?" she whispered, peering over the young Master's out-flung arm.
"Listen."
She did and heard, faintly, the sound of cries and an angry animal roaring echoing down the narrow passage.
"I don't think we want to go that way." Anakin said from behind her.
Obi-Wan nodded grim agreement. "Look for a side passage, maybe we can get around it."
But there were no side passages. The winding corridor let them inexorably closer to the sounds. Peeking cautiously out of the narrow archway they found themselves looking into a large open space at the intersection of several tunnels. The Acklay was there, roaring and striking out with its huge pinchers at the darting forms of Geonosian picadors trying to herd it with their static pikes.
"Didn't we just leave this party?" Anakin asked in a whisper.
Obi-Wan ignored the comment. "This way." he said and led them out into the space. Fortunately both monster and picadors were far too busy to notice the three forms flitting quickly around a rock buttress and into a narrow crevice on its far side.
It seemed to be a natural fissure, irregularly shaped and winding upward. It was very narrow, tight enough in spots to give even Amidala trouble. How the men were managing she couldn't think but nobody got stuck. Eventually it ended on a narrow gallery overlooking a semi-circular chamber with a number of tunnels leading into it, their archways ranged along the curved wall. They barely had time to see all this before three brown robed forms emerged from one of the openings.
"Jacen!" Obi-Wan's voice was barely more than a whisper but all three Jedi looked up as if they'd heard the call. Jacen's face lit with relief and Amidala thought she saw a slight relaxation in Qui-Gon as well. He signaled for them to come down.
Obi-Wan, unhesitatingly climbed over the railing and held out a hand to her. She drew back - colliding with Anakin at her back - it was at least thirty feet to the floor below.
"Uh, couldn't we look for a stair or a ladder or something?" she suggested nervously.
"No time." Ani said into her ear. "Don't worry, Padme, we know what we're doing." and then he took her by the waist and lifted her over the railing setting her down next to Obi-Wan. She held tightly to the outside of the rail as Anakin climbed over it to join them. "Remember how I caught you when you nearly fell in the holding pen?"
Oh. Well if Ani could do that presumably he and Obi-Wan could keep them from killing themselves jumping from this height. She still wasn't happy but she trusted them.
Below the two Masters and Jacen had skirted the cavern, keeping close to the walls, and now stood waiting expectantly almost directly beneath them. "Now!" Obi-Wan ordered and Amidala took a deep breath and jumped.
They fell, far more slowly than gravity decreed, and landed lightly on the floor below. Amidala got her breath back and wiped sweaty palms against her thighs. 'You know that might almost be fun - with a little practice!'
"I am glad to see your Highness safe," Qui-Gon said formally but with a glint of humor in his eye. "I trust my Padawans have looked after you to your satisfaction."
"Oh yeah, it's been a million laughs." she answered wryly, then felt a sudden surge of guilt. She remembered only too well what Qui-Gon had gone through to get Anakin into the Jedi, how was he going to feel when he learned his Padawan meant to leave the Order? She knew he would never say a word of reproach to either of them - but how could he help but feel rejected, even betrayed? She owed him so much, he deserved better of her than that.
Qui-Gon frowned slightly, probably picking up her turmoil in that uncanny way of his, but only said. "This way."
One tunnel, larger than the others, opened off the chamber's flat wall with bright sunlight at the end of it. Qui-Gon walked briskly up the slightly sloping passage, forcing Amidala to trot to keep up. They emerged suddenly into the light and were greeted by a roar of voices.
Amidala blinked tears and dazzle out of her eyes and realized she was standing inside a circle of Jedi at the edge of a vast arena overlooked by soaring stands filled with innumerable cheering Geonosians.
"I think we took a wrong turn somewhere, Master." Anakin said tightly.
But Qui-Gon shook his head. "No. This is exactly where we want to be."
Amidala stared at him incredulously and was glad to see even the other Jedi were equally taken aback. "Why?"
Suddenly lightsabre blades flamed to life, blue and green, all over the arena; on the walkway below the seats, at the openings of the tunnels and in some of the boxes. The roar of the crowd cut off in shock.
"That's why." the Master said calmly, his voice strangely loud in the sudden silence.