Author Note: Well, its getting near the end now guys, and I'm wondering, should I kill Jango, or shouldn't I. I dunno if I like him enough to keep him alive, but judging from some of your reviews, you guys are beginning to warm to him...hmmm...I guess I'll have to write two endings again...oh well, on with the story!
Maul sat with his men by the fire the next morning. News of Jango's night time meeting had traveled fast around the camp, and now everyone was talking about it. The men were now eating breakfast, confused at what they should be doing now. If a mighty warrior like Jango could show mercy, then perhaps they could too. Perhaps they could just sail home now, whilst they still had the chance.
Maul had to admit that he was beginning to like this idea of running now while he still had the chance. But then he noticed the soldier sitting beside him was whittling a bit of wood with a sharp knife.
Maul watched the man work and when the soldier notices that he was being watched, he smiled and held up a small wooden horse
"For my boy back home."
Maul nodded, never taking his eyes off the toy horse. An idea had struck him. An idea that would end this war by tomorrow, so that he could sail home to his family and still be seen as a hero.
He jumped up and rushed into Sidious' tent.
Later that morning, the Imperials began collecting wood from the fortifications around the beach.
As Maul watched the men carry the planks and bundles of spikes to an ever-growing pile, Jango approached him.
"Well friend. You've found a way to make the sheep invite the wolves over for dinner," he smiled.
"This is war," Maul replied.
"Sidious will kill them all. Men, women, children -- all of them. You know that."
Jango walked away and Maul followed him.
"My loyalty is to my people, not to Naboo. If this plan works, the war ends in a night. And my men can sail home to their wives," Maul reasoned as Jango carried on walking.
"It's not Naboo you're worried about, is it? It's one Nubian. One Nubian girl," he guessed and Jango halted, staring at Maul for a long time.
"I've always liked you. But if that girl dies because of your plan, you will never sail home to your wife."
Jango stormed off and Maul took a deep breath.
oOo
That afternoon, the sentries were at their posts, warming their hands over
a small fire. One sentry stared down to the sea. He hurried to the edge of the tower and squinted into the distance. The second sentry looked at him and then joined him.
"They're gone," the first sentry exclaimed.
All the ships were gone from the beach. All the tents had been struck, all the speeder taken away, every last man -- gone. Nothing was left on the beach but a strange wooden structure.
oOo
Yoda, Anakin, Panaka, Typho, and Mace, all on speeders, led the Theed Guard onto the beach. The soldiers -- still wary of an ambush -- surrounded their leaders, protecting them from attack. The Nubian leaders dismounted.
Slowly they approached a wooden horse standing forty feet high. They looked around to see that the beach was deserted, save for a few stray weapons, the remnants of the camp fires, and corpses -- dozens of clone bodies scattered in the sands.
Each of the bodies was covered with large black sores. The Nubians inspected the bodies, keeping a wary distance.
"Plague," Yoda studied.
"Don't get too close, my king," Panaka exclaimed.
"They thought they'd come here and sack our city in a day," Mace laughed. "And look at them now, fleeing across the Galaxy."
Yoda stared up at the great horse.
"What is this?" he asked.
"An offering to the gods. They are praying for a safe return home."
"I think we should burn it," Anakin said suddenly.
"Burn it? My prince -- it's a gift to the gods," Typho exclaimed.
"The prince is right. I'd burn all the Empire if I had a big enough torch," Panaka said with a slight smile.
"I warn you, good men. Be careful what you insult," Typho warned. "Our beloved Prince Obi-Wan had sharp words for the gods and a day later Jango's sword cut him down. Now he is in the houses of healing, fighting for his life."
Yoda turned to look at Typho.
"Obi-Wan is improving everyday. He is even able to sit up and talk now."
"Burn it, father," Anakin said again, but Typho ignored him and spoke directly to Yoda.
"Forgive me, my king. I mean no disrespect. But I don't want to see any more princes of Naboo incur the gods' wrath."
All the men looked at Yoda as he stared at the massive horse.
"I will not watch another son be stolen from me," he said at last.
So dozens of Nubian soldiers tugged the horse across the massive plain using long ropes.
They dragged the horse through the gates and the citizens watched from atop the walls and inside the city.
oOo
That night there were celebrations as people drank wine and danced around the massive wooden horse.
Anakin and Padme sat on the palace stairs, watching the crowd. Padme rested her head on Anakin's shoulder and they sat quietly as the crowds sang in the street. Obi-Wan was carried over to join them in a special stretcher.
"Father wouldn't listen then?" he sighed and Anakin shook his head.
"He believes that if we burn it, I'll end up like you."
"Hey, I'm not that bad!" Obi-Wan smiled, trying to lighten the mood.
"It's good to see you looking so well," Padme smiled, placing a hand on Obi-Wan's arm. He smiled kindly at her, glad of her comforting grasp, before a loud cheer interupted their conversation and they all turned their attention back to the city below.
Obi-Wan pulled himself up, winced and groaned, and Padme had to turn away to hide the guilty look that had flooded her face. Everyone had forgiven her, except herself.
Beru was glad to see her again, Anakin continued to express his love for her, Obi-Wan continually reminded her that it wasn't her fault about what had happened to him, and even Sabe had become a very good friend...but Padme just couldn't forgive herself for everything that she had caused.
As though sensing her thoughts, Anakin wrapped a loving arm around her and pulled her tight as another cheer went up from the city square.
oOo
After the square had emptied and the citizens had gone home, the wooden horse waited in the moonlight. Out of the belly of the horse, ropes fell to the ground.
Soldiers emerged from the horse and slid silently down the ropes: Jango, Maul and ten others.
None of them wear the bright white, clanking armor and anything heavy or noisy had been wrapped in lambskins.
Maul led the soldiers across the square. Quiet as shadows, they crept up on the sentries guarding the main gate.
Jango stood alone in the dark square, watching his compatriots set off on their deadly missions. Finally he turned and moved in the opposite direction, toward the palace. He was on a different mission.
oOo
The imperials pulled the gates open and waved burning torches as the signal. From the darkness, something shifted, coming closer and closer.
The clone army, ghosts in the dark, charged toward the city at a silent sprint. Thousands upon thousands of warriors ran as quietly as panthers. Like water bursting through a dam, the clones surged through the gates, rifles and spears raised.
All over the city, they carried out their raids, killing sentries at their posts, setting buildings on fire with torches, opening the stable doors and shooing all the frightened animals into the streets.
Soon the city was in chaos. Fires burned out of control, screams began to echo down the alleyways, first just a few, then more and more, until it seemed the entire city was screaming.
Jango ran through the burning city, keeping to the shadows.
oOo
Yoda was standing on the balcony, watching his beautiful city burn, watching the destruction of his life's work. He watched as the Nubian soldiers began to straggle in, but its clear they're not prepared for battle. Many were unarmed and all looked terrified. Four Nubians ran to the hangers and threw the doors open.
They dove back as a blast of heat and flames rushed out the doors. The hanger was aflame, fires eating at the yellow star fighters, exploding the barrels of fuel.
oOo
Families of terrified civilians staggered through the streets in their bedclothes. Mothers clutched their children's hands, old women fled their burning buildings.
The women screamed when they saw Jango running toward them, pistols drawn. But pillaging was the last thing on his mind.