Chapter 15 The Invasion Begins

The fambaa stood patiently as the shield generators they bore on their backs were activated, creating a huge protective barrier between the Gungan/Naboo army and the droid tanks that would soon open fire on them. General Ceel, a veteran of the last invasion, sat calmly on his kaadu; he knew what would come next, and he was not looking forward to it. The droid transports were now coming into view, many of them; they held, within their bowels, thousands of battle droids. Soon these droids would be deployed and activated by the control ships located above Naboo. General Ceel looked back at his army, a mixture of Gungans and the Naboo; this time, the Gungans would not stand alone against the droids. The shelling began, but just as it had nearly fifteen years previously, the Gungan shield prevented the laser cannons from inflicting any damage or casualties. However, General Ceel knew that the worst was yet to come; they would not be able to stop the droids from breaking through their shield. The fight had yet to begin.

------------

And above them, the pilots of the Naboo Air Corps were about to engage in a battle of their own. The first squadron that had lifted off from the base flew toward a squadron of tri-fighters; and the tri-fighters fired on them. Two Naboo fighters were hit; one exploded immediately, the other spun, out of control, back down to the planet. Tragically, both pilots were lost. The surviving pilots had no time to mourn, however, and answered this attack with one of their own; the tri-fighters were destroyed. As they always had done, Obi-Wan and Anakin flew together; joined by Talme and Dav, it would be their task to take out the control ships as the others covered for them. As one, master and former apprentice flipped to avoid a laser bolt coming their way, then righted their fighters and dove to the left. Like a pas de deux in space, each mirrored the other's moves precisely. Despite the situation, the two Naboo pilots admired the perfectly executed maneuvers Obi-Wan and Anakin performed. Talme, in particular, was awed by their precision; was this the Force at work again? she wondered. As they drew nearer to the control ships, the fighting intensified, the Naboo were able to hold off most of the attacks, but several fighters were lost….

------------

Padme watched as fighters bearing two of the people she felt closest to grow smaller. She heaved as she attempted a stifle the tears that wanted to come. Beside her, Zak squeezed her hand tightly.

"It will be alright, Lady Padme. I know it will." He said, trying to sooth her anxiety.

She bit back her tears and looked down at him, this dark-haired, doe-eyed boy, and saw, not just hope, but certainty. Padme was glad for his presence; his faith in his master and her husband had given her the conviction that it would be alright.

"Yes, I'm sure it will be." She replied firmly. "Let's go."

"Isn't that touching." Boba said sarcastically as he stood holding Gemma's hand.

"Why are you always like that?" Zak asked. "People will die today; doesn't that bother you?"

"People die all the time. My father did." Boba answered.

Zak merely shook his head and took Gemma's hand.

"You can come with us, or you can stay here; the choice is yours, but Gemma is coming with us." He said.

"I told you, I won't go hide; but take her, I don't want anything more to happen to her." Boba replied.

"What did happen, Boba?" Padme asked.

"It's a long story; and since you're leaving, I don't have time to go into it." Boba answered.

"Then come with us." Padme suggested.

"No." Boba replied stubbornly, folding his arms.

"Why not? There's nothing for you here, and I would really like your help." Zak said.

"My help; you're going to hide; what would you like me to do, hold your hand?" Boba asked sarcastically.

"You have no idea how serious this is, do you? The droid army has already landed and this city could be overrun. I'm not going to hide, Boba; there's a very good chance I will have to fight to protect Lady Padme and her family." Zak told him. "I need your help…I really need your help."

Gemma looked up at Boba, her little eyes pleading and touched his arm.

"Please, Boba." She said. "Don't leave Gemma."

It was the first words she had spoken since they had first rescued her; Zak had begun to wonder if she could speak at all. The words apparently melted Boba's heart and his features softened.

"Alright, Gemma; Boba won't leave you." He assured her and then turned to Zak. "I'm doing this for her, not for you."

"Understood; in that case, I won't thank you." Zak answered.

Boba looked back at him.

"You're so strange." He said.

"Well, if you two are finished, I think it's time we left." Padme decided as she picked Gemma up.

They walked toward the exit and Padme stopped only long enough to tell Vaan where they would be if he needed to reach her. Wishing both him and Killian luck, Padme, her Jedi protector, a young partially reformed bounty hunter and a little orphaned girl departed.

"And good luck to you too, Lady Skywalker." He said when they had gone.

------------

"Oh look, Obi-Wan; your old friends have come to meet you." Anakin announced.

"What?...Oh no; I hate those things." Obi-Wan answered as he noticed half a dozen vulture droids heading in their direction. "I suppose I have to be the bait again."

"But you're so good at it." Anakin replied. "Break right on my mark."

"Alright, Anakin; but I hate this." Obi-Wan said.

"Don't worry, I have your back; this is going to be fun." Anakin told him.

"Fun for who?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Break right now, Obi-Wan." Anakin instructed.

Obi-Wan's fighter broke to the right, and the vultures followed him.

"Hurry up, Anakin; I can't dodge them all day." Obi-Wan urged.

"Hold on, hold on; I'm coming." Anakin answered. "Artoo, target the closest one."

Artoo beeped. "That's right, Artoo." Anakin said and fired on it; it exploded and as Anakin had hoped, took another one with it.

"See; that was easy." Anakin told his partner.

"Lovely, but I still have four of them on me." Obi-Wan replied.

"We're working on that." Anakin answered as Artoo locked onto another one and Anakin fired at it.

"Well, work faster, I'm running out of tricks." Obi-Wan said as another vulture was destroyed.

"Three down, Obi-Wan." Anakin replied as he watched Obi-Wan roll and switch directions. "Hey, what are you…"

Obi-Wan, tired of Anakin's little game had turned on the vultures tailing him, fired and destroyed the one closest.

"Oh; good shot, brother." Anakin said. "But look out, there's one coming right at you."

"Got him."Obi-Wan replied as he destroyed it.

But the last one managed to shoot off a missile before either Anakin or Obi-Wan could hit it.

"Uh oh." Anakin said at the same time he heard Obi-Wan's characteristic "Oh dear."

Anakin destroyed the vulture and Obi-Wan banked left to avoid the missile, but it had already targeted him and followed him into the bank.

"Not good...Anakin?"Obi-Wan said as he banked this time to the right with the missile hot on his tail.

"Dive down, Obi-Wan; and I'll see if I can't hit it." Anakin instructed as his game had suddenly taken a very deadly turn.

Anakin flipped his fighter and turned back towards Obi-Wan. The missile was hot on the Jedi master's tail and getting almost close enough to trigger the proximity sensors that would release the buzz droids. Anakin could now only watch helplessly, knowing that even if he destroyed the missile now, the buzz droids inside would still be able to track his brother's fighter. A new problem presented itself when another squadron of tri-fighters headed their way.

"Destroy the missile, Anakin." Obi-Wan said.

"What! I can't do that, it's too close to you." Anakin replied.

"Just do it." Obi-Wan ordered in a tone Anakin had not heard since he had been Obi-Wan's apprentice.

"But it will activate the buzz droids." Anakin protested.

"Oh, I'm counting on that." Obi-Wan answered.

"But…" Anakin began and stopped as he caught Obi-Wan's thought. "But will it work?"

"If we time it just right." Obi-Wan replied as he pushed his fighter to its limits.

The tri-fighters were closing the distance between them. Obi-Wan angled his fighter only slightly, seeming to play a deadly game of chicken until they were nearly on top of him. It was not even necessary for him to alert Anakin; the young former Jedi knew it was time. Obi-Wan dipped his craft straight down into a dive at the precise moment that Anakin fired. The missile exploded setting hundreds of debris-like buzz droids free….straight into the midst of the tri-fighters. Obi-Wan flipped his fighter in the opposite direction, unscathed, to rejoin Anakin.

"Good shot, brother." Obi-Wan said.

"Good flying." Anakin replied as they paired up again, flipped in unison and banked toward their target. This display did not go unnoticed; Talme again marveled at the skills of the two Jedi and the apparent awesome power of the Force as she and her partner formed up briefly with them before turning towards the target.

------------

The bombardment had stopped as the droid army transports maneuvered into position. The doors slid open and the racks loaded with battle droids rolled out; row upon row were deployed. The droids in the squatted position, along with the combined armies of Naboo and Gunga, awaited their activation. At nearly the same time, a different type of droid entered the battlefield. These were the super battle droids of Geonosis; unfamiliar to both natives of Naboo. These droids were larger, more sturdily built and did not appear to carry weapons. As the defenders of Naboo watched, the battle droids stood as one, retrieved their weapons from their backs and advanced. Moments later, the super battle droids joined them. The battle all of Naboo had dreaded was about to begin.

------------

In Theed City, preparations for the coming siege had begun. Houses were shuttered and civilian husbands stood beside their wives to protect their homes and their children. Jobal Nabbierre greeted her daughter with a great hug and ushered her and her three companions into the house without question. Padme's children came running and wrapped their little arms around her as she knelt down to hug them tightly. However, they quickly squirmed out of her grasp and turned their attention to Zak; tackling him. Unprepared for this onslaught, Zak was propelled back and landed on his rump. The twins giggled uncontrollably, refusing to relinquish their hold on him until Padme pulled them back so he could stand. Boba stood quietly, one hand clutching Gemma's, waiting. When the excitement died down, Padme turned to her mother.

"Mother, this is Zak." She said, touching his shoulder. "He's here to protect us in case…"

"He's just a boy, Padme!" Jobal exclaimed.

"A Jedi, Mother." Padme corrected. "He's quite capable of defending us."

"Oh, is he the boy who went with Anakin to find Master Kenobi?" Jobal asked.

"Yes, he's Master Kenobi's Padawan learner." Padme answered.

"Pleased to meet you, Zak." Jobal said politely and then turned to Boba. "And this is…?"

"Boba Fett, bounty hunter." Boba told her proudly. "And this is my sister, Gemma."

Jobal Nabbierre's jaw dropped and for a moment, she could find no words.

"A bounty hunter? You brought a bounty hunter here! Padme, how could you!" She finally managed to say.

"He helped us, Mother; and he's here to help Zak." Padme explained.

"But he drags his sister around with him! Where are their parents?" Jobal asked.

"My father is dead." Boba answered angrily. "And so are Gemma's parents; I found her and I'm taking care of her."

"Didn't anybody ever teach you manners?" Zak asked.

"What?" Boba asked.

"You know, manners; like being polite." Zak answered.

"Why?" Boba asked.

Zak shook his head, "never mind." He replied.

"It's alright, Zak; you know how he is." Padme said.

"How I am? What does that mean?" Boba asked, perplexed.

"Forget it, Boba." Padme and Zak replied simultaneously.

"Well, this little one needs a bath." Jobal decided.

"Yes, I thought I would do that after everyone is settled in." Padme told her.

"I'm sorry, Lady Padme; but I don't think we have time." Zak said suddenly.

"What is it, Zak?" Padme asked, concerned.

"They're already here." Zak answered.

"We know that; the Gungans…" Padme began.

"No; here, in the city." Zak informed them.

"In Theed City? How could you possibly know that?" Jobal wondered.

"He's a Jedi, Mother; he knows." Padme explained. "Zak, what should we do?"

"Take you mother and the children and hide." Zak instructed.

"But then what are you going to do?" Jobal asked.

"My job." Zak answered simply.

Zak had been right; unexpectedly, one transport of battle droids had been dropped into the city. The activated droids were systematically searching the houses and were attempting to take prisoners. There was much resistance, however even though many droids were destroyed, the sheer number of remaining droids was beginning to overwhelm the city. Against all odds, Ruwee Nabbierre managed to find his way to his home to rejoin his family gathered there. He walked into his house to be greeted by Boba Fett's blaster pistol pointed at his chest. Only Zak's intervention saved Padme's father from certain death.

"That's Lady Padme's father, Boba." He shouted as he grabbed the end of the pistol and pointed it away from the startled man.

"Oh, sorry." Boba replied quietly.

"Who are you two? And what are you doing in my house?" Ruwee asked.

"I'm sorry, sir; I'm Zak Perrin. My master, Obi-Wan Kenobi gave me orders to protect Lady Padme and her family." Zak explained. "And this is Boba Fett; he's helping me."

"Where is everyone else?" Ruwee asked as his eyes wandered around the room.

"Down below. I thought it was the best place for them to hide. You should join them." Zak answered.

"I really think I should stay up here and help you." Ruwee argued.

"No; my master gave me strict instructions to protect you and your family." Zak countered firmly. "Please, sir."

Ruwee nodded, "I understand, Zak; I wish you both luck." He said as he turned to the door leading to the basement level.