Chapter 1

"You're under arrest!"

Those were the last words spoken by the droid before its "life span" became nonexistent.

Qui-Gon's lightsaber sliced through it with little resistance. Together he and his Padawan began the procedure of securing the hangar and freeing nearby pilots. The older master's lightsaber danced as he successfully deactivated droid after droid; his Padawan dancing in a similar form across the room. The two were unstoppable.

Many of the droids blocked the small group's way to the main ship. Everytime Qui-Gon defeated a handful many more seemed to appear out of the blue. The fight was slowly becoming more exasperating.

Even his Padawan seemed to notice the growing tension; his senses alerted him that Obi-Wan was facing a similar problem. Although he managed to free the Nubian pilots and sent them to join the Queen and her subjects, droids quickly separated Obi-Wan from his master.

Qui-Gon encouraged the pilots to pick up weapons from the fallen droids and use them. They quickly acknowledged and soon Master Jinn was able to fight his way to his closely surrounded Padawan. Time and again when Qui-Gon was sure he would be able to reach him another wave of droids would join the continuing fray. Obi-Wan's slight distress at the nonstop chaos rippled through the Force, which encouraged Qui-Gon even more to fight his way towards him.

A familiar sound near the pair caught his attention for a few seconds—seconds that nearly cost him. Into the hangar came rolling droidekas—destroyer droids. Qui-Gon counted three—then two more joined its brothers. The battle intensified as Obi-Wan was being drawn away from him and into the line-of-fire of the destroyers.

A few shots from the pilots went wild. Qui-Gon noticed that as the droidekas turned their attention away from Obi-Wan to deal with them, some of the blasterfire ricochet off of the nearby Nubian starships. The Force blared a warning in the back of his mind and he struggled to pinpoint exactly where the danger was to occur.

Qui-Gon barely saw it coming.

From the Archived Journal of Master Qui-Gon Jinn

Naboo

Starship Hangar Bay

It became utter chaos.

Slowly the droids managed to surround and corner my Padawan. My efforts of clearing a path to come to his aid were quickly faltered.

The Queen and her court were cut off from escaping into the Royal Starship. In a valiant effort, her guards and pilots were protecting her with determined strength; taking careful aim so as to hit the intended target. One by one the droids fell, but were soon replaced by more. The chaos for them I imagine was almost impossible.

Impossible…if you're not a Jedi.

I then felt a ripple in the Force; a warning. Something was about to happen.

On top of concentrating of getting to Obi-Wan, I quickly made a mental scan of my current situation so as to pinpoint where the danger might occur.

Then the Force allowed a quick glimpse into the few precious seconds I had to react—a glimpse into the future.

One of the blasterbolt's from a fallen pilot was to hit a nearby starship and ricochet…where it was to hit a large canister—a liquid source.

A fuel canister.

One that was stationed barely a breath away from the destroyer droids—

--and dangerously close to Obi-Wan.

I acted immediately.

In two quick strokes I took down three droids and yelled at Obi-Wan. Another swing and I took down a fourth and sidestepped; ready to leap to my Padawan's side. With how many droids he faced he didn't react in time.

The blasterbolt went off and hit its unexpected obstacle.

The destroyers were scattered as pieces flew everywhere from the intense blast. Not even the lone droids were able to escape the inevitable.

Nor was Obi-Wan…

As I yelled he turned his attention towards me and was suddenly flown off of his feet and went skidding across the polished floor. The Queen's escorts were momentarily stunned by what had just happened before they ran for the Royal Starship. In turn I went straight for my Padawan.

He was knocked unconscious and part of his face was smeared from the searing flame and smoke. Without much effort I lifted his lifeless body into my arms and rushed inside the ship.