A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….
"Send a transmission to the blockade," Queen Amidala commanded, striding into the throne room. "I wish to speak with Viceroy Gunray."
Drinna Berik, in her place behind the throne, raised an eyebrow at the fourteen year old queen. This was unexpected, to say the least. Drinna had known the Queen of Naboo to be… impulsive. She wouldn't have made the perfect Jedi had she been Force-sensitive.
"Again you come before us, Your Highness," the Viceroy said, gazing steadily upon the Queen with those watery eyes. Drinna would have shuddered if she hadn't had better self-control.
"You will not be so pleased when you hear what I have to say, Viceroy. Your trade boycott of our planet has ended." The two Neimoidians turned to look at each other. Drinna resisted the urge to look at the Queen in confusion. She hadn't heard of anything that would end the blockade.
"I was not aware of such failure," Gunray returned.
"I have word that the chancellor's ambassadors are with you now," the Queen replied, "and that you have been commanded to reach settlement." Now Drinna really was surprised. For the Senate to take such action already?
"I know nothing of any ambassadors," the Viceroy returned. "You must be mistaken." Drinna mentally shook her head. Trust those cowardly Neimoidians to be slimy when it came to money. They had to have a contact on the inside.
"Beware, Viceroy. The Federation has gone too far this time." Drinna applauded the young queen for keeping her cool.
"We would never do anything without the approval of the senate. You assume too much."
"We will see." With that, Drinna stepped forward and cut communications off.
"Negotiations haven't started because the ambassadors aren't there? How could that be true?" Senator Palpatine, a longtime friend of Naboo, said. Neither Drinna nor her master had met the man. "I have assurances from the chancellor his ambassadors did arrive. It must - handiwork - negotiate - ambassadors - nobody would -"
The transmission, which had been flickering, had now gone out completely.
"Senator Palpatine," the Queen spoke. When nothing happened, she turned and looked at her head of security. "What's happening?"
"Check the transmission generator," Captain Panaka commanded. A nearby officer pulled out his comlink and began to speak in hushed tones.
"A communications disruption can only mean one thing: invasion." Governor Sio Bibble sometimes got on Drinna's nerves. Drinna forced herself to take deep, calming breaths as the pessimistic governor of Naboo finished speaking.
"The Federation would not dare go that far," the Queen observed. Drinna silently agreed.
"The senate would revoke their trade franchise, and they'd be finished," Captain Panaka added.
"We must continue to rely on negotiation," Queen Amidala finished.
"Negotiation?" the governor replied incredulously. "We've lost all communications. And where are the chancellor's ambassadors?"
Captain Panaka took a deep breath and strode forward, speaking lowly to the Queen.
"This is a dangerous situation, Your Highness. Our security volunteers will be no match against a battle-hardened Federation army."
"Do not forget you have the support of my Master and myself," Drinna whispered, leaning forward from her position. The Queen gave Drinna a small nod of gratitude.
The throne room was silent as death, Drinna observed. It wasn't often one could make a group of politicians silent. But Viceroy Gunray and his blockade had certainly done that.
The Padawan observed those around her, like her Master had taught her to do. She was especially careful to judge the fourteen year old queen beside her. A lot of stress was being put on the girl. She could only hope it wasn't too much.
Having only been on the beautiful planet of Naboo for a month, Drinna knew very little about the politics its leaders engaged in. She didn't know if it would be proper for her to step in and speak her mind.
The queen decided that for her.
"I will not condone a course of action that will lead us to war."
"Tell me, Padawan Berik, what would you do if your actions could lead to peace or war on your planet?" the young queen asked. Drinna gave a humorless laugh.
"My home-planet is full of stubborn people," Drinna returned. "We've been at war with ourselves for ages. Not to mention the other invasions that have happened. In the history of my planet, it is often one brave person who sparks liberation. You and your planet are not in the wrong. You will have the support of the Senate, you just need to hold out. If anything, the Jedi will not leave you stranded."
"Thank you, Padawan Berik," the Queen said with a silent sigh. "I can only hope that none of my people have to die."
The invasion force had arrived at Theed palace. Drinna hurried through the hallways, sliding to a halt when she saw the Queen bow her head in defeat, still in her previous attire.
"Your Highness, it is not safe here. You cannot be captured and forced to sign anything Gunray has. Come. Your handmaidens are ready and waiting."
Drinna led the Queen through the palace and waited outside of the Queen's rooms. She knew one of the handmaidens would now take the place of the Queen. She just didn't know which one would be the actual Queen.
It was in the throne room itself that the capture happened. Drinna could only wonder where her master was as she stood beside the faux Queen, dressed in black, the mourning color. They had all known this was going to happen.
To Drinna's surprise, Nute Gunray himself walked through the doors, flanked by twenty or so battle droids. Drinna, while confident in her abilities, knew she could not best all of the droids and stood silently by the Queen's side, lightsaber at the ready.
"I would not do that, if I were you, Jedi," the Viceroy said, gazing meaningfully at the lightsaber hilt in Drinna's hands.
Nevertheless, Drinna waited for the Queen's say-so before she put away the weapon.
"If you would come with me and kindly hand over your weapons," the Neimoidian said, a slimy smile working its way onto his face. "The Queen and I have much to discuss."
"How will you explain this invasion force to the senate?" Governor Bibble asked as the group went down the stairs.
"The Queen and I will sign a treaty that will legitimize our occupation here," Gunray replied easily. "I have assurances it will be ratified by the senate."
"I will not cooperate," the faux Queen said, perfectly imitating the Queen's tones.
"Now, now, Your Highness. In time, the suffering of your people will persuade you to see our point of view." Drinna and one of the handmaidens exchanged looks of horror that were quickly hidden behind masks of calm. The group stopped at the foot of the stairs as yet another battle droid approached. "Commander."
"Yes, sir."
"Process them."
"Captain, take them to Camp Four."
"Roger, roger."
"Take the Jedi elsewhere," the Viceroy said, gripping Drinna's upper arm as she moved to join the Queen and her people.
Ten droids surrounded the Padawan as she cast a backwards glance toward the Queen of Naboo.
Soon enough, Drinna found out where her master had been. The two Jedi, reunited but without their lightsabers, had been taken to the main hangar, kneeling down with their hands on their heads by one of the Queen's private starships.
"Where is the Queen, Padawan?" Kyla Lergo asked Drinna.
"Last I saw her, with Gunray and being taken to Camp Four. They should have arrived by now," Drinna responded, her eyes averted in shame.
"Have a little faith, my Padawan. If it is the will of the Force, this invasion will not last long."
"Yes, Master."
Drinna perked up after a moment. She felt familiar prescences. The Queen, yes. The faux queen and the other handmaidens as well. Captain Panaka, Governor Bibble… and two Jedi.
"I feel them, too," Master Lergo replied. "Tell me if you recognize them."
Drinna reached out through the Force… the familiar presence of an old friend… she had trained with him…
"Obi-Wan Kenobi and his master, Qui-Gon Jinn," Drinna said with absolute certainty. She had recognized him the moment he had reached out with the Force, feeling familiar prescences as well. Drinna knew he had recognized her Force signature as well.
Sure enough, Drinna saw the droids guarding her and her master look up when she felt Obi-Wan and Master Jinn enter the main hangar.
"We'll need to free those pilots," Captain Panaka called from behind them.
"I'll deal with that." It was Obi-Wan. Drinna would recognize that voice anywhere, and involuntarily smiled. He had quickly become her friend when they were just Initiates.
The Commander in charge of the two Jedi stopped the remainder of the party behind them.
"I'm ambassador to the supreme chancellor," Master Jinn responded. "I'm taking these people to Coruscant."
"Where are you taking them?" the droid asked. Drinna rolled her eyes.
"To Coruscant."
"Coruscant? Uh, that doesn't compute. Uh, wait. You're under arrest," the droid responded. Drinna let out a little sigh and she sat back on her heels, the droids that had been previously watching them now distracted.
"Patience, my Padawan," Master Lergo chuckled.
In an instant, blasterfire rang out and the familiar hum of two lightsabers joined the fray. Another instant and the droids were reduced to smithereens as the pilots around them flocked to safety.
"Come on. Move!" Master Jinn called, forcing the oncoming droids away.
Master Lergo pulled her lightsaber from the demolished body of a nearby droid and entered the fray, Drinna following seconds behind.
As the last of the battle droids lay defeated, Master Lergo turned to Master Jinn.
"We'll handle things from here. Get the Queen to safety."
Obi-Wan smiled at Drinna, who returned the gesture, before running up the ramp of the Queen's starship. Master Jinn nodded to the other Master-apprentice duo and followed as destroyers made their way to the hangar.
The two Jedi threw droid parts at the destroyers, crushing them. Drinna was honestly surprised it worked, but the destroyers hadn't been able to get their shields up in time.
Drinna stopped in her tracks as she gazed at the retreating pilots. Something unpleasant twisted at her gut. Slimy, swirling, cold, and cruel.
"I feel it," her Master responded softly, slowing as well.
The feeling grew and Drinna looked to the entrance of the hangar. A figure dressed in all black appeared at the doors.
"Drinna, run," her Master breathed, hissing out a sharp breath as the figure pulled a lightsaber hilt from the folds of its robes.
The red and black skin of the creature curled into a snarl as it threw back its hood. Drinna, while she did not recognize the sharp black lines on the creature's face, recognized that it was a Zabrak, like herself. Only, this Zabrak must have been from Dathomir, not Iridonia, her home-planet.
"Drinna! Run!" Master Lergo called, not sparing a glance as her Padawan. Drinna, previously frozen in shock, hastily turned her lightsaber off and clicked her lightsaber in place on her belt. Stumbling backward at the pure fear and hatred radiating off of the Zabrak before her, Drinna turned and ran toward the open hangar, stopping only when she realized her Master was not following her.
"Master-"
"Go, Drinna. Do not look back." Drinna reached out with the Force. Her master was calm, but Drinna was almost brought to her knees with the strength of emotions and darkness curling off of the Zabrak's skin.
Drinna turned and ran as the Zabrak lit its lightsaber and advanced on her master, stopping only when she reached the edge of the hangar, the only sounds left in the hangar the humming of the two lightsabers.
"Go, Drinna!" her master repeated. Without hesitation, Drinna jumped, using the Force to cushion her fall. Then she was off running again.
Drinna bit back a scream of pain as she felt residual heat graze her upper arm. She knew logically it was not her own pain. Her Master was in trouble. But her Master had said to run and not look back, so she pushed the pain down, drowning it in the Force as she went, crashing through jungled swampland.
The occasional jolt of heat and pain would greet her, but Drinna grit her teeth and kept running, breathing heavily and listening to the squish of her feet in the mud and counting steps aimlessly.
Drinna stopped, gasping for breath as she fell to her knees. Something was happening. The sick, twisted feeling returned in her gut. Her Master was in pain, screaming through the bond they shared. Drinna gasped at the onslaught, clutching her head.
"No!" Drinna yelled into the void of the jungle. "Master!"
And then there was an overwhelming pain in her head and… and emptiness. She felt… pain, fire, everything burning… and then a moment of calm before her head nearly ripped itself apart.
The first thing Drinna did when she woke up was reach out in the Force. It was instinctual, but it brought her gasping out of the trance she had been in.
Empty. That's all she felt. Empty.
Drinna slowly sat up, pulling her knees to her chest as she gasped for breath. Her Master could fix this. Her Master would know what to do. So Drinna reached out through the Force for her Master, and immediately recoiled.
She felt… nothing. Where the bond had been between Master and apprentice was now nothing.
Kyla Lergo was dead and had been killed by the twisted Zabrak.
Drinna didn't know how to feel… Perhaps she should be sad, filled with grief. She had just lost her Master, her friend, her parental figure. Or maybe she should be angry that that darksider had killed her Master. Or angry at herself for running. She could have stopped it. She should have stopped it. But most of all, Drinna recognized fear in her jumble of emotions. She was afraid of the Darksider. And she didn't know why.
Drinna slowly released herself from the position she had been in, moving towards a standard meditation form. She could reflect on her surroundings later. She could reflect on the Darksider later. But now, she needed to release herself from the suffocating emotions.
Taking a deep breath, Drinna focused on her grief. It was there, poignant and stabbing through her two hearts. Drinna nearly sobbed as she felt it twist against her wishes, driving deeper into the wound. Taking a deep, gulping, shuddering breath, Drinna dived deeper into her grief and found the source, letting the pain claw at her heart for a minute before she let it go and felt it dissipate.
Drinna sagged against the wall behind her. The effort of letting go of one emotion without her Master's help had drained her. The Force, her emotions, everything was pressing in on her, threatening to break the dam.
It was at that exact moment that a Gungan walked up to her and tapped her.
"Excusa me," it said roughly. "Yousa better come with meesa." Drinna stood shakily, finally noticing her surroundings.
Otoh Gunga.
To say that the place was a metaphor for her life right now would be an understatement. She was drowning, underwater like the city but her bubble of protection was keeping the pressure from getting to her, keeping her from collapsing. Drinna gulped as she imagined the protective barriers collapsing, her fear peeking out from the bubble she had forced it into to examine later when the Gungan had come to retrieve her.
How had she gotten here?
"Meesa Cap'n Tarpals," the Gungan said. "And yousa?"
Drinna was startled as she was jerked from her thoughts. The Gungan was speaking to her. It… He wanted her name.
"Padawan Drinna Berik," she responded softly. "How did I get here?"
"Weesa found yousa in the swamps, lookin' kinda dead," Captain Tarpals responded, urging her forward not unkindly. "Weesa thinkin' yousa needin' help."
"Thank you," Drinna replied.
"Weesa here."
At Captain Tarpal's prompting, Drinna stepped into a room where the Gungan leaders sat.
"Who is yousa?" the leader in the center asked.
"I am Padawan Drinna Berik," Drinna replied, forcing herself to stand taller despite her shaky limbs. "My Master, Kyla Lergo, and I were assigned to guard Queen Amidala when the Trade Federation began their blockade against Naboo. The Queen was able to get away with the help of another Jedi and his Padawan, but my Master was killed by a Force user. An evil one. The Trade Federation will not stop with Theed Palace. They will come for you next! You must-"
"Enough," the leader in the center bellowed. "Wesa have heard enough from yous two Jedi friends. Wesa no thinkin' desa come foren us."
"Please, you must understand the threat they pose to you!" Drinna protested, attempting to take a step forward and nearly tripping over her feet. "The Trade Federation is greedy and will stop at nothing to get what they want! You have to at least set patrols to keep your city safe!"
The room, much like the throne room in Theed Palace had been, was deathly silent as the Gungan leaders thought over Drinna's words.
"Wesa think about it," the center leader finally said. "But wesa cannot take chancen that theysa find ussen through yousa. Yousa will stay here."
Drinna didn't know how long she'd been sitting there, alone. She could only hope the Gungans would listen to her and at least set up patrols.
If anyone is as stubborn as a Zabrak, it has to be the Gungans, Drinna thought.
On Coruscant, Obi-Wan Kenobi nearly burst into laughter. It was night and he was set to return to Naboo the next morning. Obi-Wan had been meditating and reaching out through the Force for some time, now. He'd felt a ripple in the Force nearly four days ago, and he was wondering if Drinna knew anything about it.
You'd be surprised, Obi-Wan responded through the Force. Drinna started in surprise. Though I doubt anyone could be as stubborn as you.
Obi-Wan! The Zabrak was relieved to feel the presence of her friend.
Hello, Drinna. I'm relieved to feel your presence as well. Is everything alright on Naboo?
Drinna sighed, pausing to shift into a meditation stance.
No. My Master is…
Obi-Wan nearly recoiled at the strong emotions Drinna had unwittingly sent through their temporary link. Anger. Sadness, though that was faint, Obi-Wan realized. Fear. Fear everywhere.
Drinna.
Drinna inhaled sharply and exhaled, forcing her emotions back down.
I apologize, she responded. My Master has been killed. By a Darksider.
A red-skinned Zabrak? Obi-Wan asked.
How did you-
We encountered him on Tatooine.
Why were you on Tatooine? Is everyone alright? Is the Queen safe?
Obi-Wan chuckled lightly. The younger Padawan always made him smile when she got concerned.
We're alright. We're set to head back to Naboo tomorrow. Obi-Wan nearly gasped as Drinna cringed. Drinna? Is everything-
So much… pain… suffering. Obi-Wan could feel Drinna gasping for breath.
Drinna! Obi-Wan hadn't realized he had shouted her name until his Master entered the room.
"Obi-Wan, what is it?" Obi-Wan let out a deep breath as he stared at Qui-Gon Jinn.
"Our temporary link has been severed," he sighed, standing from his position. "But not before she was able to share some terrible news."
"I think it is best we speak with the Council immediately."
"Yes, I agree, Master."
Drinna huddled in her cell, if that's what it could be called. She could hear the Gungans screaming for help as the general alarm sounded. Many of them had been slaughtered already, she knew. Just as the humans of Naboo had been.
"Yousa! Get up!" Captain Tarpals shouted, rushing in and yanking Drinna up. "Wesen under attack!"
Drinna ran alongside Tarpals, observing the fearful Gungans. Their emotions screamed at her, nearly drowning her as she fought to shut them out.
But there was a more powerful feeling seeping into the Gungan city. Rage.
It was the Darksider, Drinna knew. She felt it in her gut, writhing, twisting, clawing, screaming darkness and hate.
Captain Tarpals was dragging the Padawan now, her mind at the surface of the lake where the Zabrak was slaughtering the patrols of Gungans.