ORD MANTELL

The Millenium Falcon swept in towards the planet, entered atmosphere and eventually settled in a dockingbay in Worlport, the planets capitol. Sandahar Sing gave his crew orders to refit the ship, have her fueled and ready, and avoid spending any credits on alcohol and women.

Sandahar escorted the two jedi, Satele Shan and her padawan Kayo Kai Kahn, through the city; a succesfull society of trade and commerce, of craftsmen and entertainers. The smuggler took them to a large cantina, crowded with people dancing, drinking and flirting. Species from all over the galaxy mingled and enjoyed a good time. The music was loud and the dancefloor packed.

They made their way up some stairs, guarded by nasty looking guards who seemed to know who Sandahar was and let them all through without any trouble. Other patrons where not treated so gently if they had no business walking up those stairs, and where sent back down with bloody noses, bruises and black eyes.

They ended up over by a booth that overlooked the establishment, and the five people enjoying drinks and company by the table looked up at the three newcomers. The human of the five, a stunning blonde woman, dressed in a gown more akin to losely connected threads, offered a wide smile and seemed very happy of seeing the new arrivals.

"Sandahar! What are you doing on Ord Mantell? Sit down, sit, have a drink!" she said, voice raised to be heard over the loud music.

"We need to talk, Guri!" Sandahar said, trying his best to be heard. "In private!"

XXX XXX

The atractive blonde went straight to pour herself a drink, while Sandahar found a comfortable couch in her private lounge. Satele and Kayo remained standing. The far wall was a giant window overlooking the entire cantina. Even so, hardly any sound from the loud party going on managed to sip into the room.

"So" the woman said, sipping her drink. "What can I do for you?"

Sandahar wasn't sure where to begin. "These nice ladies would like to talk to you."

"Really?" the woman smiled with amusement. "What about?"

"Gems" Satele said. "Crystals to be more precise."

"Red crystals" Kayo filled in.

The blonde sipped her drink, it was obvious she knew what Satele was talking about. "Who are you?" she then asked. "Jedi?"

Satele nodded. "We are here on behalf of the Jedi Order, trying to establish who you sold the crystals from Korriban to."

The barely dressed woman thought over her options for a moment. "I think we got off on the wrong foot" she then said. "Guri Repliqa, Key Administrator for Sizhran Transport Systems in this region. I oversee all our operations in this sector, and if I can be of assistance to the Jedi Order, then Sizhran Transport Systems are more than glad to help."

"Satele Shan, Jedi Knight. This is my apprentice, Padawan Kayo Kai Kahn."

"Splendid" Guri Repliqa said with a smile. "Now, you mentioned crystals I believe."

Satele nodded. "Sandahar Sing here, was payed by you, to retrieve two specific crystals from the planet of Korriban about three months ago. He sold you three. I want to know what happened to them."

"I don't know where they are now, I'm afraid" Guri said and walked about in the lounge. "I had eager buyers that could not wait to get their hands on those particular items."

"Why were you interested in those crystals?" Kayo asked.

"I was told they had great value to certain clients" the woman replied.

Satele folded her arms over her chest. "Who told you? And who were these clients?"

Guri Repliqa merely smiled. "I believe I am in no position to reveal such details."

"You will tell us" Satele said, voice filled with determination. "You will tell us everything."

"I wonder" Guri casually thought out loud, "if Sandahar told you who I work for?"

Kayo nodded. "Black Sun. We know."

The blonde sat down on a desk, crossed her legs and sipped her drink. "Then you do understand what will happen here? You see, right now Sandahar's crew are bring shot down. Killed, if that was not obvious. Sandahar himself will not leave this planet alive. And you two, Jedi Knights, will most certainly survive, but not before defending yourselves against my guards. Which will give me ample time to escape and vanish."

Satele was a little surprised at the womans calm demenour as she spoke. "You seem awefully sure of yourself."

Guri gave the jedi a smirk. "That's because I am" she said and at that moment several guards burst in through the door to the lounge.

Satele and Kayo ignited their lightsabers, Satele armed with her twinbladed weapon with its yellow blades and the twi'lek with her classic hilt and orange blade of the Ranger disciplin. As blasters opened fire, the jedi began deflecting shots and striking down hostiles that dared venture into close combat. Guri's guards was no match for the two jedi, but as Guri had predicted, they were a diversion and managed to allow her to slip out through a secret doorway hidden behind a bookshelf.

It did not take long for Satele and her apprentice to defeat and chase off the guards that had responded to Guri's alarm. As the melee settled, the lounge had been utterly ruined by the combat. Kayo was the one who spotted Sandahar, a knife burried in his chest and piercing his heart.

Guri wiped her hands clean of blood with a rag that she threw to the side as she moved through the secret underground tunnels, escorted by a handfull of cruel-looking bodyguards, all armed to the teeth and covered in various armoured attire.

Satele and Kayo fought off dozens of guards up on the VIP level of the cantina as they headed for the entrance, earning the attention of everyone in the establishment. People fled in panic and soon enough all guards put down their weapons, seeing there was no hope of going up against the two jedi. Satele and Kayo hurried out on the streets of Worlport, only to be cornered by local law-enforcers with drawn blasters. Reluctantly, Satele deactivated her twinbladed lightsaber and Kayo followed her masters example. Trying to catch a glimpse of Guri Repliqa on the street or a rooftop, even though she knew it was highly unlikely, Satele had to in the end acknowledge that the stunning blonde in the minimal dress had outwitted her and disappeared.

THE MARSHES, THE BARONY OF THEED, NABOO

The bongo had re-surfaced out in the wetlands that spread out beneath the great city of Theed, located high up on the cliffs where the numerous rivers of the Riverlands cascaded into the swamps below via beautiful and aweinspiring waterfalls. Hidden from view by the local flora, Qui-Gon studied the city from a distance using his magnoculars, and took note of all Federation troops present.

"Well, the city is under Federation control, without a doubt" the old jedi knight said and lowered the magnoculars.

Overhead, a couple of fighter-doids flew past during their patrols.

"Looks like the city atleast gave them a fight" Obi-Wan pointed out, the comment adressing the fact that smoke was rising from numerous buildings in the city, and around them out in the marshes, there was the debris and remains of droid fightercraft along with shot down and crashed Naboo fighters.

"It would seem it did little to alter the fate of this planet" Qui-Gon remarked.

"Spaceships" Jar-Jar cut in and pointed at the large spaceport and its dockingbays located along the cliffside. "Ships land in caves under city."

"Then let's go" Qui-Gon said and they all climbed back into the bongo and headed for the city of Theed.

XXX XXX

The bongo broke the surface next to a lower section of the Theed spaceport, and the two jedi climbed out of the submersible and grabbed hold of the support-structure that kept the platform in place along the cliffs. The climb would be easy, seeing as the support-structure was overgrown with veins and other vegetation, leaving plenty of options in order to make the climb.

"Good luck, naboo" Jar-Jar said looking up at the jedi, before closing the hatch and diving with the bongo once more to avoid detection.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan climbed the support-structure and soon found themselves up on the platform, hidden away among and behind several stacked crates. At the far end there was an elevator that would take them to the main level of the spaceport, and the dockingbays, but first they had to sneak past the crew and workforce of the spaceport. Not to mention Federation patrols.

"So how do we get past those droids?" Obi-Wan wondered. "It's not like we can fool them with a mindtrick, now is it."

"Patience, my padawan" Qui-Gon camly pointed out. "The Force will guide us."

A sudden explosion out in the marshes had everyones attention and a pillar of black smoke soon ascended out of the canopy. The nabooans worriedly watched as squadrons of securitydroids mounted on STAPs headed out towards the site of the explosion; even securitydroids on foot walked over to the railing to watch, almost appearing as if acting out of curiosity. It all gave the two jedi an opportunity to sneak on over to the elevator unnoticed and they did not hesitate to exploit the opportunity to the fullest. Having reached the elevator, just as they were about to push the controls that would send them up a level, they were unexpectedly joined by a hooded Jar-Jar.

"Going up?" the gungan said and then pressed the required button. As the elevator took the three of them towards the main platform, Jar-Jar noticed the two jedi eyeing him with both surprise and suspicion. "Problem, naboo?" Jar-Jar eventually asked.

"What are you doing here?" Obi-Wan bluntly asked.

"You need distraction" Jar-Jar said, "so I fixed. Then I think, I'm not a hero on my own."

"Your efforts will be rewarded, I assure you" Qui-Gon said. "Hero or not."

"Hero" Jar-Jar pointed out, clearly preferring being one rather than not.

Obi-Wan took a look at the distraction that was the rising smoke out in the marshes and the droids gathering around it. "Why were you banished, Jar-Jar?" the padawan eventually asked.

"From Ness?" the gungan said and then a minor smirk grew in the corner of his mouth. "One bad crime too many."

"Thought so" Obi-Wan said, not all too impressed. "A gangster."

"No gang" Jar-Jar corrected. "Me work alone."

The elevator reached the main platform, and the three of them made their way into cover behind stacked crates as quickly as possible without drawing too much attention. By now, the distraction provided by Jar-Jar was loosing its audience and people were returning to their duties, including the securitydroids and Federation officers.

"This is good" Qui-Gon said as he surveyed the ships currently docked at the spaceport. "We have plenty of options. Now all we need to do, is find a pilot willing to take us into space and past the blockade."

"A tavern then?" Obi-Wan said. "In the city?"

Qio-Gon nodded. "Yes, that is correct, Obi-Wan." The jedi knight then adressed both his apprentice and their gungan ally. "Be careful, we can not afford being detected from now on."

"Good advice" Jar-Jar said. "Not think of that" he added and not without a great dose of sarcasm.

Avoiding the elevators and cargo-lifts, the two jedi and the gungan climbed one of the many stairways leading from the spaceport up to the city, running along the cliffside that the city of Theed rested on. Once they had climbed the stairs, they gained a proper view of Theed and the impact that the Trade Federations invasion had had on the city. They saw the scars of battle at many places, buildings reduces to rubble and scorched ruins, walls and streets riddled with blastpoints. The former splendor of the city could easily be imagined, which only added to the tragedy of seeing Theed in such ruin.

During their search for a tavern where they could find a pilot and a ship, the jedi and the gungan came across a small town-square filled with civilians, secured by a strong presence of Federation troops. The people were watching a large holographic image depicting what appeared to be a naboo noble.

"Fellow nabooans, I am Baron Ezric of House Gelda of the city of Dulac. A great tragedy has occured and we all face a terrible ordeal. But there is hope. There is a chance for peace. For now, for the time being, we must accept defeat to keep our families safe, to keep our children safe."

"A pawn" Obi-Wan said, sensing the strings that guided the noble during his speech.

Qui-Gon felt it aswell. "And a willing one at that" he added.

"Nabooans!" Baron Geldas speech continued. "Keep calm, go about with your ordinary lives and cooperate with the Trade Federation. In the end we will all be free! For our families, for Naboo, for Queen Amidala, we will carry on!"

"Collaborator!" a single voice rang out, a voice that grew into three, seven, twenty.

"Collaborator!"

Rubble was thrown at the hologram as the crowd turned more and more agitated.

"Long live Queen Amidala!"

"Long live the Queen!"

"For the Baroness!"

Within moments, the Federation troops struck down on the angry mob like a sledge, the end result was far from pretty.

"These are not a conquered people" Qui-Gon concluded as the scene unfolded. "With a symbol to rally by, they could very well withstand the occupation and thwart the Federations plans."

"Not likely" Obi-Wan disagreed. "What chance have civilians against coldhearted droids?"

"You must be wary of the living Force, young padawan" Qui-Gon instructed his apprentice. "You focus too strongly on strength and instinct. Trust your senses, the mind, your patience."

"I am a Sentinel, master" Obi-Wan pointed out. "Our focus does determine our disciplin."

"And that is why padawans are always assigned to a tutor from a different disciplin" Qui-Gon reminded his apprentice. "To learn that there are several ways to solve every problem."

"Yes, master. Forgive me, master."

Qui-Gon placed a hand on his pupils shoulder. "Feel, do not think so much, my padawan. I sense that all the people of Naboo need is a symbol, something to inspire them, and the Trade Federation will fail with their plans for this world."

Jar-Jar did not like what he was seeing out on the square, the civilians of Naboo brutally being subdued and desperately fighting back. "We better go. Or we get fighting too."

XXX XXX

Hiding at the end of a narrow alley, the jedi and the gungan felt reasonably safe to talk freely without looking over their shoulders.

Obi-Wan sat down ontop of some rubble. "Master, if you are serious about creating a symbol that the people could rally behind, surely it has to be the queen. You heard the people; the queen, Baroness Amidala, is the key if Naboo is to rise up against the Trade Federation."

"Very good, padawan" Qui-Gon said with a smile. "Your insights serves you well. You should place greater trust in them. The queen is indeed the symbol Naboo requires in this time of need."

"But she is most likely a prisoner" Obi-Wan pointed out. "And a heavily guarded one at that."

"More guards, more value" Jar-Jar said and added his own particular form of wisdom to the conversation. "And naboo love their great chief, that's for sure."

Qui-Gon Jinn nodded at the reasoning. "The queen has to be rescued and soon."