Chapter Two

Invasion Force

Obi-Wan waited in the mist with his master. He could feel the vibrating metal indicating that droids were descending upon their position and saw their silhouettes in the wisps of the smoke surrounding them. He tensed waiting for his master to cue him to go ahead with the attack. Then in brief second, he felt a slight tug on the Force and activated his lightsaber leaping into battle his danger sense on full alert for things that would escape his attention.

He slashed at several battle droids and pushed several others away so they wouldn't fire at them. Beside him he felt Qui-Gon do the same to the battle droids near him. Once they were disposed Obi-Wan felt his master tap his shoulder. After turning to him the two took off in a run the Force filling them both and his master nudging him in the right direction. Finally they ran towards the bridge cutting down droids left and right easily making their way through the defenses. At last they reached the bridge with his master slicing into the bulkhead while he guarded the rear.

Obi-Wan stretched out with the Force and allowed himself to carried along the currents waiting for something to approach. One battle droid tried sneaking up on his left but the vibrations gave it away and he snapped out and cut it down. Behind him he felt his master's annoyance and worry about the current situation. Obi-Wan also was worried about what was happening. Nothing about this situation warranted this kind of response. It was a simple trade issue he'd been told so how did this merit killing them off? For that matter why blockade Naboo in the first place considering it relied on the trade that Trade Federation provided and also was a small Mid-Rim planet? Well those questions were for another time and now all that mattered was just defending his master and speaking of which...

The young Padawan let out a sharp whistle that he could hear with his semi-working hearing aid. Qui-Gon used to such warning looked up and saw the Destroyer droids that he'd spotted a second before. The droids powered up and began raining bolts on them. He felt a pull on the Force and following his master's lead used the Force to make his limbs go faster sprinting down the halls and into nearby ventilation shaft. The shaft in question was narrow but fit-able for them. Once they'd reached the shaft Master Qui-Gon lead the way. It was dark and musty and made him sneeze several times much to his master's amusement. Soon though it dropped down into a hanger bay where the remains of their ship were. Obi-Wan hesitated slightly noting a huge increase in droids. Wait a second was that...

"Battle droids," he signed worriedly to his master. "It's an invasion army."

"That'll complicate things to say the least and a rather odd move as well for Trade Federation," Qui-Gon replied looking exasperated and slightly sad. "We've got to warn the Naboo, and contact Chancellor Valorum. Let's split up, and stowaway on separate ships."

"Well you were right about one thing about this mess," Obi-Wan signed with a slight smirk. "The negotiations were short."

"Brat," Qui-Gon signed with a snort. "I'll see you on the surface. Be careful."

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan signed back. "May the Force be with you."

"And with you as well."

With that farewell Qui-Gon shot forward into the hanger and towards a ship. Obi-Wan waited for a second before shooting forward looking for a craft for himself. He kept to the shadows and avoided detection from the local battle droid groups which wasn't easy since the verbal cues were a bit garbled. Finally the Force was with him and he found a ship that wasn't being as heavily watched as the others. Sneaking past some the sentries he climbed abroad and waited for takeoff.

This is taking a while. Obi-Wan noted as he tapped his fingers on his knee as a way to settle his mind. As he sat he contemplated what precisely made the Trade Federation decide that killing the representatives of the Chancellor was a good idea.

His master was correct the Viceroy and his lackeys were cowards so the fact they were attacking was just plain baffling. Why do it? What was their angle? As he contemplated the myriad of reasons why he soon felt a jolt which told him the ship was getting ready to land. Placing his hearing aids into his pouch because he deduced that they'd land in an unfriendly place for his sensitive pieces of machinery. As he stuck past the droids being unloaded out of the ship he soon saw his fears were right. They were in a field surrounded by swamp which was both a good thing and bad thing. Good because it meant that he sneak into the surrounding brush but it also meant that his hearing aids were officially shot.

Sighing he stretched out his feelings and allowed the Force to guide him. He could feel a gentle nudge and pull that allowed him to sneak past the droids. Well all but one that apparently saw him and gave chase to him as the Force tugged on him allowing him to dodge a blaster bolt. Snapping on his lightsaber he batted away another blast and reflected it back to the droid frying it. Satisfied he continued to run into the swamp allowing his other senses as well of the Force to guide him.

The humidity was the first thing that he noticed going into the swamplands. It clung to him a second skin and soon he was coated with sweat. The scenery was dominated by moss and trees and ferns that constantly smacked into him even as he tried to walk carefully through the brush. Not that this mattered to him since he was focusing on finding his master in the rush of life. Finally he felt his master's towering presence in the Force and he began sprinting the Force lending him speed and soon he saw him with...who was that? He blinked with surprise and walked up to them. Qui-Gon turned towards and began signing to him.

"He's a local, a Gungan, named Jar Jar, evidentially I have acquired a life debt because I saved him."

"You and your tendency to pick up beings is fascinating but shouldn't we be going before the droids get to us?" Obi-Wan asked as he felt the droids approach via vibrations in the trees such as the one he was leaning on while he caught his breath.

"Indeed but he says he can take us to a city where we can get help," Qui-Gon said. "Alas it's underwater so no hearing aids unless you want them waterlogged. For this I apologize, my Padawan."

"It's alright as long as we're able to warn the Naboo that's my concern," Obi-Wan replied easily. In the corner of his eyes he saw the being, Jar Jar, looking at Qui-Gon's hands with a confused look. Noticing Qui-Gon raised a silent question. Obi-Wan nodded and so his master turned back to Jar Jar and began responding while signing so Obi-Wan could keep up with the conversation.

"My student is deaf so I must sign to him. His hearing aids don't work and to be honest he finds it easier to use signs to convey his thoughts. Now you said you can lead us to the city?"

Understanding dawned upon Jar Jar's face and he nodded in an exaggerated fashion. Obi-Wan squashed a brief flare of annoyance at this. He hated it when people assumed that because he was Deaf that he need exaggerated movements to follow along. No regular movements were fine thank you. Still it was better then condescension which had happened before.

"Come we're going to Otoh Gunga," Qui-Gon said gesturing to following the over eager being.

"Yes Master," he signed back as he began following the two of them deeper into the swamp.