As the three Force-users and one inept, clumsy, accident-prone and wholly annoying Gungan creep their way through the occupied city of Theed in search of the Queen of Naboo, Nathrrya wondered just how the Gungan species had survived for so long. Was Jar Jar the exception rather than the rule? One thing the Sith did know was that she wasn't going to forget going through the planets core in that dammed sub anytime soon. She was also sure she was going to have nightmares for weeks about the oversized fish she'd seen. No wonder Jar Jar had been scared witless at the prospect of travelling through Naboo's core.

"There's the Queen and her retinue." Nathrrya whispered pointing down to the courtyard below them. From their vantage point on the covered balcony that surrounded the courtyard the rescue party could see Queen Amidala, four of her handmaidens, five of her security and one of her advisers being escorted by ten battle droids. The Sith couldn't believe how lazy the Trade were being as there hadn't been a single battle droid on the upper levels. Nathrrya knew if she had been leading the droid army, this was one of the first places she'd have sent troops. The woman supposed it was her wartime experience colouring her thinking.

There was a narrow passage that lead out of the courtyard between two buildings with a covered balcony connecting them, not unlike the one they were on. Obi-Wan pointed it out to his master.

"Look there, the perfect ambush point."

Qui-Gon noticed and agreed with his Padawan. He beckoned them to follow as they started to make their way around the upper level to rescue the Queen.


The first the battle droids were aware of the attack when one of them broke Jar Jar's fall. It had crumpled under the Gungan's weight.

At least he's useful for something, Nathrrya thought as she jumped down with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan as they began to dispatch the remaining droids with their lightsabres. The last remaining battle droid - a sergeant - tried to run for help but Nathrrya stopped him cold as she reached out and made a fist. The droid exploded in a shower of sparks as the pieces tumbled to the ground.

"Yousa guys bombad!" Jar Jar cried pumping his arms in the air. He was getting used to these humans and their strange powers but he was still weary of the woman. There was something about her that he found unsettling.

Queen Amidala and her retinue just stared in amazement; they couldn't quite believe what had happened. Captain Panaka was the first to get his wits back and ordered his men to grab the weapons left by the destroyed droids while he picked up a blaster rifle.

Nathrrya had noticed that several of the trashed droids had been carrying heavy blaster pistols so she called one to her and hid it within her robes when no one was looking. Why she picked up the weapon she didn't quite know but she had the feeling it might come in handy soon. The Sith may have preferred her lightsabre but she was also proficient with blaster pistols. Quinn had seen to that even if it had been a rather weak ploy on his part to spend some alone time with her. Not that Nathrrya had minded though in truth she had already known the basics. Both her parents had often carried blasters so she'd grow up being familiar with them. Before she'd left for Korriban her father had told her he'd regretted never taking the time to teach his only child how to properly handle a blaster.

Qui-Gon ushered the Queen and her retinue between the two buildings out of sight. "Your Highness, we are the Ambassadors for the Supreme Chancellor." He said with a slight bow.

"Your negotiations seem to have failed, Ambassador." Sio Bibble, the Queen's head councillor, pointed out.

Qui-Gon hardly acknowledged the man. "The negotiations never took place. Your Highness, we must contact the Republic."

Captain Panaka stepped forward shaking his head. "That's easier said than done. They've knocked out all our planetary communications. It was the first thing they did when they invaded."

The Jedi Master frowned at the unwelcome complication. "Do you have transports?" he asked at last.

The Security Captain smiled and pointed the way with his rifle. "Yes, in the main hanger. This way."

As the large group disappeared down an alleyway they could hear alarms begin to wail.


Captain Panaka slowly slid open a side door to the main hanger. Within were several Naboo spacecraft, including the Queen's private cruiser, as well as some pilots and ground crew being guarded by about a platoon's worth of battle droids.

Panaka turned to the Jedi Master looking grim. "There's too many of them."

"That won't be a problem." Qui-Gon replied as he faced the Queen. "Your Highness, under the circumstances, I suggest you come to Coruscant with us."

"Thank you, Ambassador, but my place is here with my people." Queen Amidala replied firmly.

"They will kill you if you stay." Qui-Gon said bluntly.

"They wouldn't dare." Bibble shot back.

"They need her to sign a treaty to make this invasion of theirs legal. They can't afford to kill her." Captain Panaka explained.

Nathrrya couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer; so far, she had been content to let the Jedi Master do all the talking. At least with her Imperial accent people took notice.

"Listen, the situation here is not what it appears to be. There is something else behind all this, Your Highness. There is no logic in the Federation's move here. The Force is telling me that if you remain here they will destroy you."

She spoke to the Queen gently but firmly and had also slipped a Force suggestion behind her words to prod the Naboo into taking action. She hated being idle when there were enemy forces within shooting distance. Idleness could get you killed.

Bibble turned to his queen and began to plead with her. "Please, Your Highness, reconsider. Our only hope is for the Senate to side with us... Senator Palpatine will need your help."

"Getting past their blockade is impossible, Your Highness. Any attempt to escape will be dangerous." The Security Captain pointed out.

"Your Highness, I will stay here and do what I can...They will have to retain the Council of Governors in order to maintain control. But you must leave..." Bibble begged.

The Queen listened to both sides and turned to face two of her handmaidens. "Either choice presents a great risk to all of us," she said. Nathrrya viewed this as a very odd exchange for a queen to address her handmaidens like that rather than the advisor and the captain. She narrowed her eyes as her mind tried to make sense of it.

"We are brave, Your Highness." Padme replied. The queen nodded at her handmaiden's response.

That was the clincher. It finally hit her like a bolt of Force lightning - the queen was a decoy and the true queen was the maiden that responded. Nathrrya had to hand it to her that she was a very clever girl, but she blew her cover when she spoke. It was almost tactless how it occurred and when the Sith looked around at the present company no one showed signs that she caught the same thing she had. Unless the Jedi also caught this and didn't betray the ruse. Either way, she pitied the girl.

"If you are to leave, Your Highness, it must be now." Qui-Gon urged seemingly none the wiser for the decoy Queen's misstep. The Sith caught this but remained silent.

"Then, I will plead our case before the Senate." The Queen said as she turned to Bibble. "Be careful, Governor."

"Wait here - I'll deal with the droids and free the pilots." Nathrrya said before anyone could enter the main hanger.

Qui-Gon turned his attention to the Sith with a concerned look on his face. "Are you certain?" he asked.

Nathrrya turned and gave him a slight smile. "Of course, I doubt I'll even break a sweat."

There was a brief pause but the Jedi Master only nodded. "Very well. Obi-Wan and I will be here if you need us." To say any more than that or to argue would be pointless. Nathrrya nodded and walked into the hanger activating her lightsabre as she did so.

Captain Panaka wasn't very thrilled seeing a woman going out there. Intimidating lightsabre or not, he was still a gentleman as well as a soldier. He turned to the Jedi Master. "Is it really wise to let her go in there alone? She's out numbered."

Qui-Gon shared a quick glance with his Padawan. Based on what they both saw her do on the Trade flagship they both felt that she was the Sith equivalent to a Jedi Master - a Darth. Qui-Gon had no doubt that Nathrrya would be perfectly capable of handling a few droids.

"There is no need for concern," he finally said. "She is very capable and those droids won't be problematic."


When Nathrrya entered the hangar most of the battle droids started to approach her except the ones that were guarding the pilots and ground crew. The Sith raised her left arm, palm open, and then suddenly made a fist and brought her arm straight down. Most of the droids froze for a second before exploding in a shower of sparks, their component parts tumbling to the hangar floor.

The remaining six acted immediately and opened fire on their assailant, which Nathrrya easily deflected using the energy field of her activated lightsabre, and doing it one handed because she hadn't gotten to show off since being released from her carbonite prison. She was feeling dramatic - she produced the blaster pistol she took earlier and shot the remaining droids point-blank in the centre of their mechanical heads between the eye receptors. Once the last droid had fallen she deactivated her sabre and returned it and the pistol to her utility belt. With a flick of her wrist and a gesture she had freed the Naboo pilots.

Nathrrya turned to face the door through which she had entered. The rest of the group was now filling into the hangar while the freed captives started to prepare the cruiser for takeoff.

"Your Highness, it's time we left - your transport awaits." Nathrrya made a slight bow.


"That was impressive wasn't it Master." Obi-Wan said through their training bond as he and Qui-Gon walked alongside the Queen and her handmaidens.

"Indeed, it was my Padawan." Qui-Gon replied "I think we are right in thinking that Nathrrya is a Darth and I hadn't even realised she'd picked up a blaster pistol." That had been a surprise. He looked at Obi-Wan. He smirked with some amusement. "I wouldn't let Siri see you with that expression, my Padawan."

"What expression, Master?" Obi-Wan asked as he schooled his features into neutrality.

Qui-Gon's smirk turned into a smile. "There is no shame in being appreciative. However, Siri may misinterpret it for something that it is not."

Obi-Wan was becoming very uncomfortable. He wasn't pleased about where the conversation was heading. "Whatever do you mean Master?"

The Jedi Master gave his Padawan a very droll look. "You know perfectly well what I mean Obi-Wan."

He finally let the matter rest as they followed the final members of the group onto the cruiser. Qui-Gon could hardly reprimand his Padawan when he was in a similar predicament regarding Master Tahl. Perhaps Nathrrya had been right about the no-attachment rule being outdated.


The Royal Cruiser sped away from the Trade Federation blockade but not without damage. Its shield generator had been brought down but if it hadn't been for the efforts of the cruisers compliment of Astromechs, things may have been very different even if most of the little service droids had been destroyed in the process.

Ric Olie turned his pilots chair to face the others on the flight deck and considering how small it was, the flight deck was crowded with Captain Panaka and the three Jedi. The female Jedi made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and as for what he'd seen her do to those battle droids back in the hanger... Ric didn't know what to think.

"There's not enough power to get us to Coruscant...the hyperdrive has been damaged." The pilot said.

"We'll have to land somewhere to refuel and repair the ship." Qui-Gon replied with a sigh.

"Here, Master," Obi-Wan said. He was looking at the star chart and found a planet nearby, which he pointed out. "Tatooine... It's small, out of the way, poor... The Trade Federation has no presence there."

Nathrrya peered over the Padawan's shoulder and raised her brows in recognition. "Haven't been on that dust ball in a long time. It's probably still the armpit of the galaxy and possessing the largest hive of scum and villainy you're likely to find."

"And how long ago was that?" Obi-Wan asked innocently.

"Not long enough." The Sith shot back with a grin.

Captain Panaka gave the woman a concerned look before he turned to Qui-Gon. "How can you be so sure?" he asked.

"It's controlled by the Hutts..." The Jedi Master revealed.

Nathrrya muttered several choice curses under her breath. The Sith detested the oversized slugs with a passion and had never liked the Empire's alliance with the creatures and as for the detachable that was Makeb the less said about that the better. Too think the Hutts now controlled Tatooine. It made her ill just thinking about the sheer amount of resources that both the Empire and Republic had put into that Force-forsaken dust ball so long ago.

"The Hutts?" Panaka was not liking the idea at all.

"It's risky... but there's no alternative." Obi-Wan said.

"You can't take Her Royal Highness there!" The Security Captain shuddered thinking about the possible failure if they landed the cruiser on that planet. "The Hutts are gangsters... If they discovered her..."

"It would be no different than if we landed in a system controlled by the Federation... except the Hutts aren't looking for her, which gives us an advantage." Qui-Gon said.

Captain Panaka sighed in frustration. "Very well, Master Jedi. You and I will go and tell Her Highness the good news." The man completely failed to hide his sarcasm.


In a conference room aboard the Saak'ak, ironically the same one that the Jedi had been in not even a day earlier, sat Nute Gunray and Rune Haako. Before them was a hologram of Darth Sidious.

"We control all the cities in the North and are searching for any other settlements..." Nute informed the Dark Lord.

Sidious smiled evilly. "Destroy all high-ranking officials, Viceroy... slowly... quietly. And Queen Amidala, has she signed the treaty?"

"She has disappeared, my Lord," Nute said shaking his head. "One Naboo cruiser got past the blockade."

"Viceroy, find her!" Sidious bellowed without doing so. "I want that treaty signed."

"My Lord, it's impossible to locate the ship. It's out of our sensor range." Nute replied.

Sidious narrowed his eyes. "Not for a Sith..." His apprentice appeared behind him. "...Viceroy, this is my apprentice. Darth Maul. He will find your lost ship."

"Yes, my Lord." The hologram faded from view. "This is getting out of hand...now there are two of them." Gunray said to his second in command.

"We should not have made this bargain. What will happen when the Jedi become aware of these Sith Lords?" Rune asked.


Nathrrya and Obi-Wan had escaped to the royal cruiser's galley since there was no real need for them to be present while Master Jinn and the security captain informed the Queen of their current predicament. Both were seated comfortably having some caf.

"Nathrrya, how do you perceive the Light Side of the Force?" Obi-Wan had been having thoughts about their new Sith companion and he was still very interested in learning about her. He had been thinking about this thing for some time. For Obi-Wan saw the Dark Side as a rolling mass of shifting reds of various shades and black and as each Jedi perceived the Force differently, the question begged to be asked.

The Sith rolled the question around in her head for a moment. "I'm aware of it, to me it's like the blue sky on a crystal-clear day but much more intense." she said. "I can see it but if I look at it for too long it can become almost blinding. It's also something of a comfort to know it's there… like, if I can see the Light Side then I know I haven't gone too deeply into the Dark that I can't find my way back." When she looked up she smiled when she saw the surprised expression on the Padawan's face. "Not quite the answer you were expecting, now was it Obi-Wan?"

"No, it wasn't," he admitted. He looked down at the mug he held for a second, considering the liquid remaining within in. "It explains why you seemed so... content in the Jedi Temple. But how did no one detect you?"

Nathrrya looked thoughtful as she considered the best way to answer the padawan's question. "Why did I go undetected? That I can only guess at. I was concealing the origins of my training and your master likely picked up on that but I wasn't actively drawing on the Dark Side for anything. The Force is out of balance, so that too may have helped to cloud my own darkness." She looked Obi-Wan in the eyes. "However, I don't think I completely fooled the Council."

Obi-Wan nodded his understanding. Now that Nathrrya didn't need to hide her origins from them he could clearly see the darkness the woman possessed. It surrounded her like a form fitting body suit that he could just make the outline of. "Yes, it was clear they were... unsure of what to make of you. But I thought all Sith immersed themselves in the Dark Side."

Nathrrya shook her head. "Not all, no. Oh some do, however. This Darth Sidious, as an example... he's so immersed in the Dark Side that he couldn't find his way back to the Light even if he wanted to." Just like Darth Nox, she thought bitterly remembering the assassin's spiral downwards. Even Nox's mother, Darth Occulas hadn't been able to reach her in the end. "The Dark Side gives great power but it asks for a great deal in return. You're familiar with the concept of Dark Side corruption?" Obi-Wan just nodded and she continued. "There are ways to counter it, but the easiest and simplest is to not draw on the Dark Side too often or too deeply - something that is easier said than done. That's why I keep the Light in view: If I do that then I know I won't lose myself completely to the darkness."

A silence fell between the two Force-users as they drank their caf, listening to the buzzing people within the ship. Nathrrya was slightly aware of the fluctuations of the Force between them. It could be likened to a current of air on a gentle spring day.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, Qui-Gon had witnessed the entirety of their conversation. He had elected to remain unnoticed by the pair to see what would transpire. The Jedi Master was impressed by his Padawan's question and the resulting discussion. Nathrrya was truly unlike any Sith he had read about. Obi-Wan was right; this mission would not be boring and would if anything, prove most enlightening.