Jen Stanis and her crew stared in horror as the front of the Separatists destroyer opened up to swallow them.

The Jedi seemed entirely unimpressed. "We're going to need a new transport." Commander Jinn said calmly as they were sucked into the larger ship's hanger deck. "And to deactivate the tractor system so they can't haul us back."

"Why not take this ship?" Skywalker asked as the jaws closed behind them.

To Stanis' disbelief the old Master gave the suggestion serious thought.

General Kenobi nixed it. "A recusant class destroyer has a crew of three hundred - and that's Castellans not Neimodians." (1)

Jinn nodded agreement, to Stanis' intense relief. "Sabotage and piracy are our safest options."

Skywalker shrugged. "Okay. It's a rotten design anyway." he turned to the captain. "collect everybody in the main hold. I'm hoping this ship this ship carries hand arms?"

"Of course." said my lady Duchess from the doorway.

"Good. See everybody's armed." he grinned at his wife. "I know how well you and the girls can shoot."

Her ladyship smiled demurely.

The hold was pretty crowded what with Captain Somdetch and his six man honor guard as well her ladyship and her five handmaidens. Amidala had taken a moment to change from her lacy negligee into a soft golden suit more suitable for action, with a pale yellow pleated robe over it. Her five girls were similarly dressed with their hair falling down their backs in simple braids. Only Commander Jinn was dressed as a Jedi, both Skywalker and Kenobi wore pilots suits, but all three were holding lightsabers rather than the trim Naboo blasters in everybody else's hands.

Skywalker's two droids were there too, he was giving them their orders as Stanis and her two person crew joined the crowd. "Threepio, you stay with her ladyship. Artoo, stick close to me, I may need you."

"Oh dear, oh dear!" whimpered the golden protocol droid but the little R2 unit gave a long ululating whistle of unmistakable enthusiasm. As for Stanis, she agreed with Threepio. Blast it, the war was supposed to be over!

Jinn turned to the rest of them. "Form three columns," he instructed, "and stay behind us so we can cover you."

Captain Somdetch nodded, dark face reflecting grim confidence. Stanis nodded too but without the confidence. They all shuffled around a little then, when they were in formation, Kenobi triggered the boarding hatch. It opened on a vista of row after row of battle droids all aiming their weapons right at the door.

"Sweet Saint Shiraya," Stanis gasped. "we'll never make it. There are too many of them."

The Duchess gave her a mischievous smile. "Won't be a problem." she said. And to Stanis' bewilderment a faint answering amusement flickered across both Jinn and Kenobi's faces.

"Come out with your hands up." A mechanical voice ordered.

Commander Skywalker ginned devilishly. "Whatever you say."

The three Jedi started down the ramp, followed by the others in their three lines. Then there was a dazzling flash of blue and green as lightsabers ignited. The droids opened fire, Stanis flinched, then gasped as the storm of blaster bolts was caught and deflected by a shimmering blur of Jedi blades.

Regaining her presence of mind she started returning fire - along with the others in the flanking files. The Jedi seemed encased in cocoons of humming light, bolts bouncing off them like balf balls, and none got past them to the columns they were covering.

They advanced across the hangar deck, droids giving way before them. The remnant tried to make a stand in the big aft hatchway, which lasted all of half a minute as the Jedi sliced them to pieces - literally.

Skywalker hit the door control, it crunched a little as it closed on droid parts, then turned to Somdetch. "Secure the other doors."

"Yes, sir. Captain Stanis we're going to need your people too." as guards and ship crew trotted away Somdetch smiled at her. "Let me guess, this is the first time you've seen Jedi in action."

Stanis nodded emphatically. It must have been the dazed look that tipped him off.

He laughed. "Quite a sight isn't it? Don't worry, Skipper, we are going to get out of this."

"I think you're right." she said, and meant it.

"Artoo find a computer jack." Anakin ordered. "We need an armed transport large enough for the lot of us and the locations of the tractor stations."

A jack was conveniently nearby and in seconds Artoo was generating holo-schematics of the destroyer while Threepio interpreted his bleeps and whistles. "There is a small troop tansport in hanger 82, sir." the schematic flashed showing the location.

"At the opposite end of the ship." Anakin said disgustedly. "Wouldn't you know it."

"And the tractor control centers are here." Threepio continued as two more sites flashed, high up in the superstructure.

"We don't want the control centers, Artoo, but the power linkages" Qui-Gon corrected.

"You heard the Master, Artoo." Threepio said to his counterpart.

The little droid made a rude noise and five quite different sites much lower down flashed.

"Watch your language." Threepio said sharply, then: "Artoo says interrupting the power flow at any two of the linkage points will render the tractors inoperable.

The Master nodded. "Anakin you take Padme and her people and secure the ship. Obi-Wan and I will take care of the tractors."

Anakin opened his mouth to protest. Padme took him by the arm and he swallowed it - though it looked for a minute like it would choke him. "Yes, Master."

Qui-Gon's eyes glinted. "Thank you, Padme. You are a good influence on my impetuous young Padawan."

"I just wish we'd had you along on some of our other missions." Obi-Wan put in.

"Everybody picks on the kid." Anakin muttered, making his wife laugh.

The Naboo comlink Captain Somdetch had given the Master chirruped. "Commander Jinn? They're trying to burn their way in. We've closed the blast doors but it's only a matter of time."

"Understood, Captain." Qui-Gon replied. "Get your people back here." his eyes rose to the gantries overlooking the hanger. "I think we'll take the high road."

"Captain Somedetch, Captain Stanis, your people are with me." Anakin said a few minutes later when they'd gained the broad dorsal corridor. "Our objective is a class 3 military transport in hanger 1-10-4. Unfortunately it's at the aft end of the hollow hull, meaning we're going to have to pass through the inhabited decks to get to it. We're bound to meet with some opposition -" there was an understatement for you! " - try to keep together but if you get separated continue to head aft and port and we'll meet you there."

Guards and ship crew nodded and the party moved out in defensive formation, Anakin at point and the two other Jedi bringing up the rear as their objectives were also several bulkheads aft of their current position. They traversed four sections without incident then the great bulkhead doors of the fifth boomed closed in their faces. Almost at the same instant the hall behind filled with battle droids, the intruders dove for cover as they opened fire.

Obi-Wan and Sabe ended up behind the same stanchion. "Now what?" she asked, returning fire with a will.

"Look's like you'll be coming with me." he answered and moved along the wall until he found a hatch, palmed it open and slipped inside. Snapping off a final volley she followed - and found herself nose to chest with Obi-Wan in a tight little storage locker.

"Hiding in a closet is your idea of tactics?" she demanded.

"Shhh." he answered, listening intently. Outside the firing stopped, after a moment Obi-Wan cautiously opened the door.

"Well?"

"All clear." he stepped out and she followed. The wide corridor was empty, except for the usual droid wreckage, but the way aft still sealed.

"Where did everybody go?"

"Through the side doors," he shrugged. "I just hope they managed to stay together. Come on, there's an elevator bank a few yards back."

"I remember."

"We'll go down a few levels and then work our way aft to the power link." he continued after they'd gained the elevator and started it down.

"I just hope you and Master Qui-Gon don't end up going for the same one." Sabe returned gloomily.

He smiled and shook his head. "No chance of that. We picked our targets."

"What if something else goes wrong?" she asked unconvinced.

His smile took a wry twist. "And it will. You know what our missions are like."

"I surely do!" she said with fervor.

The door slid open - right in the face of a massive, hovering droid waving multiple limbs tipped with a variety of nasty looking devices. Obi-Wan caught Sabe's arm as she instinctively raised her blaster. "It's a tech droid, nothing to worry about." they slid around it as it entered the lift, ignoring their existence.

"See? This way." they headed down the narrow, ill-lit access corridor, Obi-Wan shaking his head. "That's some hair trigger you've got - as bad as Anakin's."

"Thank you." She answered sweetly. "I love you too."

Obi-Wan stumbled - on a perfectly smooth deck - and turned a stunned face to her.

She laughed. "I know. You haven't said it yet, but I got tired of waiting. And after all the chances I've given you too!"

"I - uh -"

"You can't be that dense." she continued right over his stammer. "You're a Jedi aren't you, I thought you were supposed to be able to sense emotional states? I mean I've just been thinking and dreaming of you ever since the day you and Master Qui-Gon dropped into my life!"

Obi-Wan's confusion gave way to a broad smile. "And I've had your beautiful face imprinted on my mind's eye from the moment I first saw it without that blasted make-up!"

Sabe glowed. "Is that a declaration?"

"It most certainly is. But I suggest we delay the rest of this conversation until after we've dealt with those tractors."

She heaved a sigh. "Right. A handmaid's work is never done!"

"Nor a Jedi's."

Notes:

1. Castellans are the small, skinny, blue-skinned beings addicted to pointy hats who control the Commerce Guild. Their president, Shu Mai, is a member of the Separatist Council. Castellans are both braver and more effective warriors than the much larger Neimoidians - but then who isn't?