Qui-Gon Jinn flitted silently down the long tube of the access corridor, his dark robes blending uncannily with the dusky metal grilling covering walls, floors and ceiling. He froze at the sound of marching feet reverberating on the metal floor and approaching from behind, then seemed to become one with the bulkhead behind him. The blue-skinned gossam and his retinue of four droids, each carrying a large crate, went right past the Jedi as if he wasn't there.
A meter or so farther on the crewman keyed a hatch. It swung heavily upward releasing the sound of muffled voices and sobs - quickly cut off - and the odor of close packed humanity. The droids tramped in, one after another, exiting without their loads as Qui-Gon drifted closer, close enough to see the pallid faces of humans and aliens peering fearfully upward at their captor.
The hatch slammed closed and the gossam and his droids again marched unseeingly past the Jedi Master on their way back up the passage. Qui-Gon waited until the last echo of their footsteps had died away before lifting his comlink to his lips.
----
An insistent bleep brought Obi-Wan to a halt. He pulled out his own link. "Yes, Master?"
"There's been a change of plans," Qui-Gon's voice answered. Obi-Wan's eyes turned upward and Sabe smothered a giggle with her palm. "We're going to have to take the ship after all."
"Great!" said Anakin's voice enthusiastically.
This time Obi-Wan's eyes rolled. "May I ask why, Master?"
"She's a slaver. There are several hundred beings packed in the holds."
Sabe's amusement vanished. Obi-Wan's face turned grim. "Understood, Master. What are your orders?"
"Anakin, you, Captain Stanis and her crew take the bridge," Qui-Gon said crisply. "Padme, I want you and your handmaidens down here to handle the prisoners, reassure them and make sure they're ready to follow instructions."
"Yes, Master," came Padme's voice. "Master, we've lost Sabe."
"No we haven't," Obi-Wan cut in. "She's with me."
"Thank goodness!" Padme sighed in relief.
"Captain Somedetch you and your men rendezvous with Obi-Wan and Sabe and take the Engineering spaces."
"Yes sir."
"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan's right eyebrow lifted a trifle. "Excuse me, Master, but what are you going to do?"
They couldn't see Qui-Gon's smile but they heard it in his voice. "I am going to create a diversion."
Obi-Wan clicked off. "What do you think he has in mind?" Sabe asked, intrigued.
"I daren't guess," was the rueful reply. "Let's get moving."
----
Artoo was projecting his schematic again, generating a red line to follow Anakin's forefinger as he traced routes.
"Aft for two bulkheads, then down three levels. General Kenobi should meet you about here," he told Captain Somedetch. May the Force be with you."
The captain nodded briskly and led his five men aft at a quick trot.
"Sweetheart," Anakin continued to his wife. "take the first lift you come to four decks down then head aft. Master will show you where the prisoners are. Be careful."
"You too." Padme dropped a kiss on his cheek then headed forward, followed by her handmaidens and Threepio.
Anakin turned his remaining troops. "Okay, Captain Stanis, you and your people stay behind me and stay close."
"You got it, Commander," she answered fervently.
----
The dark cowled figure of the Jedi Master materialized seemingly out of the damp, dense air of the dimly lit access corridor making Padme jump. "Master Qui-Gon!"
"This way," was all he said.
She and her handmaidens, with Threepio bringing up the rear, followed the flitting ghostlike figure to a large hatch. He keyed the control pad and it swung ponderously open. "Take care of them, Madam Skywalker," the Master said softly and melted into the shadowy dimness.
Padme took a deep breath and nearly choked on the stench wafting from the open doorway. She recovered and stepped through, handmaidens and droids at her heels. Somebody keyed the door and it boomed shut behind them. Hundreds of eyes of all descriptions belonging to dozens of different races stared up at her, wide and bright with fear. Padme made herself smile reassuringly and projected her voice clearly so as to be heard even in the far reaches of the gigantic compartment.
"Everything is going to be all right," she began. "I am Padme Amidala." The massed beings stirred and whispered, recognizing the name. "I'm here with a party of Jedi, we're going to rescue you." More whispers loud and hopeful. "We must all be ready to move the moment Master Jinn or General Kenobi or Commander Skywalker gives the word." Those names had the effect she'd expected. The eyes fixed on her now shone with excitement and hope rather than fear. She gave them another smile then turned to her companions. "Eirtae, Rabe, Sache, Yane, circulate and see if there are any injured and do what you can for them. Threepio, talk to the aliens make sure they know what's going on."
----
Qui-Gon stood, a tall, narrow column of darkness invisible in the shadow cast by a pile of large metal crates, studying the hangar floor spread out before him. A handful of gossams and a number of astromech and 3PO droids moved among assorted vessels ranging from small transports through fighters to tiny scout craft. Qui-Gon considered, made his choice and moved.
---
Obi-Wan and Sabe had just rendezvoused with Captain Somedetch and his guards when a sudden jolt rocked the ship sending Sabe reeling into Obi-Wan's arms. He set her gently back on her feet, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"What was that?" Somedetch asked.
"The diversion," Obi-Wan answered dryly.
-----
Gossam and droids scattered frantically as a twelve man, armed transport plowed through a row of parked fighters. Inside the cockpit Qui-Gon's hands played over the controls lifting the heavy vessel on its repulsors and sending it smashing sideways into an inner bulkhead which buckled under the impact transmitting tremors throughout the structure of the ship.
-----
Anakin Skywalker swayed easily with the motion, keeping his balance. Stanis steadied herself against a wall as her co-pilot and the com-tech helped the navigator back on his feet. "What was that?"
"Master's diversion," Skywalker answered matter-of-factly.
Feet pounded the deck and a detachment of gossams appeared around the bend. Stanis and her crew opened fire.
---
Obi-Wan Kenobi vaulted the railing to land behind and demolish the multi-armed tech droid tending the main engine console.
Sabe joined the guardsmen's volley from the upper gallery, downing both droids and technicians, then slid down an access ladder to the main floor. A gossam had taken refuge in the access alcove, it started for her then folded over as she kicked sideways hard, right in its middle. Before it hit the deck she was running across the floor, firing at the 3PO droid making for Obi-Wan's back.
His hands danced over the control board with practiced grace, rerouting functions to his own control and locking out auxiliary stations. Reaching his side Sabe looked around at the guards tying up the remaining gossam with lengths of power cable. "That was fast."
Obi-Wan tossed her a quick flash of a smile. "Oh, I think we can expect a counter-attack." A hand shot out to slam and seal the doors to gallery and main deck. "Captain Somedetch, listen for activity outside."
"Yes sir!"
-----
Qui-Gon's transport broke through the bulkhead into the adjoining bay. Small arms fire blasted away flight flaps and vanes and blackened plating. He detached one hand from the joysticks to return fire with the transport's batteries. The battle droids and the scout they'd been using for shelter disappeared in a flash of firery vapor. Debris flew in all directions scoring the remaining bulkheads and piercing the protective plating of the small ships. Some exploded. The great ship shuddered.
----
Padme braced herself in the circle of the hatch and shouted, "It's all right, it's all part of the plan!" hoping desperately that she was right. The captives huddled on the floor, clinging to each other,
-----
Anakin Skywalker burst through the doors into the chaos of the control center. Red lights were flashing everywhere and a the high, thin whine of a siren added to the atmosphere of panic. He spread the hand not holding his lightsaber and pushed against air. Across the compartment the two gossam pilots somersaulted over their console. Stanis and her second didn't need to orders to make a dash for it.
They concentrated on locking down control, ignoring the brief battle going on behind them. The ship jolted again, skittering sideways off course.
"What is he doing down there?" Stanis shouted out to the universe at large.
----
Qui-Gon's transport was a burning hulk on the deck of yet a third hangar bay. Frowning slightly he tried to work his console. The controls clicked ineffectively, powerless. Smoke was leaking into the cockpit and the temperature was rising. Suddenly he raised his leonine head to listen to a Voice audible only to a inner sense not the ears. He rose from the pilot's seat and activated his saber. Time to leave.
----
The big engine room doors glowed a firery red shading through orange and yellow to white at the center. "Take cover!" Obi-Wan ordered, standing blade at ready.
Sabe joined a couple of guards behind a barricade of toolboxes and leveled her blaster at the doors just as they exploded inwards. Obi-Wan remained upright, unflinching, as white hot metal fragments powdered the floor around him. Blaster fire streaked through the smoke to be deflected back by the brilliant blue blur of his blade.
'Sweet Naboo, but I love that man!' Sabe thought, firing in support.
----
"Bridge secured," Anakin said into his comlink. There as no answer. "Master? Master Qui-Gon, are you all right?"
Nothing.
"Obi-Wan, do you read?"
----
Obi-Wan prodded the sparking remnants of a battledroid with his toe and pulled out his comlink. "I'm here, Anakin. Engine room secured."
"Master isn't answering!"
"Calm, Anakin, calm. We'd know if he was hurt. He's probably just busy."
-----
Qui-Gon fended off the concentrated barrage of blaster fire, a slight frown knitting his heavy brows. It was coming from gossam, not battledroids, and he'd much prefer not to kill them... then his wandering eye settled on a cargo net dangling high above. He smiled.
----
Padme pocketed her comlink and beamed reassuringly down on the anxious crowd. "It's over, we've taken the ship." They cheered.
----
Anakin skidded into Bay Four and nearly collided with Qui-Gon. "Master! you're all right."
Brows rose in guileless innocence. "Of course, Anakin, why shouldn't I be?"
"Told you so," said Obi-Wan from the still open door.
"Oh, yeah? Then what are you doing here..." Anakin's voice trailed off as he caught sight of the heap of cursing gossams struggling in heavy meshes of a cargo net. "Oh. Very neat, Master."
"Thank you, Anakin."