13

"Baftu gaped at Obi-Wan, frozen with shock to see the boy he knew as Prince Beju on the attack."

Baftu gritted his teeth and his lip twitched of its own accord. His hands were clenched and his mind was working like lightening. He was not about to let a pitiful rebel uprising and a snot nose prince ruin his plans.

"Be reasonable, my prince." Baftu tried to placate.

"Reasonable? I've been more than reasonable. I've had to deal with your second rate facilities and your lies which are even more transparent." Beju said haughtily. "I want off this sorry excuse for a planet and I'm not leaving without my Bacta."

Baftu opened his mouth to say something harsh, but closed it. This alliance wasn't unsalvageable.

"Come then, my prince. I must warn you though. Getting your Bacta may prove to be extremely difficult at the moment."

"That doesn't seem to be my problem does it?"

Beju's pale blue eyes flashed in anger and his guards stood more at attention as the sounds of the rebels came closer. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as a female Phindian walked calmly out of Syndicat Headquarters. Baftu's lip twitched again. He did not want to deal with Terra right now.

Terra spotted Baftu and the prince and zoned in on them like a shark. Baftu inwardly groaned and knew the last chance he had with the alliance was about to be ruined. Her orange eyes flashed with anger as she looked at Baftu. Baftu's smile turned cold and deadly.

"My prince Beju, what do you think of our planet?" Terra asked sarcastically.

"Silence!" Baftu ordered.

The Phindian woman whirled on him and she was trembling with rage.

"I told you this would happen! You went too far! The people have revolted. They don't look too tired to carry a weapon do they?" Terra screamed at Baftu.

"Didn't I charge you with the matter of Phindar? If it is anyone's fault it is yours." Baftu said in a deadly voice.

"Mine? Oh no Baftu. I'm not taking the fall for your incompetence." Terra shrieked.

Prince Beju smiled wryly, but kept his face with his usual mask of arrogance. He was gaining a certain amount of control over the situation. He had realized that he might not get his Bacta (one can never be sure when dealing with criminals).

"I leave the planet's affairs to you for less than a day and the whole thing collapses." Baftu roared.

"If you knew your people you would have known this was going to happen. You pushed too far and now they're pushing back. This isn't some pathetic group of rebels. This is a planned battle strategy and it makes us look like fools!"

Beju folded his arms and watched the couple argue. Was this going to last all day? He impetuously tapped his foot and sulked.

"Insolent woman!" Baftu snarled.

"Better insolent than incompetent. Who do you think has kept Phindar together while you were off dreaming of better things?" Terra howled with fury.

The pair argued like a married couple. Beju was bored. His impatience outweighed his caution. He was brought up being the center of attention. Even if this was a precarious situation he couldn't simply stand and watch as he was pushed to the side. He wanted the Bacta and when he wanted something, he got it.

"This is all very entertaining," Beju stated. "But I have no desire to stay on your planet any longer than necessary. I want my Bacta now. I've fulfilled my end of the bargain."

An enraged Baftu whirled on the prince.

"Your end? You vain, worthless, stupid boy. You have done nothing! What you gave me is a backless promise."

Beju's eyes narrowed and his moon colored skin reddened.

"I should have seen this from the beginning. There is no possible way you could win the Throne of Gala. No Galacian in their right mind would be so dense as to vote for such an infantile idiot as yourself."

Beju's face became redder and redder and his hands clenched. He was shaking with rage.

"All I saw when I met you was how easy it would be to manipulate you and to make you believe that you were in control of your planet while it would be me who really had control."

Beju did not speak, but his face was a mask of hatred and rage. The condescension was gone and was replaced with loathing. Behind his mask his mind was racing back and forth. He knew he was in danger and he needed a way out and fast. The Bacta be damned. His life was much more important.

"We all make mistakes. I, for instance, thought you might be capable of helping to rule a planet. I was gravely mistaken." Beju said sardonically.

He tried to keep the façade of bluster. He must not let Baftu know that he was cornered and out of options. It was all for naught. Baftu was not fooled.

"Simple boy." Baftu smiled.

He lifted his left hand and the assassin droids responded immediately. They leveled their weapons at Beju, but did not fire. Beju's face paled and his eyes were filled with terror for a second. He only allowed his terror to show for a second and then it was replaced with indignation. His royal guard's reaction was instantaneous. They drew their weapons and surrounded the prince in a protective circle. All of the royal guard had a clear shot of Baftu's head.

"I am not a boy." Beju said irritably.

"Have you lost all sense Baftu?" Terra shrieked. "Are you trying to start an interplanetary war?"

Baftu snorted.

"Gala is weak." He mocked.

"Gala is not weak!" Beju snarled.

"I have to give them credit for some intelligence. They decided to change a monarchy that has endured for centuries so you couldn't rule."

Beju's face darkened, but he said nothing.

"You idiot!" Terra screamed. "Phindar is falling to pieces and you think we can afford to start another war?"

"Be silent woman."

Terra seethed and then slapped Baftu in the face. Baftu snarled and backhanded Terra across her delicate face. The Phindian woman fell to the ground and looked up at Baftu. Her orange eyes skewered him with a look of pure rage.

"You fool." She spat.

"Harlot," He snapped. "Your beauty no longer amuses me."

This incensed Terra further and her face blushed further with anger and shame.

"Perhaps I should just leave you to your ignorance then." Terra said emotionally.

Baftu laughed mockingly at his partner.

"Don't get upset pretty Terra."

Terra spat at Baftu's feet. Baftu's face contorted in rage and he started to raise his arm towards his assassin droids. Terra stood defiantly. Beju didn't like the situation one bit and he didn't know what to do. His royal guard was still protecting him, but he didn't think that was enough. He had to get out of there before something happened. The problem was that if he tried to leave Baftu would surely have his droids open fire on him.

A loud yell interrupted the tense situation and distracted Baftu and Terra for a second. An old bent woman came running down the hall at a pace that defied her age. Her arms were waving frantically and she shouted something unintelligible. The assassin droids, already on high alert, responded without Baftu's sanction. They opened fire and the old woman went down with a low grunt. Two distant screams rent the air as the old woman hit the ground.

Beju's guard started to fire on the assassin droids, fearing they would turn on Beju. The assassin droids fired back at the new threat and shots rang out all around. Beju threw himself to the floor and tried to crawl away. A shot missed him by mere centimeters. He scrambled wildly and cried out when a stray blaster fire caught him in the shoulder. He cursed and his crawling became desperate. He did not care for appearances anymore. His eyes shone with terror as he tried to escape the melee. He had made some bad decisions in the past, but he never really did something he regretted. Amidst the chaos the prince had time to wonder if this was the worst mistake of his entire life.

"Paxxi!" An unidentifiable voice cried out.

"Get down!" Another voice called.

The prince also heard several screams of pain and shuddered at each one. He hissed in pain as he aggravated his shoulder further. He finally crawled to a relatively safe place. He hid behind a pillar and tried to control his rapid breathing. He had to calm down or he would hyperventilate.

"Guerra! Look out!"

There were still many assassin droids and the prince could see no sign of Baftu. He looked for any of his royal guard, but he couldn't see any without revealing his position. He thought he heard a strange buzzing and when he peered around the pillar he swear he saw a flash of green. Two bolts singed by him and the prince cursed. He had been spotted. His shoulder protested even the slightest of movements and he clenched his jaw to keep from crying out in pain. He got to his feet and fought the rolling waves of agony. More shots came towards his direction and he decided to make a break for it.

He ran, but this caused him to wrench his shoulder and his legs buckled when the pain. He used his arms to break his fall and immediately regretted the action. He cried out in agony. Damn it! He was a prince! He had no weapons and was injured. His father must be rolling in his grave now. What kind of son had he raised? He was no coward!

The prince got to his feet again and hissed in pain and triumph. He heard a whirring sound and reeled around. An assassin droid was lining him up in its sights. Time seemed to slow and the prince could swear he heard his own heart beat. Was this it? He was going to die dishonorably on some strange world. His mother and world flashed before his eyes. They were both dying and he wouldn't be able to save either! Damn it! This wasn't fair!

The assassin droid aimed unemotionally at its target. The prince was paralyzed and could not react fast enough. He stared at death and it beckoned. He heard the shot ring out and found himself pushed to the ground. He closed his eyes and waited to die. He waited. Damn it! What was taking so long? He opened his eyes in annoyance and saw a man standing over him with a green laser sword in his hand. What? The assassin droid was dismembered and the sounds of fighting had died away. The man deactivated his sword and hooked it on his belt. He offered the prince a hand up and the prince took it.

"Prince Beju." The man said in a low commanding voice.

The prince had quite a scare, but he was palace trained he quickly remembered his manners.

"Yes. I am Prince Beju. I thank you."

There was real gratitude in his eyes, but also confusion. He knew he would normally demand to know what was going on and who this man was, but his honor prohibited him. This man had just saved his life. He dipped his head respectfully.

"I am Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn." The man said. "And you are not supposed to be here." He added with amusement.

Qui-Gon noted that the boy had the shame to blush.

"I quite agree." The boy said.

Qui-Gon smiled. There was good in everyone. There was some amount of humility even in the most arrogant of princes. The Force worked in many wondrous ways.

"Come on." He gestured the prince to follow.

The prince followed a step or two behind him just like Obi-Wan. A grimace crossed Qui-Gon's face and he tried to shake away the fresh waves of grief that came. The prince was the same height and build as Obi-Wan though he was probably a couple of years older. Qui-Gon walked back to where Guerra and Paxxi were cradling their mother in their arms.

The Phindian woman was dead. The assassin droids had hit their mark well and she had died quickly. The two brothers were weeping over their dead mother and Terra was leaning against the wall with a troubled expression in her eyes. Her eyes refocused when she saw the Jedi and the prince. Her orange eyes regarded them with little interest. Clearly she was deep in thought.

Qui-Gon kneeled down beside the two brothers and put a comforting hand on both of their shoulders.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way!" Guerra sobbed.

"It never is." Qui-Gon consoled.

Tears rolled down Guerra's face and he clutched something round and black in his hand. Terra looked away. Paxxi looked up at Qui-Gon and the prince who was searching the room to see if any of his guards were alive; they were not. Paxxi's eyes narrowed in anger.

"You! This is all your fault!" He blamed.

"It is no fault of mine." The prince stated calmly with a little hint of his earlier arrogance.

"You lie!" Paxxi screamed and rocked back and forth.

"If there is any blame then it resides on Baftu." The prince stated.

Paxxi said nothing, but knew what the prince said was true. There was a solemn silence and then Terra broke it.

"Are you going to let him get away with your mother's murder?"

The two brothers stared up at their sister.

"She's your mother too!" Paxxi screamed. "She stayed with you because she loved you!"

Terra shrugged. A raging fire was building in her eyes.

"Are you going to let him get away with it brother?"

Guerra and Paxxi jumped to their feet and enveloped their sister in a hug. A strange expression crossed her face, but she did not pull away.

"You must go," She said. "Baftu must pay."

Qui-Gon felt her anger and the dark ripples it caused in the Force. It was not her mother's death that she was angry about. Baftu had betrayed her and she was not betrayed lightly. She was manipulating her brother's emotions and making them believe that she remembered. Qui-Gon sighed inwardly.

The brothers nodded and their faces were filled with resolve.

"I will stay with our mother." Terra said.

They nodded and stood next to Qui-Gon and the prince. They took one last glance at their sister and mother and then turned away. Qui-Gon and the prince followed. They were near the exit when Qui-Gon suddenly stopped. The prince nearly collided into him and bit his tongue to keep from cursing in annoyance. Paxxi and Guerra also stopped and looked questioningly at Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon felt the Force call out to him and he looked to his left. A weapons rack was resting against a wall. His heart pounded as he realized what he saw. He reached out his hand and found it to be trembling. He slowly lifted Obi-Wan's lightsaber from the rack. A thickness in his throat built up and his emotions almost overtook him. He shoved them all away and clipped the lightsaber next to his own. Qui-Gon paused to collect himself and to block out his guilt.

"Come on Jedi-Gon," Paxxi urged softly. "We'll find him."

Qui-Gon nodded curtly and walked swiftly out the door. Beju selected a blaster and jogged to keep up. He was not going to be a helpless coward anymore, damn it! As they walked away they heard a feral cry of rage and betrayal from inside. They all paused and knew that Terra had entered the vault and found the treasure stolen. Qui-Gon ignored it and continued his pace. The brother's shook their head in sorrow and hurried to keep up with the Jedi.

The streets were in chaos. Phindians were running with supplies while others held blasters and shouted. The four began to run towards where the most Phindians were fighting. A line of Syndicat guards were holding off the mob.

Qui-Gon felt the Force surge around him and dove straight into the battle. Paxxi and Guerra took off in different direction but fought with ferocity; their eyes peeled for Baftu. Beju ran to catch up with Qui-Gon, firing his blaster. He stayed at Qui-Gon's side and covered his flank while Qui-Gon quickly and easily defeated the guards. Beju quickly lost his breath trying to keep up, but he managed fairly well. His shoulder hurt like hell, but his adrenaline helped him push past it.

Qui-Gon and Beju made their way through the Syndicat guards and saw Kaadi in the midst of battle. She was ferocious as a wild Mali pack and the guards seemed to quail beneath her. She roared and the Phindians roared back. The Sydicat guards were quickly realizing they were going to loose. Their numbers had severely been depleted already and they were spread too thin. One dropped his weapon and put his hands up in surrender. The others quickly followed example. Kaadi roared in triumph and the Phindians echoed it.

The fighting had not completely stopped though. A large group of assassin droids and Syndicat guards were clustered by the spaceport. Qui-Gon cursed and ran towards them. He should have known that Baftu's only thought would be escape. Prince Beju's ship came into view and the fighting was mostly centered around it. He looked over his shoulder and saw Beju a few feet behind, blaster in hand. A look of arrogant rage was taking over his face as he saw what was happening to his ship. Phindian rebels were unloading it of the Bacta while others protected them.

Guerra and Paxxi were in the thick of it. Their faces had transformed to something dark and menacing. Qui-Gon could feel the dark ripples of the Force underneath it all. Anger, hatred, desperation… The prince had finally caught up and was breathing heavily. Qui-Gon had to block the image of Obi-Wan out of his head. It was very easy for his mind to believe that it was Obi-Wan at his side instead of Prince Beju, but he wouldn't let himself.

Qui-Gon spotted Baftu and could hear Guerra and Paxxi's bellow of rage as they tried to get to him. The line of defense was too strong and they were powerless to stop him. Baftu disappeared inside of the ship and seconds later blaster fire was heard from inside. Qui-Gon knew that the Galacians inside had all been killed.

The ship's ion engines fired and the ship began to rise. Qui-Gon watched coolly, knowing there was nothing that could be done.

"THAT'S MY SHIP!" Prince Beju shouted in rage. "HE'S STEALING MY SHIP! THAT SON OF A—"

Prince Beju's shouting was drowned out by the sound of a proton grenade explosion. They ducked and rolled to the ground to avoid the shrapnel. They looked up and saw the still retreating form of Beju's ship against the sky.

"Damn it!" Beju cursed and passed out.

A/N: I hope you guys liked it. It was fun to write. Cross Country is over! sadness plus happiness Running a 5K was always fun, but tiring. Thanks for the compliments! Hopefully I'll update soon, but you can never tell whether it'll take a week or three months.