Chapter 12: Premonitions
The rain had let up, but occasionally the low rumble of thunder was heard in the distance. The night would slowly morph into a blood red dawn soon; the four Jedi intended to locate their lost group of handmaidens, security officers, and the queen before that time. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan led the way in a brisk job, followed by Anakin and Padmé, both of whom had recovered from their respective bumps and bruises as a result of the battle with the Zabrak. Their trek led them further up the mountain, now the air had begun to noticeably thin, and the temperature dropped a few degrees every so often, by the time Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stopped in the front of a dark, narrow cave, Anakin could see his breaths in puffs of smoke.
He marveled at how far the group managed to run from the Zabrak when it attacked, he was certain that they were at least half a mile away from that cliff now.
Once outside, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan explained that they needed to head back to their landed craft in order to contact Coruscant. So they did, trailing back down the mountain side. Several minutes later of brisk pacing, and the slowing down for the occasional large obstacle, Anakin could no longer see his breath. He felt beads of sweat at the top of his forehead, he looked to his left and caught sight of Padmé, she too looked as worn as he. Yet she managed to retain her wonderful grace. The grace that kept him watching her every move until he nearly tripped over the jutting root of a tree. He shook his head vigorously and tried to tear his focus from Padmé.
An hour later, the sun had risen in the sky, and light was cast over the mountain. Shortly after Anakin nearly fell flat on his face because of his staring at Padmé, they reached the Jedi's two starfighters. Qui-Gon started toward his and opened the cockpit by means of the Force, it was now time to complete the mission Anakin and Padmé had originally been set out for.
Several seconds later, Qui-Gon stood on the left side of the ship and a holographic image of Master Yoda sprang to life. All four Jedi bowed, the queen and her cronies glanced uncertainly at the small, large eared, holographic creature.
"Mm, Master Qui-Gon, good to see you alive it is." Yoda said. "And you two as well."
Anakin and Padmé nodded.
"Master, Yoda," Qui-Gon began, rising from his now muddy knees. "The Trade Federation has invaded Naboo. From what I can tell, the capitol Theed is completely taken, and all major cities have most likely been neutralized."
"Grim news, this is." Yoda said gravely. "Sadly, not unexpected it was. Send transport for you we will, when arrive at Coruscant you do, discuss the situation we must."
"Very well," Qui-Gon replied. "There is something even more troubling, however, master. A Zabrak attacked us, he wielded the customary red blade of the Sith. At first I took him to be a Dark Jedi, but I believe he is a Sith Lord."
Yoda's ears drooped.
"Disturbing this is. Trust your judgment, I do, Qui-Gon, though the Sith have been extinct for a millennia. Mm… best it would be, to avoid contact with all enemies, flee as far away from Theed as possible, and await transport, you must."
"How long will it be until transport arrives?" Queen Jimila asked suddenly. Yoda's holographic head turned to face her.
"A long time it will take, to secure a transport, longer still to alert the Senate, and still longer to arrive at Naboo. Three days, my best estimate that is."
"Three days?!" Captain Panaka cried. "That's ridiculous! The Trade Federation has invaded, we could all be killed, the Senate does not need that long to examine any evidence, they have the word of a Jedi Master and the queen herself!"
Yoda shook his head. "Never has any Republic Senate put much trust in the Jedi Order, now, more corrupt it is. In charge now, are the advisors of the Chancellor, very little power he has anymore. Proof, the Senate will require, before they will allows us the proper, military craft to retrieve you. Likely it is that they will send a commission to Naboo to discover the truth. Long the wait will be."
"This is outrageous!" Queen Jimila snapped before she could stop herself. "Master Jedi, please, speak with Chancellor Palpatine, perhaps he can sway the Senate to send aid!"
"That I will do, but no guarantee there is. Until then, hide, keep yourselves alive. Contact me again, you must, if possible. Now, go I must to speak with Palpatine and the Jedi Council."
"Very well Master," Qui-Gon said with a slight bow. Seconds later, Yoda ended the transmission, wishing the Force to be with them. The Jedi Master turned to face the group.
"This is unacceptable." Jimila stated angrily.
"I'm aware of the situation, my lady." Qui-Gon replied. "But there is little we can do."
"But you are not a native of Naboo!" Jimila snapped more rudely than she had intended. "I believe there is something we can do. We must, otherwise my people will suffer and die until the Viceroy succeeds in forcing me to sign his treaty!"
"How do you suggest we take care of it then?" Qui-Gon asked monotonously, though his eyes were sympathetic, and he seemed as though he did not wish to challenge her.
"We have pilots with us!" Jimila exclaimed, casting a hand out to indicate the ragged men that were part of the group. "They were rescued along with us before our ship crashed!"
"I see," Qui-Gon replied solemnly. "Then it is your suggestion that we send…."
"The pilots to take out the droid control ship orbiting the planet, yes."
"Impossible!" Obi-Wan objected.
"No it's not." Anakin said quietly, shaking his head. "No it's not. The droid control ships are of a certain class, I know, I was on board one. They have an odd weakness, a foolish one. Their main reactor is accessible from their hanger bay. If one pilot could access the ship from the hanger, then they could destroy the reactor."
"That would be very difficult…" Obi-Wan trailed off.
"Yes it would," Jimila agreed. "But we can sort it out later. We first need entry to Theed, there are secret passages under the waterfall that lead into a palace courtyard near the hanger bays. We can access them from there."
"It's feasible," Qui-Gon concurred. "However, we do not know the extent of the droid presence in Theed."
"Yes?" Jimila hissed, as though asking for his point.
"Four Jedi are no match for a thousand droids." Qui-Gon replied. "And, I sense that there are more than that."
"You suggest we lure them out?" Jimila questioned.
"Yes," Qui-Gon nodded the affirmative. "But how we do this, I do not know."
"I do," Padmé said. All eyes turned to look upon her, all surprised, even those of Anakin's.
"We met a Gungan when we first landed, he called himself Jar Jar Binks."
"Yes! We did, I remember, it had floppy ears and was slightly idiotic." Anakin agreed.
"Anakin!" Padmé hissed.
"Never mind," the Jedi Padawan mumbled.
"Anyway, the Gungan said—"
"That they all hide like cowards in their underwater city?" Jimila suggested.
"No," Padmé replied calmly. "He said, in times of trouble, the Gungans leave their city and head for a secret hiding place among some ruins, north of the spot where we met him."
"It also said the Gungans did not like outsiders." Anakin pointed out.
Padmé threw him a look that immediately shut him up. Obviously this was not a good time to contradict her.
"We could find these Gungans, and convince them to help; they could draw the droids out of the city." Padmé finished.
"I see no alternative." Qui-Gon said. "This may be our only chance."
Without the exchange of words, the Jedi Master drew from a pouch in his belt a comlink, and tossed it to Anakin.
"You will both go. Take this so that we can stay in contact. Take our fighters now. Convince the Gungans to help us in any way you can, they must amass south of Theed, in the fields and plains several miles away." Qui-Gon instructed.
"I will not fail you master." Anakin said.
"I know you won't." Qui-Gon replied. "You are both becoming great Jedi. Now go."
And so they did.
XxX
It was to happen every week. Lord Sidious had told them… he would contact them every week. Their conversations were never pleasant, and Nute Gunray suspected he might be seriously injured this time, perhaps killed… he shuddered at the thought. He had failed, the Jedi still had not been found. Rune Haako looked flushed as he stood in the corner of the throne room, the length of which Gunray paced restlessly.
The viceroy nearly died right there.
Suddenly the throne room doors blew open, and several charred, dismembered battle droid parts skidded in, sending sparks in all directions as they scratched the floor. Following them, was Darth Maul, he glanced wordlessly at a terrified Nute Gunray, the door closed behind him loudly, seemingly on its own accord.
"Lord Maul," said Gunray, bowing slightly. "I trust you have the Jedi? Now… now that you are back."
The Sith Lord did not respond, and Gunray was smart enough not to prod further.
He kept pacing, as Maul stood stationary, after an eternity of waiting in anxiety, a holographic image of Lord Sidious appeared on the table before the queen's throne. Gunray and Haako immediately kneeled before it, prompting a hideous scowl from the Sith Lord.
"Viceroy, green twit, rise." Sidious ordered.
Nute suspected that Rune Haako did not exactly enjoy being referred to as a twit, but he did not voice his opinions.
"I grow tired of these constant progress reports, none of which have changed as they should have." Sidious stated coldly. "Now, where are the Jedi?"
"I do not know my lord!" Gunray cried, he aimed a finger at Maul. "He has not reported to me."
"It is not my duty to report to you." Maul stated flatly.
"I…"
"Silence Viceroy!" Sidious snapped. "Where are the Jedi, Lord Maul?"
"I do not know sir. I was overwhelmed."
"BY PADAWAN JEDI?!" Sidious roared.
"No, my lord, two more arrived, they were masters."
"Masters?" Sidious growled in low, furious tones. "The situation is getting out of hand. Now we must wait. The Jedi will try something; the future does not reveal what, but something…. Keep the droid control ship orbiting the planet on constant lookout, and search the Jedi's last known location. I want the found, and I want them killed."
"I will find them." Maul stated.
"No, you will stay with the Viceroy." Sidious ordered. "The future is unclear…."
XxX
Later that day, both Anakin and Padmé were able to successfully locate the clearing in the forest where the Trade Federation first touched down near Theed. They landed, disembarked the respective craft, and covered them in leafy branches, so as to camouflage them from the eyes of those they would rather avoid. The wordlessly started into the forest, Anakin could not help but steal glances at her, covered in a film of sweat and trudging past the beauty of nature, more graceful than even the pure white deer that they occasionally came across.
Their hike ended as twilight stole the day. They camped near an old tree, thick enough to house three human beings, had it been hollow, with innumerable branches spreading high above to form a canopy. The two Jedi unpacked their respective sleeping equipment, lying under the tree, exposed to the wild, in two separate sleeping bags. They spoke about arbitrary, meaningless things for awhile, avoiding a discussion about Naboo.
Anakin sensed how it upset Padmé, Naboo was her home planet. Her family had been here, her life had been here, before she had become a Jedi.
They laid there, speaking away several hours of the night, neither of them had predicted how cold it would become… and… because of a wonderful necessity… Anakin fell asleep happier than he had been in a long time, Padmé kept warm in his arms.
XxX
He was frozen in place, as though he was on the outside looking in to the scene before him. Obi-Wan lay unconscious near the rim of an endless, black, metal pit. His head was caked with a slight bit of blood, Anakin sensed he was injured, he wanted to help him, he had to help him, but he could not. His gaze was drawn to Qui-Gon.
His master lay several feet from Obi-Wan, sprawled upon the ground, long, cauterized gashes in his thigh and arm. The…
The Zabrak towering above him… smiling devilishly. Anakin felt his stomach tighten, and felt as though it would rip and he would die of internal blood loss when his gaze fell upon Padmé who lay against a bloodstained way… crimson liquid dripping down the side of her face. Anakin's momentary immobilization ceased to exist, he did not consciously command his legs to move… they did so at their will, propelling him at the Dark Jedi.
A lightsaber was suddenly alight and glowing in his hand, he brought it forward in a mad slash at the evilly smiling Zabrak. The Dark Jedi… no… Sith Lord… parried. A vicious, grueling duel ensued. Anakin felt his focus minimizing, his endurance faltering. He could barely bring his blade to meet the Zabrak's, the Force was slipping from his control, he was soaked in sweat, and he was only half aware of what he was doing….
And then….
He felt the blade knocked from his hand, it clanked as it hit the wall of the dark pit and fell. Pain shot through Anakin's body as his knees hit the ground, he found himself kneeling before one of the Zabrak's double blades, exhausted, defeated.
The Sith Zabrak smiled again, and poised himself for the kill….
But it was not the kneeling Jedi Padawan that he drove his blade through.
Without warning, without the slightest bit of indication, Padmé was on her feet, lightsaber ablaze. She had no time to strike. Anakin watched in horror as she sputtered. Her dead weapon clattered to the ground. The Sith Lord scowled, pulling his own lightsaber forward, and sidestepped behind Padmé, revealing her injured body to Anakin.
A smoking… gaping… burned… hole… had been cut into her stomach. She gasped, and mouthed a word he could not hear before a black boot contacted with her head, sending her flipping down the dark pit, like a lifeless rag doll in the air. Anakin cried out—
Anakin awoke covered in cold sweat. He shivered in the chilly night air and quickly looked to Padmé, just to convince himself she was there, with him, asleep. She was.
The Jedi Padawan broke down in shivers. That was too vivid to be just a dream.