***Chapter 18***
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan continue their battle with Darth Maul. The trio move out of the main hangar through an entry that leads into a power station. Catwalks and overhangs crisscross a pit in which a tandem of generators is housed. Maul kicks Obi-Wan out of the way and continues to move deeper into the power station. Qui-Gon presses the attack. Obi-Wan quickly jumps back onto his feet and immediately rejoins his Master. Obi-Wan fakes a move to try and throw the Sith Lord off balance and Qui-Gon moves in to attack, but Darth Maul somersaults off the bridge they are on to a nearby catwalk. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan Force jump over to the catwalk, landing on either side of the Sith. The three continue their battle, moving down the catwalk as their sabers clash over and over.
'Oru follows the Naboo through the halls of the palace. Battle droids come out firing and the group is forced to take cover.
"We don't have time for this, Captain," Padmé remarks.
The group continues to fire, taking out droid after droid, but no matter how many they destroy, more droids seem to take their place.
"Look, there they are," Anakin says to R2. "That's where the autopilot is taking us."
Lexi's ship follows behind Anakin's. What is this kid doing heading right for the battle? Is he TRYING to get himself killed? I certainly hope he's as good with a Starfighter as Qui-Gon says he is with a podracer…
Destroyer droids roll through the Gungan energy shield and begin firing. Jar Jar suddenly has the top half of a destroyed battle droid fly onto his back. The Gungan begins whining and flailing about, trying to dislodge the droid. He finally manages to pull it off his back and throw it on the ground. Frustrated, he jumps into the midsection of the droid, causing the blaster in its hand to go off. He kicks the droid, again causing the blaster to go off, but then his foot gets tangled in the droids wiring. As he kicks his foot to try and free himself, the blaster continues to fire and takes out several battle droids.
"The deflector shield is too strong," Ric Olié says in dismay. One by one, Naboo pilots are shot down.
"This is tense!" Anakin hollers. "R2, get us off this autopilot. It's gonna get us both killed."
Lexi tries to raise him on the ship com, but Anakin doesn't answer. All she can do is keep his ship in sight and blast droid fighters that are in range of his ship.
"You did it," Anakin exclaims as R2 gets the autopilot disconnected. R2 beeps to Anakin, telling him to go back, but Anakin refuses. "Qui-Gon told me to stay in this cockpit, so that's what I'm gonna do."
Lexi groans as Anakin begins to spin his ship. Now I really think this boy is out to get himself killed! And if he doesn't survive this, I'm going to get killed…or worse, sent to the AgriCorps!
"The window," 'Oru hollers to Panaka. The Captain nods and blasts the window on the other side of the hall.
"Go!" Panaka yells. The Naboo quickly make to the blasted window. They rush out onto the ledge and Panaka tells them to get their ascension guns. In unison they shoot their grappling hooks to a ledge several stories up.
When they reach the new ledge, Padmé shoots out the window for them to enter the palace once again. They enter and quickly begin to make their way down the hall. 'Oru waits long enough to make sure all the Naboo are safely inside and then he heads back toward the hangar. The droids follow after 'Oru, trying in vain to shoot down the Jedi Master.
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon continue to battle Maul, pressing deeper and deeper into the power station. Maul locks sabers with Obi-Wan and then kicks him in the head, sending him over the side of the catwalk. Obi-Wan lands with a thud several catwalks down, his lightsaber landing beside him. The momentum of the fall causes him to roll off the ledge, but he manages to grab hold at the last second.
Qui-Gon hits Maul in the chest, and then in the head, sending him over the ledge as well. Maul doesn't fall as far as Obi-Wan had, but is slightly stunned nevertheless. Qui-Gon quickly jumps down to the ledge where the Sith has landed, hoping to take advantage of the situation and end the battle once and for all. As soon as Qui-Gon's feet hit the catwalk, Maul kicks him and gets back to his feet. The two begin to clash sabers again as they move across the catwalk toward a hallway filled with ray doors that leads to the melting pit.
'Oru enters the power station and quickly locates the Sith Lord and Qui-Gon. He Force jumps to the catwalk and rushes to catch up with the battle.
Obi-Wan pulls himself up and grabs his lightsaber. He quickly locates Master Jinn and Force jumps onto the catwalk. He is surprised to see 'Oru ahead of him and wonders briefly if the Viceroy is already contained. He runs to catch up with the battle. Qui-Gon and the Sith are nearing the first of the ray doors and he knows if he isn't quick he will be cut off from the battle, unable to help his Master.
Maul and Qui-Gon clash sabers as they travel down the hall. The doors had just cycled off as they neared the hall, but they begin to cycle back on again. Maul is trapped just one door away from the melting pit room, with Qui-Gon only one door from him. 'Oru makes it halfway down the hall before he has to stop, but Obi-Wan only makes it to the first door.
Qui-Gon powers off his saber and watches the Sith. Maul glares, strikes the power door with his saber, and then powers his saber as well. Qui-Gon drops to one knee to center himself in the Force while they wait for the doors to cycle off once more. 'Oru follows suit, taking advantage of the time to catch his breath.
Obi-Wan powers down his saber and watches helplessly as the Sith paces, watching Qui-Gon like an animal ready to pounce on its prey. Why didn't he slow down? He should have waited for me…he shouldn't be battling that thing alone! He is thankful 'Oru has joined the battle.
The droid army hits the Gungan shield generator and the shield quickly begins to disappear. General Ceel whistles for the Gungans to retreat. They begin to flee, chased by the Federation tanks and battle droids.
Jar Jar runs toward a cart holding large Gungan energy balls. He tries to hide under it, but the cart begins to move with the retreating Gungans. When he realizes he has lost his cover, Jar Jar jumps up and grabs onto the back of the cart, pulling the door open. He falls to the ground, but quickly gets up and runs away screaming when the energy balls roll off the cart and head toward him and the approaching droid army. One by one the energy balls find their mark on Federation tanks.
A fleeing Gungan on a kaadu picks Jar Jar up, but an explosion sends him flying off again and he lands on a Federation tank turret. General Ceel rides along the tank on his kaadu and advises Jar Jar to use a boomer. When Jar Jar informs him he doesn't have one, Ceel quickly tosses him one. Jar Jar tries to catch it, but being his normal, clumsy self, it bounces around in his hands and then lands on a droid who had just popped up to blast him off the turret. The tank goes out of control, and in an effort to save Jar Jar from the tank, both General Ceel and Jar Jar end up falling to the ground. They are quickly surrounded by droids.
Inside the palace, Padmé and her group rush down the hall. They are quickly surrounded by destroyer droids. The guards aim their blasters to fire, but after a quick assessment of the situation Padmé tells them to put down the blasters.
"They've won this round."
Her group obeys, though with a slight bit of hesitation. Battle droids move in and take the group captive.
Maul continues to keep his eyes on his prey. Obi-Wan readies his saber, knowing the rays are about to cycle off again and wanting to get to the battle before they cycle back on. 'Oru stands and wipes his sweaty brow on his sleeve, then readies his saber.
The moment the rays cycle off Qui-Gon is on his feet, saber ignited. Maul is ready for the Jedi, wanting to quickly take him out so he can finish off the others. Their sabers clash violently. As soon as 'Oru and Obi-Wan are free from the rays they rush to join the battle. 'Oru makes it to melting pit room and joins Qui-Gon against the Sith, but Obi-Wan is cut off from the group by the last ray door. He is running so fast he barely stops in time. He watches in frustration as the two Jedi Masters battle against the Sith Lord around the pit.
The trio clash sabers over and over, moving around the pit as they battle. Maul kicks 'Oru in the chest, sending the Jedi flying backward into a wall. He then presses the attack on Qui-Gon even harder. The kick and collision with the wall temporarily stuns 'Oru and it takes him a few moments to recover and get back on his feet. Though it is only seconds, it is enough time that Qui-Gon and Darth Maul have moved to the opposite side of the pit.
As 'Oru makes his way around to the battle, Maul hits Qui-Gon in the face with the hilt of his saber, stunning him. He tries to deliver a lethal blow, but 'Oru acts quickly and Force pushes Qui-Gon, causing him to turn and back up from Maul enough that the saber doesn't deal a death blow. Maul's saber cuts deep into Qui-Gon's right shoulder, driving him to the floor.
Obi-Wan stares in horror as he watches his Master fall. He can feel the searing pain coming from Qui-Gon as well as 'Oru's exhaustion. He knows that if the doors don't cycle off soon, both Masters will be killed. Come on, come on! I've got to get out there to help! Even though he's already scanned his little prison for a release to turn off the ray doors, he does so again, desperate to join the battle.
'Oru rushes to protect the fallen Qui-Gon. Furious that his first victory in this battle has been delayed, Maul turns on 'Oru. Fueled even more by his anger, his blows become increasingly violent. Qui-Gon tires to lift his right arm, but can't. He calls his lightsaber to his left hand, but before he can attempt to help 'Oru, the Sith back flips, landing squarely on Qui-Gon's left arm. He then spins off, placing a solid kick to Qui-Gon's head, causing the Jedi Master to lose consciousness.
'Oru presses the battle to move their opponent away from Qui-Gon. He knows he has to hold off the Sith for as long as he possibly can, but he feels his strength wavering. He tries desperately to keep up his defense until the ray doors cycle off and free Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan watches the battle, his eyes darting over to his fallen Master and then back to the Sith and 'Oru. Maul places a kick to 'Oru's knee, causing him to stumble. The Sith then impales Master 'Oru.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Obi-Wan screams as 'Oru stiffens and then collapses to the floor.
Maul doesn't go back over to finish off Qui-Gon. He knows there will be time for that after he takes care of the final Jedi threat. He stands before the ray door and glares at the young Jedi, daring him to come and get him.
Obi-Wan's gaze travels between the two fallen Jedi Masters and then to the Sith. He can feel the rage burning inside him. He grips his lightsaber tightly, seeking the freedom from the ray door that will allow him to get rid of this monster once and for all.
Lexi loses focus for a moment when she feels Qui-Gon's injury and then her Master's. Her mind reels…she had prepared herself, as much as she could anyway, for Qui-Gon being struck down. The image had played over and over in her dreams so much, she was sure she could handle it if and when it actually happened. She never anticipated 'Oru being injured.
I always woke when Qui-Gon was injured. I never thought…what if Obi-Wan falls too…what if that thing gets to the Queen…I should have stayed on the surface!
Her ship takes a glancing hit, snapping her attention back to where it should be. She quickly scans the battle in search of Anakin and watches in horror as his ship takes a direct hit and begins to spin out of control, right into the droid control ship hangar. She tries once again to raise him on the comunit, but there is no reply.
Way to go, girl! The one thing you have to do on the mission, and you blow it! How do I get the kid out of there? She works to blast her way toward the hangar, not really sure what she'll do if she makes it, but knowing she has to do everything she can to make sure Anakin survives.
Anakin's ship flies through the hangar. R2 squeals and Anakin replies, "I'm trying to stop. I'm trying to stop!"
Finally the ship skids to a stop. Anakin checks the gauges, but everything is overheated and he can't restart the ship. R2 whistles to let him know they are being surrounded by battle droids.
"Oops, this is not good."
He keeps flipping switches and moving levers, trying to get his ship to move again.
The Gungan army is being rounded up by the droid army.
"No giving up General Jar Jar," commands General Ceel. "Wesa think of something."
"Hands up," commands a droid.
My give up," Jar Jar replies.
