***Chapter 19***

Padmé, Panaka, and ten Naboo guards are brought before Rune and the Viceroy.

"Your little insurrection is at an end, your Highness," the Viceroy gloats. "Time for you to sign the treaty and end this pointless debate in the Senate."

From the doorway a voice calls out, "Viceroy". Everyone turns in the direction of the voice.

Sabé, dressed as the Queen, raises her blaster. "Your occupation here has ended," she announces, and then she blasts the two closest battle droids.

"After her!" the Viceroy commands. "This one's a decoy!"

Sabé and her group rush off, quickly followed by most of the battle droids who had been guarding Padmé's group. In the chaos, Padmé rushes to the throne and opens a secret compartment. She pulls out blasters for herself and Panaka. Between the two of them they swiftly take out the remaining battle droids. The Naboo guards rush to confiscate the weapons of the fallen droids.

"Jam the doors," Panaka orders as he aims his blaster at Rune. They swiftly close the doors and surround the Neimoidians.

"Now Viceroy," Padmé says with authority, "we will discuss a new treaty."


Darth Maul paces before the trapped Obi-Wan, sneering at him and daring him to come and meet his fate. Obi-Wan continues to seethe, ready to pounce the moment the doors cycle off. He ignites his blue saber and bounces on the soles of his feet, impatiently waiting for his freedom. Darth Maul ignites both ends of his saber in response.

The doors cycle off and Obi-Wan is immediately on Darth Maul, striking at the Sith with rage. Maul is taken off guard at the ferocity of the Jedi's attack. Their sabers clash over and over in violent blows, faster and more furious than the battle had been up to this point.

Eventually Darth Maul regains the offensive and counterattacks. He uses both ends of his lightsaber in an effort to cut Obi-Wan's legs out from under him, but Obi-Wan is too quick. He anticipates Maul's blows and is able to elude the Sith's efforts to bring him down.

The two continue blow after violent blow, neither giving ground. Obi-Wan slices through the hilt of Maul's saber and lands a well placed kick to the Sith Lord's chest, knocking him to the ground. Maul discards the destroyed half of his saber and is quickly back on his feet, barely blocking Obi-Wan's blows.

A few more clashes of the lightsabers and Maul manages to place a kick to Obi-Wan's head, but the Jedi does not lose focus. They continue clashing until, while their sabers are locked in close combat, Darth Maul Force pushes Obi-Wan off the edge of the melting pit.

Obi-Wan's lightsaber lands on the ground, just outside the melting pit, and the Padawan clings to a nozzle on the side of the pit. Maul struts over with a look of victory on his evil face. He kicks Obi-Wan's saber down the shaft. The Jedi watches helplessly as his lightsaber falls, clanging against the walls of the shaft as it drops far below.


Inside Anakin's ship the lights finally go from red to green. "Yes, we have power," he exclaims. "Shields up."

As the ship begins to rise, the battle droids fire on it, but the shields easily protect the ship from their blasts.

"Take this," Anakin says, firing on the droids and destroying them one by one. "And this," he says as he fires two torpedoes. The torpedoes sail past all the battle droids, right into the main reactor. "Oops," is all Anakin can think to say.

"We're losing power," Tey How tells Captain Dofine. "There seems to be a problem with the main reactor."

"Impossible!" the Captain insists. "Nothing can get through our shields!"

"Let's get out of here," Anakin says to R2 as he turns the ship toward the hangar doors and takes off. The droid control ship begins to explode.

"What's that?" Bravo Two says in bewilderment. "It's blowing up from the inside."

"We didn't hit it," Ric Olié confirms, wondering what happened.

Anakin's ship sails through the control ship, explosions going off all around him. "Now this is podracing," he exclaims.

Lexi's ship has almost made it to the hangar entrance when she spots Anakin's ship coming out.

"Look, one of ours!" Bravo Three exclaims. "Out of the main hold!"

Lexi breathes a sigh of relief. At least she didn't completely fail on her assignment. The kid was alright and even managed to destroy the Federation's control ship. That would certainly be enough for the Council to take a second look at training him. Now she just needs to make sure he gets back to the surface safely. Then she can go find her Master and the others. Cheers from the pilots play over her headset, but her thoughts are focused on those on the planet surface now.


The Gungans, arms raised as a sign of surrender, are surrounded by battle droids. Suddenly all the droids begin to slump over. Jar Jar is perplexed until General Ceel announces, "The control ship has been destroyed." He pushes one of the slumped droids to show the others that the droids are no longer a threat. The Gungan army cheers and jumps around excitedly.


Darth Maul slashes at the edges of the melting pit, sending sparks raining down on Obi-Wan as the Jedi clings to the nozzle on the side of the pit. The Sith's eyes are wild with anger. Obi-Wan watches the Sith, and then looks over to where Qui-Gon is. His own lightsaber is certainly out of reach, but Qui-Gon's saber rests right next to the Jedi Master's feet. As he hangs onto the nozzle, he hears the familiar voice of his Master in his head. Don't center on your anxiety, Obi-Wan. Keep your concentration on the here and now. Be mindful of the living Force, my young Padawan.

Obi-Wan gives the Sith one more glance, and then his eyes travel back to his Master's lightsaber. He calms and focuses himself, concentrating on the lightsaber and using the Force to call the saber to him as he launches himself out of the pit. He ignites the saber while he somersaults over the Sith. Maul spins, but doesn't have enough time to really react to the Jedi's move. Obi-Wan slashes him across the chest. Stunned, the Sith Lord falls backward into the melting pit.

Obi-Wan powers down the lightsaber and looks between the two fallen Masters. He quickly moves to 'Oru, but it is too late, he is already one with the Force. With a heavy heart he moves quickly to Qui-Gon. He turns his Master over and cradles him in his arms.

Qui-Gon's eyes flutter open. "'Oru?"

Obi-Wan shakes his head sadly.

"It may be too late for me…"

"No!"

"Obi-Wan, promise…promise me you will train the boy."

"Yes, Master."

"He is the chosen one. He will bring balance…train him." Qui-Gon slips back into unconsciousness.

Obi-Wan nods, unable to speak. Gently he lifts his Master and begins walking back toward the hangar. He will come back for Master 'Oru, but first he must get medical help for Qui-Gon.


The Naboo pilots make their way back to the planet surface. When they land they are all shocked to find the pilot who destroyed the Federation's control ship is a nine year old boy. Anakin basks in their praise and thanks, happy to have been able to help Padmé and her people. He can't wait until she finds out he was the one to stop the droids.

Lexi is only vaguely aware of the conversations taking place with the pilots and the boy. She sees Obi-Wan carrying Qui-Gon as he enters the hangar and rushes over to him. Ric Olié also spots the pair and yells for someone to bring a medic immediately.

Lexi's closes her silver eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears and be strong. She wants to ask how Qui-Gon is, and about 'Oru, but cannot get the words to form. She doesn't want to hear that her Master is gone.

"Master Qui-Gon will be alright, I promise," Obi-Wan says hoarsely. He gives her a slight nod to let her know she should go to her Master, and that he will make sure everything else is taken care of. Lexi caresses Qui-Gon's cheek and gently kisses his forehead. She looks back up at Obi-Wan, tears filling her black eyes and slipping down her cheeks.

"Go," he says softly, "I'll join you soon."

Lexi leans in and kisses him softly on the cheek. She backs up and mouths "thank you" and then turns and runs into the power station, quickly making her way to her fallen Master.