Greetings!

Here's a new chapter for you.

Now, just a note…I'm not gonna rehash a battle that's been re-written a thousand times before, that's not what I'm after here. If I had a title for this chapter, It would be something like Emotional Moments.

Enjoy and please don't hate me for the cliffy!

Chapter 4

Naboo Swamplands

As she looked around Padmé wondered how her people could have possibly missed this.

The stone ruins of the Gungan's sacred place were worn and covered with the native fauna that made up the swamplands of Naboo but still breathtaking in their majesty.

"How did we not know this was here?" She muttered to Sabé who was currently dressed as Queen.

"I've no idea milady, but I'd love to be able to explore it after this invasion is resolved. It's…it's beautiful." Sabé muttered back at her.

"So would I but first, we need to remove the Trade Federation from Naboo. Did you know that there were actually two different types of Gungan's? Because I didn't. Jar Jar was the first of their kind I've ever seen or spoken too. My lessons about them seem to be woefully lacking. This is something I'm definitely having changed as soon as possible. What very little we know of them is an insult not only to the Gungan's but to our people."

"We live on the same world, we should know more about each other in order to be peaceful, happy, co-operative neighbours and not these isolated factions we've appeared to become. You heard Boss Nass, he was of the opinion that the Naboo think of ourselves too highly to be able to see the Gungan's for who they truly are and he's right. We have been blinded by wilful prejudice towards them. Well, I declare now, no more." Padmé declared, forgetting for the moment that there were Gungan's all around them.

Sabé didn't say a word but underneath all the paint on her face, she was definitely amused. Padmé flushed red and a faintly embarrassed look adorned her features.

"I'm grandstanding again aren't I?" She muttered embarrassed at her loss of control.

Sabé nodded her head the grin she had clearly showing through. Padmé's flush deepened.

"Oh shut up."

Sabé only just managed to squash the laughter that was trying to escape.

"Of course milady. Not a word."

Padmé muttered something impolite under her breath and turned away while Sabé lost her fight with laughter.

Not far away, Boss Nass was standing with his guards. He had heard what the young Nubian Queen had said and was impressed with her ability to admit when she was wrong about something. In his experience with the Naboo, it was a rare thing. He decided that he wished to speak to her further and as they had nothing to do until the scouts returned from Theeds, now was a good time.

He walked (waddled) towards her, his guards following his every step.

"Queeens Ami-dalla, yousa be taken a walk with me yes? Wesa be speakin together hmm?" He asked her.

Padmé lifted her head in his direction, surprised that he actually wished to speak to her, but couldn't help but wince at the mangling of her regal name.

"Boss Nass, please call me Padmé and I would be honoured to walk with you. I would very much like to get to know you and your people and I'm sorry that it had taken this long for the Naboo to reach out our hand in friendship." She replied.

Boss Nass grinned, showing a lot of teeth.

"Yousa be speakin too many words Boss Pad-mi. Nos wonder yousa be thinkin your brains so big." He reached towards her, offering his arm like a seasoned Nubian courtier.

Padmé smiled amused and took the older Gungan's arm.

"And you are blunt to the point of being brutal. No wonder the Naboo think you are rude." She cheekily replied.

Boss Nass threw his head back and laughed.

"Yousa have the heart of a Gungan Boss Pad-mi. Mesa likin you. Wesa bein' good friends mesa is thinkin. Come, wesa walk." He told her as they stared to walk further into the ruins, both their guards making to follow them.

Boss Nass however waved all of them off.

"Wesa no be needing protectin. Wesa gonna be walkin and talkin. Wesa no fighin. Yousa stay here." He told them

"Milady, it's not safe. I'm not saying the Gungan's will hurt you, no offence Boss Nass, I know you won't, but until we can determine exactly how much of the planet is under the Federation's control, it's not safe for anyone to go anywhere without guards." Captain Typho however, protested while the Jedi watched quietly.

Boss Nass waved off the Captain's concern and relied before Padmé could.

"Wesa bein safe. Gungans be patrolin alls overs the sacred place. The Mackineeks come, wesa bein told in time. Yousa all under Gungan protection. Wesa all safe here." He declared in a firm voice and proceeded to guide Padmé towards the centre of the ruins.

They walked in silence for a time.

"Boss Nass, may I ask you a question?"

He nodded his head.

"Until recently, I was unaware that there were two types of Gungan's. Would you be willing to explain a bit of your people's history to me? I'm afraid what we know about you is woefully out of date and would appear to be incorrect. For example, we had no idea these ruins were here. Did your people build them?" She asked curiously.

He cocked his head at her and smiled.

"Yousa be askin many questions. Big brains indeeds." He chuckled.

"Wesa Gungan's have always been here. Yousa Naboo is the outsiders. Yousa come from the stars, wesa comes from the deep waters. Insa the beginins, wesa two peoples. My peoples come from the deep waters, downs in the Core. Wesa be evolvin there, growin bigs and strongs so wesa not be dyin of the Crushins like you Umans do. Wesa deadly fighters in the waters. Yousa no standing a chance." He laughed again.

"And Jar Jar Bink's kind?"

"Biiiink's is barely Gungan. Hesa bad boomba waitn to happens but he's got the lucks. Can't be denyin that." He hissed in irritation.

"But he still is a Gungan." Padmé politely replied.

Jar Jar was annoying and irritating in the extreme but he had a certain innocent child-like charm about him that Padmé found amusing.

"Yes, hesa bein Gungan. He's bein from the swamp waters. His kinds comes from the waters but not as deeps as mine. Theysa tolerates some of the crushins but not the deep crushins withouts help. Theysa also moves on lands better then wesa do so theysa mud warriors…mosta thems anyways." He grunted, making it clear that he didn't think that The Annoyance, (Jar Jar Binks) was one at all.

Padmé nodded thoughtfully.

"That makes sense. Both peoples were birthed from the waters of the planet but evolved differently due to the differences in the planet's geology. You're essentially one people living in two different environments."

"Wesa one peoples now but long, long times ago, befores the Naboo comes, we be fightin each other. Wesa all be forgetten the reason now, too many long years, but wesa bes fightins all the sames."

"What made you stop? I mean something must have happened for your two peoples to stop fighting and come together. Was it us? The Naboo? Did you unify in order to combat us?" She asked, very, very curious to hear the answer.

Boss Nass shook his head.

"Nosa Boss Pad-mi. The Naboo comes afters wesa becomes one peoples. The blames for that goes to another outsider."

"The blame? I would have thought unity among your people would have been a good thing." Padmé said amused.

"Yousa not havin a Jar Jar Binks amongs the Naboo. Belives me, itsa bein a curse. Hesa being clumsy as hells, breakin everythin! Wesa sends hims away for his owns safety. Hesa was close to bein killeds!" Boss Nass grumbled.

Padmé laughed freely.

"I can see why he would be a bit of an annoyance but still, it was hardly fair to send him into exile for being clumsy."

"Clumsy and stupids!"

Padmé laughed harder.

"Anyway, we seemed to have strayed away from the topic. So, what finally did unify you peoples?" She asked after she recovered.

Boss Nass snorted.

"This is not beins the first times Gungan's deal with Je-dai."

"No" Padmé gasped in surprise, eyes wide.

Boss Nass's face took on a sour look.

"Os yesa. Wesa not likin the Je-dai much but wesa be respectin thems. Theys are the reasons wesa one peoles now."

He grunted as he remembered the history of his people.

"Wesa were gonna be having a grand bomba fight, exactly whereas we be standin. Wesa we yellin and gettin readies to beat the craka outta each others, whenas a shiny bird withs tails of fires comes screamins downs and be crashins in the swamps. Wesa so surprised, wesa stops and all be decidin's to go and look-sees together. The swamps bein a bad bomba ways, burnin's lotta dead plants and animals dyin in the flames but wesa bein carefuls. Wesa finds a ways to get to the shiny bird but it is bein too hots to get close toos, so the fighters be standin there not knownin what to be doin whens the metal bird starts openins ans theres a strange beings comins out. It was a Uman. Wesa never be seenin your types before so wesa not knowin what he be sayin or what he's be doin heres."

"What did he do? What did your people do?"

"Wesa do nothin, buts the Je-dai, hesa just sits on the mud ans waits."

Padmé stared at him in disbelief.

"He just sat down? That's all?"

Boss Nass shrugged his shoulders.

"The past-talkers be tellin it that way."

She snorted in amusement.

"That sounds like the Jedi."

"Anyways, it be takin a longs times but wesa comes together. Wesa build this place in honour of the Je-dai who shows us wesa being the sames. Wesa nows uses its as a safe place."

Padmé looked around, she could see Gungan warriors along the perimeter but no females or children.

"Surely all your people can be here. I've only seen warriors so far." She commented.

"Nosa, most Gungan's makes it to the deep places before the Mackineeks finds thems. Those whosa be here, wesa being the last to leave Otoh Gunga." He said.

He gave her a smile and took a step away from her. Padmé watched in confusion as the huge deep water Gungan threw his head back and let loose a long deep growl.

She held her breath, wondering for a scant second if Boss Nass had betrayed her when she heard an answering growl come from somewhere off to the side.

Boss Nass smile again and stepped back to Padmé's side.

"Yousa be seein what wesa wantin yous to be seein." He chuckled as he gently turned her towards a ruined wall smothered in jungle greenery.

To her immense surprise, what she thought was ruins that had been overtaken by jungle vines and plants turned out to be a means of camouflage as the vines and plants were being raised upwards revealing a wooden door set into a deeply carved stone wall.

"What?" She gasped.

The chuckle turned into outright laughter.

"Welcomes Boss Padmé, to Gunga Placen."

The wooden door opened and for a moment there was no movement.

Suddenly there were high pitched screams coming from the shadowed doorway as Gungan children raced out the door, yelling in happiness at not being trapped within the stone walls any longer while their parents ventured outside to watch over them, most of them giving a start of surprise when they saw her but as they saw her standing with Boss Nass, accepted her being there as something of no consequence.

Padmé smiled in delight, watching the young ones play in the shadowed sunlight that shone through the gaps in the trees overhead. Her eyes hardened in determination as she turned to Boss Nass.

"This is what we are fighting for."

Boss Nass smiled, pleased to see that she understood.

"Indeedsa Boss Pad-mi, wesa gonna saves em…alls of ems." He made sure that she knew that her people were also included in this promise.

They stood side by side, united in their silence and determination as they watched the children play.

######################

Outside Theeds Palace

Obi-Wan had forgotten how loud war could be.

It wasn't just the physical noise that was loud when in a battle, that was a given, but the Force…it screamed…its pain out to the universe.

He quickly tightened his shields, wincing as he felt yet another life being violently released into the Force.

That was a feeling he'd never forgotten.

"Master, are you alright?" He asked his sweating and pale looking master. Qui-Gon looked back at him, a wan smile on his face.

"I'm fine Padawan. We need to keep moving. It wouldn't do for us to be late." Qui-Gon tried to joke but the pain of people dying kept overwhelming him.

"You need to meditate Master. Your shields are slipping and we have a few moments to spare. I can see the toll every death is taking on you. When was the last time you were in a battle such as this?" Obi-Wan was concerned. They needed Qui-Gon in top form if they wished to be victorious.

"I'm fine. Be mindful of your own thoughts." He snapped at Obi-Wan who just stared at him reproachfully.

Qui-Gon winced. He hadn't meant to snap at the boy.

"Perhaps a short mediation would be beneficial." He confessed, embarrassed.

He needed to meditate and strengthen his shields or he'd be a liability when the time to fight came and Obi-Wan was right, it had been some time since he'd been in a battle such as this. The sheer amount of death that was currently going on was starting to overwhelm his shield, having forgotten how loud the Force could get when in a warzone.

They were already in position and were just awaiting the signal to start their attack on the Palace so they had a little time. Qui-Gon dropped to his knees and entered into a light mediation, doing his best to reinforce up his shields while Obi-Wan and Anakin watched over him.

Anakin flinched as an explosion went off nearby.

"Are you alright little one?" Obi-Wan asked him.

"It's really loud Obi-Wan. Even louder than podracing." He shuddered as another explosion went off, and then flinched as he felt the life surrounding said explosion fade out.

He'd knew what violent death in the Force felt like, it was inevitable when one was a slave but so much life being extinguished all at once was not something he'd felt before. He was currently doing his best to ignore the horrid sensations in the Force.

Obi-Wan gave him a sad small smile and pulled the boy closer, placing his arm around Anakin's shoulders in order to give him a little bit of comfort.

"Unfortunately Anakin, war is loud and messy and I don't think anyone has ever figured out a way to make it less so. It's sad that we have to resort to such uncivilised means to make peace but greed is a powerful motivator and not everyone can resist its pull."

Anakin nodded in agreement, his head and body tucked against the older boy's side. He was well aware of what greed can do to a person.

"It'll be alright Anakin. We'll be moving soon into the palace soon and then we can find somewhere for you to be safely hidden." He said only to have Anakin jerk away from his side, offended.

"Hidden?! No way Obi-Wan! I wanna help, I can help!" He spat at the Padawan.

"Now Anakin, don't be rude. A Jedi must know when to fight and when to run and hide. At this moment, you are to go and hide once we get into the hanger. You're too small and untrained in the ways of war or the Jedi to participate in this fight. You'd likely be killed and Obi-Wan and I would be very sad to have lost you or even worse, you'd be captured and used against us. So, no, you will not fight Anakin Skywalker, you will do as your told and hide! Do you understand me young man?" Qui-Gon told him sternly as he walked over to where they were standing; his shields back in place and strong.

He was met with a rebellious stare.

"Anakin…" He warned.

"Yes Mister Qui-Gon." He muttered. Qui-Gon raised his eyebrow.

"What was that young one?"

"Yes Mister Qui-Gon, I'll go and hide once were in the hanger." He muttered loud enough for them to hear.

"But I can still help." He didn't muttered quietly enough and Qui-Gon gave him a stern stare which softened a little at seeing Anakin pout.

He knelt down in order to look the boy in the eyes.

"Anakin, the fact that you want to help us tells me that you are brave and have a good heart and in a few years, I'd be happy to have you watching my back but right now, the best thing you can do to help is to stay hidden, please?"

Anakin looked towards Obi-Wan.

"Please Anakin? I'd hate to lose my new little brother so soon." He softly pleaded with him. Obi-Wan had noticed that Anakin would do anything for those he considered his family.

Anakin caved instantly.

"Ok. I'll go and hide. I won't get in the way. I promise." He sincerely said.

"But can I warn you if I see something wrong?" He asked, still desperate to help.

Qui-Gon gave a long suffer sigh as he heard Obi-Wan quietly chuckling in the background at the situation in front of him.

"Obi-Wan." He said in disapproval.

"Sorry Master." Obi-Wan replied, the large smirk on his face informing the Master that his Padawan wasn't sorry in the slightest.

He sighed again.

"Yes Anakin, if you see something wrong, tell me but please make sure that there isn't any immediate danger first before you tell me, unless someone is about to die. I don't want anyone to get killed because I was distracted alright?" He told him.

Anakin looked at him, his blue eyes brimming with excitement.

"Ok Mister Qui-Gon."

#######################

Theeds Palace Power Reactor chambers

All Obi-Wan could see was the colour Red.

The red colouring of the Zabrak that fought them with all the hatred of the Dark side behind him.

The red colour of the ray shields that had blocked his way to his Master's side.

The red of the Sith's double bladed lightsabre as he thrust it through his Master's guts.

The red haze of his vision as his grief, hatred and determination to kill this most hated enemy as it overcame his normal calm, rational self.

He could vaguely feel his Master's (father's?) distress, pain and deep concern for him in the background of his mind, just as he could vaguely feel Anakin's fear and excitement but neither of them mattered at this moment.

No, all that mattered in this moment was that this sleemo in front of him dies a painful death in retribution for taking his Master away from him.

Somewhere, deep inside him, he was appalled and horrified at his actions but he currently couldn't bring himself to care. He wanted the Sith dead and he'd use anything to do it…

Even the Dark side.

So for the first time in his life, he reached for the Dark.

And it welcomed him home.

He knew the moment the Zabrak realised what Obi-Wan done as he'd allowed a minute amount of shock and fear to escape his control.

Obi-Wan smiled in hate, a dark pleasure unfurled within him as he witnessed the Sith's reaction to what he had done.

It hadn't been expecting that.

Obi-Wan let the Dark in and let it fuel and strengthened his hatred against his foe.

The fight became all too easy.

Taken by surprise, Maul was drive back by the ferocity of the now Dark Jedi's attack. Of all the things that his Master had taught him about how to deal with and fight the Jedi, how to handle one that had Fallen, wasn't one of them.

But the suddenly Fallen Jedi was new to the power of the Dark side; he had no true idea on how to use it properly.

Right now, the Jedi was surviving on rage, pain, grief, fear and hatred of Maul himself but it wouldn't last long.

It was much harder to sustain true rage and hatred over time, Maul knew.

What the Jedi was currently feeling was something akin to a shot of adrenalin racing through his veins. Strong, invigorating but it didn't last long. It would wear off soon as the Jedi's Light side started to re-insert itself and then Maul would have his chance, he just had to wait and survive until then.

Parry, attack, defend, retreat as much as it galled him to do, and wait for his opening…

There!

Parry, disarm and kick and the Jedi was falling down the long shaft of the reactor.

He smiled in satisfaction as the Jedi grabbed on to a small protuberance that extended from the side of the shaft. So he wasn't out of the fight yet and that pleased Maul. As much as he wanted to kill Jedi, he also wanted to make sure it was a worthy opponent he killed and this Jedi had won his respect as a fighter if not as a person.

So, he decided to prolong the Jedi's suffering before he fell to his death. The molten sparks of metal that his lightsabre reigned down upon the dangling Jedi brought delightful sounds of pain to Maul's ears and feelings of hate as a balm to his soul.

He smiled.

The Jedi wouldn't last much longer.

#######################

Anakin whooped in joy and excitement as the Trade Federation control ship blew up behind him as he exited the ship's hanger bay doors.

He'd done it!

He had helped Padmé's people win their war.

He was so proud of himself and couldn't wait to get back to the planet and tell Padmé what he had done.

He had turned his ship back towards the planet when pain ripped through his stomach. He curled over and groaned loudly. Artoo who registered his little master's distress, beeped and chipped loudly, trying to get his attention and find out what was wrong.

"I don't know Artoo, my stomach hurts really bad."

Artoo chirped.

"No I'm not hurt, well at least not physically. It's weird, it's like it's not my pain but it is. I dunno, it's confusing." He said.

Artoo beeped again.

"A Jedi thing? Maybe? I mean I did feel how much it hurt Obi-Wan when Mister Qui-Gon said those mean things at the Jedi temple but…Obi-Wan! Something's wrong with Obi-Wan!" Anakin exclaimed as he felt the older boy's violent anger and fear radiating throughout the bond between them.

He frowned in concentration, trying to find that fine, silver coloured thread that connected him and Obi-Wan together while Artoo beeped franticly in the background.

He hated it when he didn't have all the data he needed to help his organic master!

"Quiet Artoo, I'm trying to concentrate!"

The droid in question blew an offended raspberry at him.

Anakin however ignored him. He set the ship's auto pilot to return him to Theeds hanger and closed his eyes. He turned his attention inwards, once again, seeking the silver thread of the bond between them. He found it and followed it but something was wrong. The closer he got to Obi-Wan's end of the bond, the darker, the angrier and more hateful it got.

"Something's wrong. Something's really, really wrong. Something really bad is happening." He muttered to himself as he vainly tried to reach Obi-Wan through the bond without really knowing what he was doing.

But he found someone else instead.

"Anakin?…What?...How?...What…are you…doing here? Quickly now…you must leave...hide…now…" A disbelieving and fearful Qui-Gon Jinn spluttered out as the small boy appeared next to him out of nowhere.

Anakin's eyes widened in shock as he opened them.

To find himself kneeling next to a mortally wounded Qui-Gon Jinn?

He'd no idea what had just happened because he knew he should be in the cockpit of his Nubian fighter.

"Qui-Gon! You're hurt!" Anakin exclaimed. He went to touch the older man's shoulder, but jerked back in surprise as his hand went right through him.

"Woah!" he said as he stared at his hand in shocked surprise.

Qui-Gon smiled slightly in pained amusement.

"I really…wish…I…could live…long…enough…to watch you…give the Jedi Order...a well…deserved…shake up…You…will be...an…amazing Jedi…Anakin…my boy…I am…very…proud…of you." He gasped between surges of pain.

Anakin just looked at him, instinctively knowing that it was Qu-Gon's time but still hating it. He did his best not to let his tears of sorrow fall.

Crying wastes water after all.

And water, like life was precious enough not to waste carelessly.

"I'm…sorry….young….one…I'll…make…sure….Obi-Wan trains…you." Qui-Gon tried to reassure Anakin sensing that he would have just enough time to speak to Obi-Wan about it.

Anakin's head cocked to the side, a slight look of anger on his face.

"Don't do that! That's mean. You need to tell Obi-Wan goodbye properly. He loves you, you know. It shines from him usually."

"I…never…saw…it really…and…I'm sorry…I didn't."

Anakin couldn't help the single tear that slipped from his eye as Qui-Gon cried out in pain.

It wouldn't be long now but Obi-Wan was still fighting and he deserved to have a proper goodbye with the man he considered his father. So without even thinking about it, Anakin reached out his hand, it hovered just over Qui-Gon's chest and somehow managed to transfer a little bit of life energy to him. Not enough to save the man in front of him…

But just enough for him to say his goodbyes to Obi-Wan.

Qui-Gon's eyes widen in surprised as he felt what the youngling was trying to do.

"No Ani, stop! I'm too far gone; you'll kill yourself trying to save me." He frantically tried to pull away from Anakin's hand, finding a reserve depth of strength he didn't know he had left. But Anakin gently smiled at him and pulled his hand away, his purpose accomplished.

"It's all right Qui-Gon. I know I can't save you, the Force won't let me cause it's your time to re-join it but I gave you just enough life so you can say your goodbye's properly to Obi-Wan, once I save him that is."

Anakin gave a deep sigh.

"He gonna be so much work!" he grumbled good-naturedly.

Qui-Gon couldn't help the snort of laughter that came when he heard that.

"Yes he will be…but very…much worth the effort." He smiled at Anakin, his youngest son.

"Look after your brother Anakin…he'll need you….in the days to come…he doesn't know how to…grieve…with family…and he's not…all that good….with expressing and dealing…with his emotions. Be patient with him…ok?" Qui-Gon softly asked him.

Anakin nodded his head frantically.

"I will Master. I promise cause that's what brothers do right? They look after each other. Even if I have another Jedi Master, Obi-Wan will still look out for me. Don't worry about us. We'll be alright." Anakin strived to reassure the man he was starting to think of as a father.

Qui-Gon relaxed a fraction. At least one of his boys would be at peace after he was gone.

"Thank you Anakin. I can…leave now knowing that you'll be…alright. Now, go…and save your…brother from himself." He smiled as he fixed his son's sad but smiling face in his mind.

"It'll be alright Master Qui-Gon. You just watch us from the other side and see. Be at peace and may desert winds guide your way home." He recited the tradition farewell that slaves gave to the dead on Tatooine.

Anakin nodded and rose to his feet.

"Goodbye Master Qui-Gon."

This time, he couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"Goodbye my son and may the Force be with you…always."

The tears were now sliding down both their faces as Anakin straightened his shoulders, stood tall and with one last sad smile, turned away from the dying man and went to help the only person he now had left in his life.