Chapter Fourteen

The next afternoon, Everett found herself chained to a post in the middle of an arena. Obi-Wan was two posts down. It confused her as to why they were separated and why there were two empty posts.

However, she didn't have to wait long for her answers. A good distance in front of them, she watched as a cart carrying two very identifiable people was brought out. She bit back a huff as she caught Padmé's eye. It was getting ridiculous how often they were getting into these situations.
"I was beginning to wonder if you had gotten my message," Obi-Wan called out to Anakin.
"I retransmitted it as you requested, Master. Than we decided to come and rescue you."
"Good job!" Obi-Wan sarcastically replied.

Shaking her head, Everett glanced over at Padmé. Her fellow senator shook her head back, eyes going up to the top of the post. Everett nodded in response. Padmé wanted to climb to the top. It was always safer with high ground.

Suddenly, the crowd went wild. From around the arena, three gates opened. The openings allowed three monsters to be driven in. Everett felt her heart stop at the sight of an Acklay. The green monstruous creature had terrified her as a child and even now the sight brought chills despite the warm sun beating down on her.

With a harsh swallow, Everett turned her attention to the Nexu that was approaching her and Padmé. The former Queen had already reached the top and unlocked her chains. She glanced down at Everett and tossed down a small bit of wire.

By sheer luck (though Obi-Wan would call it fortune), Everett caught it, quickly unlocking one of the chains. She managed to climb up the post, staring down at the arena. Obi-Wan was engaged with the Acklay, the sight making her shiver. Meanwhile, Anakin was hanging onto a Reek for dear life as the monster bucked around.

The Nexu circled around Padmé's post and then jumped up, claws digging deep into the post. It made its way up the post and took a swipe at Padmé. She turned, the claw barely watching on her shirt. Everett winched at the sight bloody scratches appearing. She met Padmé's eye again and prepared to drop back down.

As Padmé knocked the creature off the post, Everett jumped off the post and swung around to kick the creature. She scrambled back up the post, distracting the Nexu enough for it to divert its attention to Everett. It bolted up her post, snarling as Everett whacked it with her chain.

She felt her foot slip before she even realized she had stepped off the edge. With a gasp, she found herself free-falling to the ground. She braced for the impact, for the Nexu's claws digging into her skin. Instead, she found herself caught in someone's arms. Her eyes shot open, gazing into Obi-Wan's worried blue ones.
"I'm fine. Where's Padmé?"

Following his gaze, she sighed in relief when she saw Padmé with Anakin on the Reek.
"She jumped right before you," Obi-Wan said. He grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the Reek. Holding onto her, he jumped them up onto the Reek. He wrapped an arm around her waist, keeping her against him as the Reek roamed around the area, the Nexu following after it.
"Master!" Anakin called.
"Look!"

Raising her head, Everett caught sight of lightsabers being ignited all around the arena.
"I see they got my message," Obi-Wan remarked.
"Told you so," Anakin said. Obi-Wan scoffed, shaking his head at his padawan.

Two lightsabers were tossed to Obi-Wan and Anakin as Jedi and Droids alike began to flood the arena. The Reek was startled by a sudden blaster shot and reared itself up, causing it's riders to fall backwards. Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber, blocking a shot at Everett.
"Get to safety," he ordered.
"Obi-Wan—"
"I'll be fine, go!"

Moving away, Everett hurried to Padmé's side where a blaster was shoved into her hand.
"Captain Panaka said you were the best shot in Naboo."
"It's been ten years." Of course, that didn't matter much when she fired the weapon. She always hit her target. Panaka always said that if she hadn't been elected senator, he'd promote her instantly to Queen's guard without any hesitation. But that hadn't happened.

Anakin appeared beside them, glancing over at Padmé.
"You call this diplomacy?"
"No, I call it aggressive negotiations," she shot back. The two grinned at each other, then Anakin looked to Everett.
"Good shot." She winked at him in response.

Her two companions stole away, leaving Everett to defend herself. She was doing a fair job but was being backed into a corner. She nearly screamed when the Acklay appeared once more, knocking droids out of the way as it stormed towards her. She fired at it, yet it seemed to only agitate the beast.

It reached for her just as Obi-Wan jumped in front of her, using his lightsaber to cut off the Acklay's claw then to slice through the rest of it. He turned to Everett as the green beast fell dead to the ground. She was positive she was trembling, blaster still tight in her hand.
"Stay beside me," he ordered. She did as she was told, firing at droids as he cut through them.

A few minutes later, the Jedi came to a stop as they were surrounded by Battle droids. The sand around them was covered in the shattered remains of droids, and the bodies of fallen Geonosians and Jedi. More Jedi joined them as they were herded into the arena by other Battle droids.

From the archducal box, Count Dooku raised his hand, calling out to the Jedi.
"Master Windu! You have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the history archive of the Jedi Order. Now it is finished. Surrender—and your lives will be spared."
"We will not be hostages for you to barter with, Dooku!" called Windu.
"Then, I'm sorry, old friend. You will have to be destroyed."

Just as he was about to give the order for the droids to fire on them, Padmé called out.
"Look!" Everyone glanced up to see six gunships descending fast through the sky down to them. They landed in a cluster around the handful of Jedi. Clone Troopers spilled out and began firing at the droids. Without another word, the Jedi dashed to the gunships and scrambled aboard.

Everett found herself on a gunship with Padmé, Anakin, and Obi-Wan. It began to rise from the ground, Obi-Wan's arm snaking around her waist. He kept a tight grip on her as he held onto the overhead post.
"Aim right above the fuel cells," Anakin said as their ship flew low towards a techno union starship.

Laser fire pelted the base of the ship, rocking it with explosions.
"Good call," Obi-Wan said. "Those Federation starships are taking off. Target them quickly." One Federation Starship began to rise from its docking port and when a gunship fired on it, it suffered no apparent damage.
"They're too big, Master," Anakin said. "The ground troops will have to take them out."

The gunship slowed momentarily, circling over a droid gun-emplacement. It blasted it but was suddenly rocked by a near miss. Obi-Wan lost his grip momentarily on Everett as the ship lurched violently to the side. He glanced down at her, then something caught his eye.
"Look over there—"
"It's Dooku!" Anakin called. "Shoot him down!"
"We're out of ordinance, sir," the pilot said.
"Follow him!"
"We're going to need some help," Padmé said.
"No, there's no time," Obi-Wan said. "Anakin and I can handle this."

All of a sudden, the ship banked up a steep dune to try to avoid beak-wing fire. It was still hit, and it lurched to the side again. Padmé and a Clone officer tumbled out. Everett reached for Padmé, fingers brushing against hers. She let out a gasp as Obi-Wan's grip loosened, causing her to fall out with Padmé.

Landing on the sand, she rolled onto her back, staring up at the blue sky as she tried to take a few calming breaths. By the stars that impact hurt. She sat up as Padmé and the Trooper made their way to her.
"Are you alright?" Padmé asked.
"I will be. What's the plan?"
"We better get you both back to the Forward Command Center," the Trooper said.
"No. No," Padmé disagreed. "Gather up what troops you can. We've got to get to that hanger. Get a transport. Hurry!"

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