Chapter 15 - Naboo on Fire
The battle with the Gungan army was not going well, first the droids managed to break through their front line forces. Then their shield generators were destroyed making it so the tanks that were now able to join the main troops could now enter the battle. The Gungans had ordered the retreat into the tree line behind themselves to hopefully stop the tanks but were already disorganised and separated on the field.
Jar Jar had managed to stay alive by the skin of his teeth but was now being held with another of his generals by the droid army.
More troops marched around them and all at gun point as prisoners of the droids. Some small groups were still fighting but it was a losing battle. This battle was lost, their only hope now was on the infiltration teams that were at the palace.
The ships that were fighting in orbit were not faring much better. The droids on land were lacking in mobility and firepower against real troops, but they more than made up for it in space were the could think and move faster than their enemy. The station was not cheaply made like the droids either and had a considerable shielding and firepower to destroy all ships that were too close.
They had both the advantage in numbers and firepower in this space battle, the Naboo ships numbers were dropping fast and soon there wouldn't be a fleet in space anymore.
A small group of federation ships detached from the main station battle and headed towards Naboo. Some of the star fighters were relieved at the sight with less danger to themselves but were unable to engage these ships now heading for the planet surface.
The federation star fighters had received a new mission priority and a number of them detached from the station and headed towards the planet's surface. After a few moments they arrived over the Gun-gun army and opened fire on the groups that were still in conflict. A few of their own droids were destroyed in the attack, but all hostility stopped and the remaining troops immediately surrendered.
With this battle over they then corrected course and headed towards the Thead Palace. Hovering over the city they spotted small troops in battle in the city and soon opened fire on those troops too. After bombing parts of the city they then all moved around the palace scanning the outside of it looking for more enemies.
One ships eventually spotted a group moving through a part of the palace and opened fire on the outside of the building. The outside wall exploded, bricks and dust went flying everywhere at the impact. Unable to make out any other targets the ships then turned and returned into orbit with the intent to finish off the remaining troops in space.
Qui Gon and his fellow Jedi were slowly getting to their feet, a sudden impact to the side of the palace that they were walking past had taken their group by surprise. A Naboo soldier had noticed the ship outside the window before it opened fire but it was still too late for some of the group closest to the window.
Three soldiers and another of the Jedi Padowan had been killed on the impact and more members of the group were injured. Obi Wan was holding his left arm and seemed unable to move it, captain Panaka had covered the Queen to try to lessen the impact to herself. His back was now noticeably burned and his clothes still smouldering from the flames, but had seemingly protected him from the worst of the damage.
"It flew away," a soldier called out looking out the window for the fighters.
"Everyone quickly check the injured," Padme shouted to the group while patting Panaka on his back as gently as possible putting out the small flames.
"Obi Wan," Qui Gon spoke moving over to him and looking at his injured arm.
"Master, I think my arm is broken." Obi Wan answered him, still supporting his arm.
Master Plo Koon evaluated his fellow Jedi and started moving the injured behind a pillar so they were out of sight. "The injured should stay here out of sight. The remainder of us should move on to find the Viceroy."
"Agreed, but we should leave a few able bodied people with the injured as well," Qui Gon agreed with him.
Nodding Master Plo Koon selected three of the Jedi knights of the group to stay with the remaining wounded and protect them. Leaving their own group only with Qui Gon, Plo Koon and another Jedi Knight named Feng Shu. The Naboo guard were now down to a half dozen, leaving Padme and Panaka who refused to stay although injured, making their own numbers eight.
Moving away from the group and proceeding up to the next level before being fired on again. Padme was starting to realise that they were running out of time fast and her own forces were being cut down at a faster rate at every minute that was lost. She needed to end this fight fast and now or she would lose all of her forces with no chance of victory.
After the small group of droids was dealt with she ordered he group to halt. "We need to end this right now or we will lose all our troops," Padme told her group.
"We have forces all over the palace your highness, it will not be long before we locate the viceroy." Qui Gon assured her.
"I have just thought of a better idea, but there will be a risk involved," Padme told the group eying her Jedi companions.
The Viceroy was standing in front of one of his battle droids that had a link to his forces and was telling him about how his forces were performing. So far he was pleased the Gungan army was almost wiped out and had surrendered, the battle in space was going even better with the majority of the Naboo space fighters had been destroyed. The remaining were evasive enough to avoid destruction but would not last much longer. Finally he had received word that one of his platoons in the palace had captured the Queen and was escorting her to him right now. With the Queen now in his custody he would threaten the remaining queen's forces, if that failed then he would threaten the citizens.
He saw from down the hall his droids escorting the Queen and her remaining guards to him. Filing into the room she looked defiantly at him, with her guardsman hunched slightly over and in pain. The remaining eight guard were standing behind the two of them and looking uncomfortable with the situation they were in.
"Your little insurrection is at an end your highness. It is time for you to sign the treaty and end this," he spoke with confidence in his voice.
Suddenly one of his droids by the door dropped with the sound of a blaster shot. Turning his head he saw a group of two human Jedi holding blasters followed by an alien Jedi holding a blue lightsaber.
"The Jedi followed you fools! Close the blast doors!" The Viceroy shouted as his droids moved to close the blast doors to the room, the droids moved quickly to the door controls getting shot as they got closer. Eventually they reached the controls and the doors dropped down with a giant thud as they were locked inside. Then one of the elderly Naboo guardsman drew a green lightsaber cutting down the droid in front of himself, just as another younger guard did the same but with a blue sabre.
In the confusion and blaster fire Padme moved past the viceroy and opened a compartment in the throne chair revealing blasters. Removing one threw it to Panaka and then the remaining to her fellow guards as they joined the fight.
Soon all the droids in the room were destroyed and the only ones remaining were the Viceroy and his second in command.
"Now Viceroy we will discuss your treaty." Padme spoke with anger in her voice now having the Viceroy finally within her grasp.
"You have not won. My troops have defeated your Gungan army and will be back here within the hour. Surrender and sign the treaty now and I will spare all your lives."
"That will never happen, deactivate your droid army now and I may convince the Republic Senate to spare your life."
"I will burn this city to the ground! Along with everyone in it. You have not won, only delayed your defeat."
Padme angered at his words raised her blaster and pressed it against his forehead. "If I am to lose my planet your life will not be forfeit before you can ever issue that order."
Qui Gon is about to step forward and say something when captain Panaka stepped forward and acted before him. "Your highness that will achieve nothing."
Fear rose in the Viceroy before the captain stepped in to stop the Queen making it subside a little. "Yes… listen to your captain Queen Amidala. You can struggle but the end result will be the same."
Padme lowered her blaster eying the captain. "What we discussed before we left, you have my permission to proceed." She stated as walked away from the Viceroy and towards Qui Gon and his fellow knight.
Panaka nodded as he grabbed the Viceroy's second in command and began dragging him towards one of the blast doors to the meeting room joined to the throne room.
"Where are you two going?" The Viceroy stated as he tried to move forward only to be stopped by the remaining Naboo Guards.
"Yes, what is your captain doing your Highness?" Qui Gon questioned looking at the Queen standing strong in front of himself.
"What needs to be done," she vaguely stated holding her stare at the Jedi.
Soon a scream was heard ringing through the hall as the realisation hit both the Viceroy and the Jedi at the same time. Feng Shu began to move forward and Padme raised her blaster to his head stopping him in his tracks making his eyes go wide. "Your Highness, how can you allow this?"
"We are running out of time, if he has no answers and will not command the droid army to stop we will proceed to the Viceroy."
"There are better options than this," Qui Gon stated to her.
"No there isn't. If we don't stop them now, his army kills us all. If we surrender to him, his army gets what they want then he kills us all." Padme answers Qui Gon.
"No. No, I swear I shall let your people live and stop the army." The Viceroy stated as his fear began rising as the possibility of himself being tortured was becoming more likely by the second.
"You would never let us go when you get what you want. We no longer would have any value in being kept alive and every citizen on my world will die."
"Jedi! You cannot stand by and let this happen!" The Viceroy stammered.
"It doesn't matter what they think of it," Padme stated lowering her blaster from Feng Shu but holding her place. "If they want to stop it they will have to go through me to do so. And they will need to justify why they tried to stop a Queen from attempting to save her home world."
Feng Shu waved his hand slightly to Padme. "You will stop the captain now." He ordered her.
"That won't work on me," she defiantly looked at the two Jedi, her guards moving around her and aiming their blasters at the Jedi. "Do not attempt such a thing again."
"We have no choice here knight Shu. If we try to stop it we will take innocent lives and should the Viceroy agree to stop his army it will not go that far." Qui Gon stated, eying the Queen.
"You're bluffing. You will not go that far or let it happen." The Viceroy stated.
A few moments into the staring match that had started between the Queen and the Viceroy a blaster shot rang out from the room the captain was in. A moment later Panaka emerged without the prisoner heading towards the Viceroy. "He didn't know anything or have the authorisation to stop the army. That leaves you." He stated planting his hands on the Viceroy and pushing his onto the ground.
Grabbing the Viceroy hand he began bending one of his fingers backwards. "Stop! Stop! I promised to spare all your lives!"
"Stop the army and I'll spare your life." Panaka stated coldly before bending the finger back with a loud snap, causing the Viceroy to cry out.
"Stop this now." Feng Shu stated taking a step forward only to be stopped by Padme raising her blaster again.
"Do not interfere. This is our world. Our home," she ordered them with the authority only a Queen could command. "He has already killed too many of my people, it will end when he tells us how to stop the army."