Escape

On Naboo, the Trade Federation had set up a blockade, stopping all trade from entering the planet. Fortunately for the Queen of Naboo, Supreme Chancellor Valorum had secretly dispatched two Jedi—Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi—to resolve the escalating situation, while the rest of the Senate remained locked in debate.

Inside the Royal Palace, Queen Amidala's expression was stern as she addressed the Viceroy via a holotransmission. "The Federation has gone too far this time, Viceroy. If you do not command your ships to disband this blockade immediately, I will consider it an act of war."

Viceroy Nute Gunray, face emotionless, replied in an oily tone, "I don't know what you're talking about, Your Majesty. The Trade Federation would never do anything without the Senate's blessing."

Amidala's eyes narrowed. "If I find out that the Federation has overreached, there will be consequences."

Without waiting for a response, she cut the transmission. Turning to her captain, she gave a firm command. "Captain, call Senator Palpatine."

"Of course, Your Grace," he said, quickly relaying the order.

Soon, Senator Palpatine's hologram appeared before the Queen. "Your Highness, how may I assist you?"

"The Trade Federation has established a blockade around Naboo," the Queen said, her voice betraying her concern. "They claim to have the Senate's blessing. Is this true?"

Palpatine's holographic form frowned. "I assure you, the Senate knows nothing of this, but—"

Suddenly, the transmission was abruptly cut off.

"What happened?" Queen Amidala asked, alarmed.

"The transmission must have been jammed, Your Highness," Captain Panaka said gravely.

The Queen's face grew paler. "Blocking our transmissions can only mean one thing: invasion."

"We must get you to safety at once, Your Highness," Captain Panaka insisted, moving to usher her toward a more secure location.

Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Jar Jar moved quietly through the lush undergrowth that surrounded Theed's royal palace. The heavy hum of Federation droid patrols echoed faintly in the distance, their mechanical movements precise, and their circuits unaware of the intruders.

The trio came to a stop near the palace walls, just beyond the palace courtyard, where a few battle droids were stationed. Qui-Gon raised a hand, motioning for silence. The Jedi Master crouched low, observing the guards' patrol patterns, calculating their next move.

"Jar Jar," Qui-Gon whispered, "stay close and follow our lead. No sudden movements."

"Meesa got a bad feelin' 'bout dis..." Jar Jar mumbled nervously but nodded as he followed along, his long ears drooping slightly.

Obi-Wan scanned the wall ahead, noticing a maintenance hatch partially hidden by vines. "There," he pointed, "we can bypass the main entrance through that access point. It should lead us into the lower levels of the palace."

Qui-Gon nodded. "It's risky, but it's our best option."

They waited until the nearest group of battle droids passed. When the coast was clear, the three moved swiftly across the courtyard, ducking behind columns and statues as they approached the maintenance hatch.

With a swift flick of his wrist, Obi-Wan used the Force to loosen the panel. The hatch opened with a soft hiss, revealing a narrow, dimly lit tunnel. Jar Jar gulped audibly but followed Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan inside.

The passage was cramped, barely wide enough for the two Jedi and their clumsy Gungan companion. They moved quickly but cautiously, Qui-Gon leading the way with Obi-Wan close behind. Jar Jar trailed last, his eyes darting nervously in every direction.

As they reached the end of the tunnel, Qui-Gon stopped. A small service door lay ahead, its lock glowing with a faint red light. Obi-Wan crouched beside him and pulled out a small tool from his belt, slicing into the lock. Moments later, the door slid open silently.

Beyond the door, the sounds of battle droids echoed through the marble halls. The interior of the palace was grand and opulent, with towering columns and intricate carvings. But now, it was filled with the cold presence of the Federation's droid army.

Qui-Gon turned to Jar Jar. "Stay out of sight. We'll handle any droids that cross our path."

Jar Jar nodded, trying to suppress his usual clumsiness. "Meesa bein' real careful, Jedi."

They moved through the palace halls, avoiding droid patrols where they could. When necessary, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan would take out a stray battle droid with swift, silent strokes of their lightsabers. Their goal was clear—reach the Queen's throne room and liberate her from the Federation's grasp.

As they neared the throne room, Obi-Wan turned to Qui-Gon. "Let's hope she hasn't already been captured."

"She'll be safe," Qui-Gon replied with confidence. "We just need to be quick."

With that, they prepared to enter the throne room, knowing the fate of Naboo rested on their actions.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stepped cautiously into the throne room, expecting resistance. Instead, they were greeted by an unsettling silence. The grand chamber, adorned with regal tapestries and ornate decor, stood eerily empty. No guards, no battle droids—just the absence of life.

Obi-Wan frowned as he scanned the room. "The Queen isn't here... but where is everyone? There aren't even signs of a struggle."

Qui-Gon, always calm, nodded thoughtfully. "They must have moved her once they realized the invasion was under way."

"But where could they have taken her?" Obi-Wan asked, glancing back toward the hallway.

Before Qui-Gon could answer, the faint sound of blaster fire echoed through the palace corridors. Both Jedi turned, instinctively igniting their lightsabers. The distinctive hum of the blue and green blades illuminated their faces in the dim light.

"That's coming from the direction of the hangar," Qui-Gon said, his tone urgent.

They exchanged quick looks, then sprinted toward the noise. Jar Jar, trailing behind, muttered, "Oh no, dis gonna be messy!"

As they navigated the twisting corridors, the sounds of battle grew louder, reverberating off the walls. Blaster shots, the sharp clank of battle droid steps, and the unmistakable voice of Captain Panaka barking orders became clearer.

Finally, they rounded a corner and found themselves in the hangar. Captain Panaka was leading a small group of Naboo guards in a fierce firefight against a squad of battle droids. At the center of the commotion, the Queen—Amidalla—stood with her handmaidens, moving swiftly toward the hangar's control panel.

"Captain, we need to hurry!" Padmé called out, her voice steady despite the chaos.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan sprang into action, their lightsabers spinning in arcs of green and blue, deflecting incoming blaster fire. With precision and ease, the two Jedi cut down the remaining droids, giving Panaka and the Queen's party a moment to breathe.

"Your Highness!" Qui-Gon called, moving to the Queen's side. "Are you unharmed?"

The Queen nodded, her face determined. "We were being held in the throne room, but when they realized the scale of the invasion, they moved us to the hangar. We've been trying to fight our way out ever since." Obi-Wan glanced around the hangar, assessing the situation. "You've done well to get this far, but we must leave quickly. The Federation will reinforce their position soon."

Panaka, holstering his blaster, gestured to a nearby transport ship. "The Queen's ship is fueled and ready, but the droids have blocked our communications. We'll need to break through their blockade to send a distress signal to the Senate."

"We'll take care of the blockade," Qui-Gon assured them. "Get the Queen aboard, and we'll get her out of here."

Padmé hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "We must warn the Senate, and more importantly, my people. Let's move."

As Panaka and the guards began guiding the Queen and her handmaidens toward the ship, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood at the hangar entrance, ready to defend against any remaining droid forces. It was time to escape Naboo and bring word of the invasion to the galaxy.

The Queen's royal starship rocketed out of the hangar, its sleek silver hull gleaming under Naboo's twin suns. As they ascended toward the sky, the sense of urgency was palpable inside the ship. The Queen, her handmaidens, Captain Panaka, and the Jedi all knew that time was running out.

Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi stood near the ship's cockpit, watching as the planet shrank beneath them. Just as the ship broke Naboo's atmosphere and prepared for its jump to hyperspace, alarms blared through the control panels.

"Droid fighters incoming!" Captain Panaka shouted from the copilot's seat.

Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed as he saw the squadron of Trade Federation droid ships closing in fast. "We need to evade them. Their numbers are overwhelming."

The ship jolted violently as laser fire from the droid starfighters hammered its shields. The Queen's ship managed to dodge several blasts, but a few shots connected with the hull.

"We've lost our deflector shield!" one of the pilots announced. "Hyperdrive is damaged—we can't jump!"

Panic spread through the ship as more alarms sounded. Another hit like that, and they wouldn't stand a chance of escaping.

Suddenly, a small astromech droid rolled into view, its dome swiveling to assess the situation. The droid, marked with the designation "R2-D2," beeped and chirped as it made its way to the repair access panel.

"Can that droid fix the hyperdrive in time?" Padmé asked, her voice calm despite the danger.

"We're about to find out," Captain Panaka responded grimly.

R2-D2 wasted no time, extending its repair tools and getting to work on the damaged hyperdrive. The ship shook again as more blaster fire grazed the hull. The pilots did their best to maneuver, but the droid starfighters were relentless, and the Queen's ship had limited defensive capabilities.

Qui-Gon watched R2 with measured hope. "If that little droid doesn't succeed, we won't make it."

The astromech droid worked frantically, connecting wires and recalibrating circuits. The sound of beeping and whirring filled the small repair alcove as R2-D2 completed the final adjustments. With a triumphant chirp, the lights on the hyperdrive console flickered back to life.

"The hyperdrive is operational!" the pilot called out. "We can make the jump."

"Do it!" Qui-Gon ordered.

In an instant, the stars outside the cockpit stretched into long, radiant lines as the Queen's ship jumped to hyperspace. The droid starfighters disappeared from view, and the ship entered the vast, silent expanse of space.

Inside the ship, there was a collective sigh of relief. The immediate threat was behind them, but the journey was far from over.

"That droid," Padmé said quietly, watching as R2-D2 rolled back into the main compartment. "It saved us."

Qui-Gon nodded with a small smile. "A brave little astromech indeed. We owe it our thanks."

Obi-Wan looked at the stars passing by in hyperspace. "Let's hope the rest of our journey is less eventful."

They had escaped Naboo, but now they had to seek help—before it was too late.