Aesthetically speaking, Theed, the capital of Naboo, was as far from Coruscant as it was possible to be while still remaining a city.
No skyscrapers bisected the sky, let alone ones made of shining dark glass. Instead, the architects and designers had opted for finishes that looked like – and might actually be – stone, and the tallest building in sight seemed only five or six stories tall. Domes and graceful arches complemented wide stone-appearing streets that were lined with various kinds of greenery.
Obi-Wan resolved to take some leave time on Naboo in the future, so he could appreciate the planet's beauty properly, without the overarching concern of a mission that had gone belly-up from the start.
Now, he followed Qui-Gon and the local, Jar Jar, deeper into the city, focusing more on avoiding droid patrols than the beauty surrounding them.
Qui-Gon paused in a recessed doorway, his presence in the Force going indistinct for a moment, before he blinked and said, "This way."
Obi-Wan followed without question. Qui-Gon's strength had always been in the Living Force and then the Physical Force, so Obi-Wan had no doubt his former master had homed in on their target.
Whatever he'd decided that target might be.
A short time later, following Qui-Gon, he crept onto a covered walkway with arched open-air windows spanning one access to what might be a public square or garden space, given the statuary that surrounded the other sides.
Its general beauty was marred by the presence of several of the Trade Federation's landing craft. The groups of people wandering across the courtyard could have been merely out for an afternoon stroll if it weren't for the battle droids escorting each one.
"There," Qui-Gon murmured, and Obi-Wan followed his gaze.
Ten battle droids escorted a somewhat larger group of people – a silver-haired balding man, a woman in a black dress with a feathered headdress, four more women in flame-colored hooded gowns, and a handful of guards or possibly soldiers.
Less than a minute later, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had disabled or destroyed the droids, and Qui-Gon was herding their former prisoners away from the busier thoroughfare.
While Qui-Gon spoke with the man, whom Obi-Wan now recognized from the mission briefing as Governor Sio Bibble, Obi-Wan opened up his senses, standing sentry for his master, the governor, the queen and-
-Obi-Wan blinked, focusing his senses on the queen and her flame-robed attendants. They tickled oddly at his awareness-
-but he had more to pay attention to than one queen and her attendants. He stretched his senses widely again as one of the guard-soldiers spoke, obviously responding to something Qui-Gon had said.
"In the main hangar. This way."
BREAK
What should have been a relatively simple escape almost immediately became more complicated.
"We'll need to free those pilots." The leader of the guard-soldiers – Obi-Wan still wasn't certain which description fit best – who had hurriedly introduced himself as Captain Panaka pointed to a group of a dozen or more men sitting on the floor of the hangar and surrounded by a dozen battle droids.
"I'll handle it." Obi-Wan split off to free the pilots while Qui-Gon led the rest of the party toward a sleek, silvery gleaming starship.
Whoever had programmed the battle droids hadn't taken Jedi into account. Not, Obi-Wan mused as he leapt into a split-kick that sent two of the droids flying and ignited his lightsaber on the way down, that he had any idea how anyone would, or even could, create a program that accounted for Jedi and the Force they commanded.
Or it commanded them. Or both. Or neither. Depending on the day.
"Go," Obi-Wan ordered, and the pilots scattered while he finished with the droids.
And that was when things went sideways. One of the pilots stumbled and, trying to right himself, careened into one of the droids, sending its shot wild-
-and into Qui-Gon's thigh.
Qui-Gon barely grunted, kept moving, deflecting blaster bolts, but Obi-Wan knew his the older man simply followed a mild battle frenzy. Soon enough, the battle would be over, and Qui-Gon's wound would need treatment. Until then, he remained as focused and effective a fighter as ever.
Following his former master's lead, Obi-Wan decapitated the last of the droids that had been guarding the pilots and darted toward the royal cruiser while Qui-Gon Force-threw a pair of droids into a nearby ship with enough, well, force to dismember the droids.
Which gave Obi-Wan an idea.
Without pausing his ascent up the ramp, he grabbed a downed battle droid with the Force and tugged it toward him. It floated up the ramp at speed, practically cutting off Qui-Gon's own retreat.
"Sorry, Master," Obi-Wan said as the ramp closed behind Qui-Gon. "Let's get you to the medical bay."
The engines roared to life as Qui-Gon smiled briefly. "Don't I usually say that to you?"
"Turnabout and all that." Obi-Wan stepped close against Qui-Gon's injured side, the difference in their heights making it easy for him to tuck under the other man's shoulder, to help steady him through takeoff.
Their departure was not unnoticed, because the ship shook from weapons impact. At least the Trade Federation wouldn't be shooting to kill, not if they truly needed Queen Amidala to sign a treaty.
Finally, the ship shuddered again, this time with the jump to hyperspace.
"The cockpit," Qui-Gon said.
"Your leg."
"It will wait."
Obi-Wan scowled at him. "Fine. But only for a briefing."
Then he shifted position and helped his former master to the cockpit.
"What's our status, Captain?" Qui-Gon asked, bracing against the doorframe. Based on the emotions the pilot and Captain Panaka were broadcasting, Obi-Wan knew the answer wouldn't be good.
"There's not enough power to get us to Coruscant." The pilot – and Obi-Wan would get his name, sooner or later – checked a readout. "The hyperdrive is leaking."
Obi-Wan took a seat at the navigator's position even as Qui-Gon said, "We'll have to land somewhere to refuel and repair the ship."
Obi-Wan searched the databank, his heart both racing and sinking as a planet appeared on the screen.
"Tatooine," he said. "Small, out of the way, poor. The Trade Federation have no presence there."
Trust Captain Panaka to ask the obvious question. "How can you be sure?"
Obi-Wan met Qui-Gon's gaze, deferring to his former master to deliver the news, which Qui-Gon did in a flat tone. "Because it's controlled by the Hutts."
Panaka stared at them. "You can't take Her Royal Highness there. The Hutts are gangsters. If they discover her..."
"It would be no different than if we landed in a system controlled by the Federation," Qui-Gon finished. "Except that the Hutts aren't looking for her, which gives us an advantage."
Panaka nodded slowly, frowning thoughtfully. "I understand, but I'm not sure Her Royal Highness will approve."
"I-" Qui-Gon began, only for his leg to give out. In a flash, Obi-Wan was by his side, supporting him once again.
"You are going to the medical bay," Obi-Wan declared. "You've received a briefing and you know our next step. It'll be several hours before we reach Tatooine, which gives you plenty of time to rest."
Qui-Gon only nodded, his expression tight.
Obi-Wan met Captain Panaka's gaze. "I'll join you to update the queen shortly."
BREAK
The queen – or so Obi-Wan chose to think of the woman in the black dress, despite the suggestion the Force had given him back on Naboo – was offering an official commendation to the single surviving astromech droid when Obi-Wan arrived at what might be a receiving room for guests invited aboard the royal cruiser.
Captain Panaka was already there, along with two of the other guards and the queen's attendants, and the astromech. And Jar Jar Binks, who had apparently been included as a representative of his own people from Naboo. Obi-Wan crossed to stand by Panaka, waiting while the queen finished with the droid.
"You have our thanks, R2-D2," she said. "We will have you cleaned and perhaps upgraded when we are able."
The astromech beeped and blorbled. Obi-Wan's Binary was rusty, but the droid seemed pleased as the idea of upgrades. Not that Obi-Wan knew what upgrades might suit an astromech droid.
The queen ordered one of her attendants – Rabé – to see to the droid and then focused on Obi-Wan.
"How is your companion?"
"Your medical droid has applied bacta gel to his wounds, and he will recover fully, Your Highness," Obi-Wan replied. "I expect he will accelerate his healing with a healing trance when we reach Tatooine."
Beneath the white-and-red makeup, the queen's expression hardened. "Tatooine is not the safest choice."
"In our current situation, Your Highness," Obi-Wan said evenly, "there are no good choices, only horrible choices, bad choices, and less bad choices. Tatooine falls into the final category, if only because the Trade Federation has no presence there and the Hutts are unlikely to allow any search party to land."
"I'm not entirely pleased with the choice myself, Your Highness," Panaka put in. "But the Jedi are right. In a sea full of bad choices, Tatooine is the least bad."
The queen dropped her gaze, appearing to consider the situation for a long moment. Finally, she raised her head and surveyed those in the room with her. One of the attendants nodded so fractionally Obi-Wan almost missed it.
"Very well," she said. "I thank you for your counsel, Master Jedi. Though I do wonder why you brought part of a Trade Federation battle droid on board."
"Besides it being evidence of their invasion of Naboo?" Obi-Wan asked. "Slicers may be able to access its full programming, including the plans for Naboo. Such information could be invaluable."
The queen's eyes had widened briefly as he spoke, and he had to give her credit for maintaining that much composure when she – and the rest of the Nabooians – were clearly not accustomed to thinking the way he did. "Again, Master Jedi, my thanks. You give us much to consider."