“And as usual we take all the risk.” Sheeana crossed her arms.
“We take all the credits. Crimos doesn’t care for the credits; at least that’s what Monchar told me. According to him, it has something to do with that tattooed face Zabrak.” Alle frowned trying to recall Hath Monchar’s companion back in the Mootoo Cave.
“You are a cruel bastard you know that? Using a woman’s heart’s desire to get what you want.” Sheeana shook her head.
“We’re all users here Sheeana, don’t wash your hands.” Alle retorted.
“Fine, you do the convincing part and the risking part.” Sheeana pouted.
“When haven’t I?” Alle said and fell from his chair and lay still, snoring.
“Men, you’re all such a lousy drinkers.” Sheeana kicked Alle on the ribs on her way out of the pub and went back to her ship to sleep on her cabin.
* * *
Queen Amidala was heading back to the palace with her usual retinue of Royal Handmaidens after gracing a HoloNet media group for an interview. Among the audience in the dissipating crowd were Rinn Olié and Artoo Detoo, there were already making their way back to the boy’s house when a lumbering Ithorian hurried to their path and knocked the boy on the street.
Artoo squealed in protest and turn to face the Ithorian when the alien removed its ‘head’ and a Gungan head appeared under it.
Artoo recognized Gantu Onu Raltos. The Gungan reached out for his concealable blaster and aimed at Queen Amidala. The Handmaidens instantly sprung to action.
Aluva D’asima moved in front of the Queen and raised her own blaster. Artoo rolling from the oblivious Gungan extracted his energy wielder from the top of his dome and released a powerful electric bolt on the Gungan’s leg.
Aluva opened fire and her shot hit squarely on the face of the huge rebel Gungan. Gantu dropped in spasms and then lay still.
Aluva and Sabé and the other Royal Handmaidens led the Queen back up on the palace while nearby security guards darted to check the body of the Gungan terrorist. Artoo rolled to see if Rinn was alright.
The HoloNet media men saw the whole thing and manage to catch the best part on record. Later that day, the HoloNet broadcasted the interview followed by the assassination attempt all over the Core Worlds and within the week to the Inner, Mid and Outer Rim as well.
Back in Kardara, Sheeana and Alle finally learned why Gantu was not answering their calls as they watch the evening news.
* * *
Two weeks after the death of Gantu, Queen Amidala headed the ceremony of renaming the veterans of Raid Squadron to Bravo Squadron and officially declared them under her Royal Space Fighter Corps.
Captain Ric Olié was given the command of the entire Naboo Royal Space Fighter Corps, under him were Echo Flight, Alpha Flight and of course the Bravo Squadron.
Medals of Bravery and Courage and Loyalty were awarded to the veteran pilots of Bravo Squadron, namely Hoff Siege, Porro Dolphe, Arven Wendik, Rya Kirsch, Ellberger, Gavyn Sikes, Essar Till, Dren Melne, Rhys Dallows and Palmer.
* * *
Captain Panaka rotated the training exercises and lessons of the Royal Handmaidens to two groups in alternating days.
Aluva and Sabé rose quickly above the others. Panaka later on decided to put the two each as team leader of the two groups.
On the third week of their training Captain Panaka introduced to them a new Royal Handmaiden, Padmé.
Padmé was easily accepted by the others because they know she was their Queen. It was awkward at first but with a little encouragement from Captain Panaka and from Aluva and Sabé, the other Royal Handmaidens finally learned how to treat Padmé as a different person from the Queen.
The respect remains there but the formalities were set aside, Panaka trained them to keep that knowledge among themselves and they all made the Order of the Sanctuary’s Oath of Secrecy never to tell anyone that Padmé and the Queen are one and the same.
Another new trick Panaka presented to them is how to act as decoy for the Queen. After much training, Panaka finally chose Sabé to become the Queen’s decoy. Aluva was too tall and although the rest have slight resemblance to the Queen, Sabé resembles Padmé most.
* * *
Queen Amidala was exhausted after another rigorous training in jungle survival. Once on her bed, Amidala quickly fell in deep sleep.
Outside Rabé and Yané was on guard duty by the door. Their exhaustion were also beginning to seep into their bones and they were starting to lapse into sleep.
Neither of them realized that a certain aura in the Force were at work. It lulled them to unfathomable slumber and they were already too deep to feel someone dragging them to a dark corner.
A figure in a Royal Handmaiden’s robe picked the security lock and used the Force to contain the noise as the blastdoor slid open. Once inside, she sealed the door using the same trick.
The handmaiden threw back her hood revealing the face of the Lady Sarc Crimos. She stood silently before the sleeping queen.
Slowly she took her pair of lightsabers and ignited it.
The mixed blue and red hue illuminated the darkness and the Lady raised her blade for the kill.
Air gushed in as the side secret door slid open and Aluva leaped and tackled Crimos.
Aluva was gripping Crimos’ both wrists tightly to restrain her from using her lightsaber. The pressure caused her to reflexively drop her weapon.
Having her disarmed, Aluva heaved the former Nightsister and threw her to the blastdoor.
Crimos expected the impact on the metal but at that time Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas opened it and the Lady Crimos sailed out of the room.
Before she landed on the corridor, Master Sifo-Dyas had already ignited his lightsaber.
The Jedi’s back was on Aluva and he never saw Crimos’ lightsabers were twitching and starting to move. As the pair of blade sailed in the air aimed at the back of the Jedi, Aluva in her quick movements took her sword she hid under the bed of the Queen and slashed it on the airborne lightsabers of Crimos.
The blades shorted out upon contact on the cortosis blade.
The commotion behind him made Sifo-Dyas to look back but at that very instant Crimos Force-shoved the Jedi and snatch his lightsaber from him.
Crimos started to flee but Sifo-Dyas grabbed her leg through the Force and she fell down on the marble floor.
Aluva came out and handed Crimos’ lightsabers on the Jedi Master.
Sifo-Dyas saw there was no ignition button so he used the Force to ignite the two lightsabers.
Lady Crimos stood up and held Sifo-Dyas’ lightsaber in a defensive position.
Aluva came to stand beside the Jedi wielding her cortosis sword.
Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas leaped but Lady Crimos did something new, she threw the lightsaber to him and use the Force to control it while she also summoned her own weapons from the hands of the Jedi, in that awkward moment when Sifo-Dyas was trying to parry the erratic blade his hands were having a hard time to grip the two weapons properly.
As a result the blades were knocked off of his hands and Crimos caught her own weapon and charged at Aluva.
Aluva dashed to meet her but at the last moment Crimos dropped her weapons and unleashed Force-lightning from each of her hands, one shot straight at Aluva sending her sailing back while the other went to strike at the face of the dazed Jedi Master.
Crimos then swung her other hand to concentrate on electrocuting the Jedi. Sifo-Dyas was defenseless and soon lapsed into unconsciousness.
Aluva was slowly getting back up on her feet.
Crimos snarled and picked up her deactivated weapons and turn to face her.
“Out of words, Witch?” Aluva snarled.
“Some words are better left unsaid.” the Lady Sarc ignited her pair of lightsabers.
“Or you just need to re-phrase it.” Aluva D’asima raised her cortosis sword above her head.
Crimos set her crystals into full power to keep her blade from sorting out, but
it left her blade dangerously close on the verge of exploding.
Using the Force she focused on keeping her crystals from overloading making her unable to channel the Force to her swordplay.
Aluva was the best swordswoman among the Royal Handmaidens and with Crimos forced to fight her without the help of the Force other than keeping her weapon from both shorting out and overloading, their duel proved a match.
The other Handmaidens had sneaked in to the Queen’s room and attended to her as Aluva battled against Crimos on the corridors of the palace.
Aluva felt exulted and fully charged, she has been long waiting for such engagement and it invigorates her further.
Crimos on the other hand felt strained, is she drop her focus on her blades it will short out from Aluva’s cortosis sword, but if she keep keeping it intact, she will lose the swordfight.
Crimos finally decided to use her real advantage over the other, the Force.
Her blades shorted out at her release but it gave her the opportunity to fry Aluva to her death.
Surge after surge of powerful Force-lightning crawled all over Aluva. The warrior from Emberlene tried to use her sword to divert the flow electric currents in her body to no avail.
The Lady Sarc Crimos lost herself and began to laugh hysterically like a mad woman. Sabé took out her blaster and fired at the Dark Jedi.
Crimos use her other hand to block the laser bolts coming to her.
Farther on the other side of the hallway, Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas started to regain consciousness.
Captain Panaka and his men came up from the other side and open fire. Crimos momentarily swung her Force-lightning to Panaka and they all ducked for cover. At that Crimos return the bolts to Aluva who were barely conscious now.
A loud explosion echoed across the confines of the palace corridor. Captain Panaka looked out to find where the sound came from.
The handmaidens started to ran towards Aluva as the Lady Sarc Crimos fell on the ground and saw her side bleeding from a wound.
Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas used the Force to snatch away her lightsabers and went to subdue the assassin.
Behind Sabé, Queen Amidala held an old projectile rifle that was displayed on her bedroom.
Panaka ordered his men to take the Lady Sarc Crimos while carried Aluva to the medical wing of the palace. Sifo-Dyas went to check on the Queen as the Royal Handmaidens gathered by her room.
* * *
“They captured her.” Sheeana said to Alle who was making himself as inconspicuous as possible from across the street.
“Can you find out where they will be taking her? I’m sure it will not take long before they finally move her off-world. Most likely they will take her to Coruscant where the Jedi can deal with her most effectively.” Alle said.
“A hot lady like me can bend any men to my whim.” Sheeana placed her hands on her waist and playfully turned around to show her figures at him.
“For the love of the Sith, Sheeana, quit fooling around.” Alle grunted in annoyance.
“Fine, mister grumpy Whiphid, you’re off the bed tonight.” Sheeana started to walk away.
“Just get the job done so we could leave this place at once, I don’t like the crowd here, too many for my taste.” Alle grumbled looking at the throng of people on Keren City.
“I’m on it, but you’re still off the bed tonight.” Sheeana shouted and went inside the Keren Security Station.
A haggard looking young man approached Alle and bugged him with his wares. “Come on chap, what do you fancy? I got glitterstim, ryll, death stick…”
“I got a silent blaster set to kill, interested?” Alle scoffed and waved his blaster. The boy left hurriedly.
Moments later Sheeana came out of the side of the station and waved goodbye on a man farther down the alley behind.
She returned to his landspeeder and took her seat beside him.
“Keren Prison, they’ll be shipping her off-world in six hours. And don’t ask how I found out. Drive.” Sheeana said.
“Alright here’s my plan, we must find a way to communicate with her, tell her what we need her for and if she agrees we bail her out before she get to be shipped off-world.” Alle said as they drive to Keren Prison on the other side of the city.
“Oh great, it’s easier said than done.” Sheeana shrugged indifferently.
“Got any better ideas in that head of yours? Besides, we still got at least a couple of hours to plan the details, less than an hour to get her out and the rest of the night to get the Queen.” Alle said.
Chapter 20: The Kardara Truce
Aluva D’asima insisted that she accompany the Queen to Kardara despite the medical droid’s insistence that she continue her bacta session. Captain Panaka and Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas cooked up a detailed arrangement for the Queen’s security that convinced the Emberlene warrior to relent and stay to complete her medication.
Sifo-Dyas and Panaka now stood on the dilapidated spaceport of Kardara. The degenerating town of Kandrosa makes Mos Eisley an ideal tourist spot.
“At least it’s not as messy as Nar Shaddaa.” Panaka commented.
“I’d still vote for the bowels of Coruscant.” Sifo-Dyas shrugged.
“You got me there.” Panaka smiled then returned back up the Royal Starship.
“Captain Teros, any luck on hailing the Prime Minister’s aide?” Panaka asked her as he enters the cockpit.
“Either there’s a steady signal out there causing this interference or they just gave us the wrong codes.” Teros shook her head in dismay.
“Keep trying anyways.” Panaka patted her shoulder and went to the throne room.
Only the Queen and her handmaidens are inside so when the door slid shut behind him, Panaka sat beside the new handmaiden Padmé.
“Your Highness, the Prime Minister’s aid is still not responding to our call. Master Sifo-Dyas went outside to wait for the welcoming committee just in case they do show up. Should we just head back home?” Panaka asked.
“This truce is vital to our plasma harvesting industry Captain. If we obtain the rights to take over the abandoned plasma mines of Damask Holdings then there will be no more reason for the Trade Federation to insist on their treaty upon us.” Padmé explained.
“I understand, Your Highness, it’s just that, if the Prime Minister truly wanted to make that truce the welcoming committee should’ve been waiting here already in our arrival an hour ago.” Panaka said.
“Be patient Captain, the Kardarans are not known for their punctuality. Perhaps the Prime Minister got drunk again and forgot about the appointment. Maybe we should fly straight to their Government Compound.” the Queen said.
“Let’s make it official then.” Panaka turn to wink at Sabé who was seated on the throne disguised as the Queen of Naboo.
Panaka called Sifo-Dyas in his comlink and told him to get back in the ship.
Eirtaé clicked the intercom.
“Captain Teros, let’s fly straight to the Government Compound. The Prime Minister must have forgotten we are coming.” Sabé said in a perfect mimicry of Queen Amidala’s voice.
“It feels weird to hear myself from another person.” Padmé chuckled silently.
The Kardara Government Compound was no different from Kandrosa except for the presence of military personnel whose uniforms differ from the other.
Queen Amidala stepped out of the ship flanked by her Royal Handmaidens. Captain Panaka and Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas stood on each side of the Queen and waited for the approaching soldiers to reach them.
“Queen Amidala, the Prime Minister is waiting for you, he wishes to know why you were late. We’ve been expecting you for hours now.” The soldier said gruffly then marched away back to the central building far ahead.
“So much for formality,” Sifo-Dyas muttered at Captain Panaka.
The group followed the ill-mannered soldier until they entered the central building. Inside the building was in a blatant state of disrepair from floor to ceiling. Pain
ts are chipped and stained, the floor were cracked and littered with garbage and sleeping drunken soldiers. Those who were awake were either stoned in whatever spice drug they were in or just stared blankly like the beggars of Nar Shaddaa.
A fat bearded man chugging a bottle of rum sat at the largest table. His partly damaged holo-canvass behind on the wall hung, the image flickering in and out of existence.
“Ah, Panaka, they made you Captain now, huh? Would you like to have a drink?” the fat man offered.
“Prime Minister Mordon, I present to you Queen Amidala, the newly elected and crowned monarch of Naboo.” Panaka said in mild formality.
“Ah yes, the beautiful young Queen, come and sit. We have much to talk about right?” Mordon said cheerfully.
Eirtaé and Rabé glanced at each other with wide eyes. Queen Amidala gracefully bowed and took her seat on the offered chair ignoring the dirt in it.
Sifo-Dyas casually made a visual recon of the place and searched for possible exits and potential threats.
* * *
“We got bad news, Alle.” Sheeana said after making a second visit with her inside contact.
“What is it this time?” Alle’s forehead and brows furrowed.
“Giek told me the Queen has just left to attend a meeting to Kardara.” Sheeana said.
“That’s good news Sheeana.” Alle’s face lit up.
“And how’s that become a good thing?” she frowned at him.
“Kardara is our home court, they are the visitors.” Alle simply said as if it explains it all.
“Let’s say I did understand what you just said, so what’s the plan?” she asked.
“Does your charm work on pilots?” Alle asked.
“They work on any species with a dangling tail between the legs at their fronts.” She shot back.
* * *
The Lady Sarc Crimos was on a triple ray-shielded vertical tube reinforced with durasteel casing. She was scheduled to be transported to Coruscant and was awaiting transport at the Keren Prison. When the transport ship from the capital finally arrived, the Keren Security Guards took the prison capsule to Keren City Spaceport and had the transfer orders signed by the pilots.
The prison capsule was taken to a large empty cargo hold. The guard also placed a small metal crate at the side of the prison capsule.
Star Wars - Artoo Detoo: Droid of a Kind (Volume 1) Page 18
