“What do wessa gonna do now?” Jar-jar asked.
“We must be patient.” Qui-Gon placed a hand on the Gungan then said in a low voice.
“Messa sick and tired of bein’ patience…” Jar-jar grunted and aimed his DL-40 heavy blaster rifle and fired before Qui-Gon Jinn could object.
The bolt hit Rune Haako in the chest throwing the dead Neimoidian down the stairs. The Viceroy ran off as the Lady Crimos ignited her pair of lightsabers and ordered the battle droids to secure the prisoners and take them out to the prison cells of Theed in the outskirts of the Grassy Plains below the plateau.
OOM-9 prodded at Captain Panaka as he and the Queen were shoved and pushed down the stairs past the lifeless corpse of Trade Federation’s Settlement Officer.
Sio Bibble glanced once on the smoking hole on Rune Haako’s chest before he was herded off by the battle droids.
Jar-jar Binks took out a repeater blaster with his free hand and began firing relentlessly on the Dark Jedi until the cartridge was spent and he took out a pair of smaller blaster from each of his leg holsters and continued firing at her.
Qui-Gon Jinn stealthily move away, still hidden, and started to follow the battle droids and their prisoners.
“Stupid Gungan, do you think you even stand a chance against me?” Crimos sneered at her suicidal attacker.
Jar-jar ignored her and kept firing, making sure she stayed as far from him as possible. He knows people like her could kill with their mind alone so he decided to keep her mind off of using the Force against him and make her concentrate instead on blocking his barrage.
Crimos use the Force to snatch the two blasters from the Gungan, but the moment she got the pair of blasters sailing, Jar-jar quickly took out a handful of grenades, clapped his hands to trigger them and threw it at her.
But that wasn’t just what the Gungan did. The pair of blasters he was carrying both have a grenade strapped in it, a string was tied to its pin with its other end on the leg holsters. So when Crimos snatched it off from him the pin was pulled and the blasters exploded before the Dark Jedi just milliseconds ahead of the rest of the grenades thrown at her.
The explosion rocked that side of the palace. Jar-jar was already running away the moment he threw those grenades and didn’t bother to see if the Dark Jedi survived or not. He raced after the battle droids firing.
Jar-jar hit five battle droids from the rear before the others turn to return fire. The Gungan took cover from one of the massive pillars when Qui-Gon Jinn emerged from the front of the group and started hacking off battle droids.
OOM-9 was nowhere in sight, Qui-Gon assumed the droid commander had fled off and escorted the Viceroy away to safety.
More battle droids came from the corridor ahead and Qui-Gon positioned himself in a protective cover in front of the Queen and uses the Force to summon the droids’ blasters from their metal hands.
Qui-Gon Jinn directed the trajectory of the blasters to the prisoners. Captain Panaka, Queen Amidala and the rest of them took the weapons as it sails towards them and open fired at the incoming battle droids.
Weaponless, the droids were easily destroyed.
Qui-Gon nodded at Jar-jar and then bowed to the Queen.
“Your Highness, we meet again. I am the Jedi Ambassador sent by the Supreme Chancellor…” Qui-Gon started to say but the Queen interrupted him.
“Your negotiations seemed to have failed Master Jedi.” Queen Amidala stated.
“The negotiations never took place. Your Highness, we must make contact with the Republic so they could take action against this illegal occupation.” Qui-Gon answered.
“Unfortunately we can’t. They’ve knocked down all of our communications, all three planetary comm sat sites were reported to have been destroyed by the invasion force during their initial planet fall.” Panaka shook his head.
“Do you have available transports?” Qui-Gon asked instead.
“In the main hangar, but our crew are already held captive in the Theed Prison Compound.” Panaka explained.
“Is it close?” Qui-Gon inquired.
“It’s a kilometer east of the Theed Spaceport. Our landspeeders were all taken there as well.” Panaka replied.
“Then we must walk.” Qui-Gon sighed, “Captain, is there a place here where we could hide the Queen while we release your crew and recover those landspeeders?”
“I am capable of defending myself Master Jedi. All of us.” The Queen said.
Qui-Gon looked dubiously at Captain Panaka but the other merely shrugs. “Very well, let’s all go, but you must follow my lead.”
Qui-Gon allowed Panaka t o guide them on the side alleys of Theed and down to the spaceport below the cliffs. Jar-jar took out the larger weapons from his huge duffel bag and armed himself to the teeth and took the rear guard.
* * *
Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes, Captain Hoff Siege and Jedi padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi stared at each other in silence.
They were inside a three cubic meter prison cell in the lowest level of the Theed Prison Compound.
After Obi-Wan were taken prisoner, Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes’ ship took a hit on the wing of his N1 Starfighter and crashed on the fields near Spinnaker.
Captain Hoff Siege ordered the rest of Bravo Squadron to continue their retreat as he and Artoo Detoo turned around and landed the ship near the crash site. He and Artoo went to recover the unconscious pilot and drag him off to safety before the downed ship exploded.
But before they could reach Hoff’s ship they were attacked by a dozen battle droids on STAPs. Hoff and Artoo took Sykes on a ravine and defended their position. Sykes joined the firefight when he regained consciousness but more droids came and this time, with AATs.
Surrounded, outnumbered and outgunned, the two pilots and the astromech droid surrendered and were taken to the Lady Crimos.
When they were taken to the Theed Prison Compound, the droids took Artoo away from them, the astromech was helpless, unable to resist due to the restraining bolt attached in his body.
It was after an hour when Hoff and Gavyn have been joined by another prisoner. The Jedi Obi-Wan was battered and bruised and wasted no time in attempting to escape to no avail.
Somehow, the Lady Crimos has done something in him, or in the prison cell, that prevented him from using the Force.
“What do you think will happen to us now?” Gavyn Sykes asked to no one in particular.
“We have no value to the Trade Federation, we’re just pilots.” Hoff said in resignation looking at the Jedi.
“I may be useful for bait or trap against my master but the Lady Crimos is a Jedi killer. My fate is no better than yours.” Obi-Wan shook his head in frustration.
“Obi-Wan, I can call you Obi-Wan right?” Sykes started to say.
“Sure.” the Jedi nodded.
“What do you think is causing your inability to use the Force? I mean, is it even possible?” Gavyn asked.
“I’m not really sure myself. But there is a lot of lost knowledge out there that was once used by the ancient Sith against the Jedi. It will not be surprising if Crimos discovered one that could do this…” Obi-Wan gestured around him.
“I am not afraid to die, but not like this, not without a fight. It’s this waiting that’s driving me mad!” Sykes rasped.
“They won’t get me without a fight too.” Siege muttered.
The three dozed a little when Obi-Wan were awakened by the noise on the blastdoor. Sykes and Siege woke up as well and braced themselves on each side of the blastdoor while Obi-Wan sat on the wall facing it.
* * *
Artoo Detoo was dumped on a room filled with other astromech droids. They were all fitted with restraining bolts. Artoo looked around him and moaned. He saw some where badly damage and were barely functional anymore. There was a group of black and red R2-B6s chained at each other and were fitted by three restraining bolts each.
Artoo’s photoreceptor stopped at a familiar astromech besides the group of B6s.
Artoo squealed in surprise and excitement as he recognized the other.
Artoo Detoo made his way past the jumble of droids towards R2-E3.
E3 explained to him that when the invasion army breached the palace, OOM-9 ordered all droids from maintenance to service to protocols to astromechs and even medical droids be rounded up, secured with restraining bolts and have them all stored in this room.
Artoo then asked who were those chain droids are.
E3 told him that they belong to the Vengeance Squadron.
Artoo tootled an inquiry and E3 patiently answered and told him that all she knew about them was that they were a private army off-world that are dead set on the destruction of the Trade Federation.
Artoo bobbed his frame as a form of a nod and surmised that it was perfectly logical and understandable, even inevitable. The Trade Federation has been striving for a monopoly on the trade routes across the Outer Rim for decades. It is not surprising that they have accumulated a number of enemies along the way.
Artoo and E3 were interrupted by a commotion among the B6s. The other droids in the large room also turn to look at what was going on.
The restraining bolts of the R2-B6s suddenly dropped on the ground and they extracted their electric cutters and worked on removing their chains. Once freed, they scattered across the room and started removing restraining bolts from the other droids. One of them moved towards Artoo and E3 and took out theirs. Then the B6s converged on the blastdoor and started to work their way in cutting through it using their plasma torches.
Artoo rolled his dome at the mixed ingenuity and absurdity of the B6s attempt. Even with that many plasma torches, it would still take them days to melt a hole through that thick metal blastdoor.
Artoo and E3 went to the group of B6s and scanned the blastdoor for power source and located the control panel somewhere on the left side on the other side of the blastdoor.
Artoo looked at the droids watching them curiously and spotted a large D78x ore miner droid. Artoo instructed E3 to fetch the miner droid as he went to speak to one the B6s about his plan.
For the next hour the droids under the leadership of Artoo Detoo worked together to dig through the rocks towards the buried power conduit that was connected to the control panel.
When the miner droid finally reached the conduit, he rolled back to give way for the bipedal droids to dig the rest of the sides of the hole to make room for Artoo Detoo.
Once they got the hole tall and wide enough for an astromech, Artoo Detoo rolled in and started cutting but the insulator was too thick and he move back thinking of another means when one of the B6s took his place and use his more powerful plasma torch.
In seconds he got the power conduit open and Artoo resumed doing his work. Another few seconds and the blastdoor finally slid open.
Artoo and E3 separated from the others and searched for a computer terminal. E3 found one and Artoo plugged in and started searching for Captain Hoff Siege. Outside, they could hear blaster fires as the battle droids discovered the escaping droid prisoners.
Artoo and E3 then headed their way to the lower levels of the prison compound.
* * *
Thick black smokes were billowing up the noon sky from the Theed Prison Compound as Qui-Gon Jinn and the others were making their final approach.
“Look, droids!” Aluva pointed at the distance.
They all turn to see hundreds of various types of droids scattering out of the prison compound like ants. Battle droids were both firing at the escaped droid prisoners and attending to put out the fire.
“Aluva, get the landspeeders, we’re going in for the prisoners.” Captain Panaka said to her.
Aluva and Padmé stayed with Queen Amidala while the rest of the Royal Handmaidens went to the warehouse storing the impounded landspeeders of Theed.
Obi-Wan Kenobi and the two pilots were already running out of the compound when Qui-Gon, Jar-jar and Panaka reached the outer courtyard and saw them.
Artoo and E3 trailed behind with a hundred other Naboo prisoners.
The two groups then went to aid the Royal Handmaidens move the landspeeders out of the warehouse. The Jedi, the Gungan, Panaka and the two pilots provided cover as the rest of them took the landspeeders and prepare to leave.
“Head to the forest before making your way to the Jafanara, Bravo Squadron are there already.” Panaka said to the other security personnel.
Aboard their respective landspeeders, the convoy made their way back up the cliff to Theed and sneaked back into the palace.
* * *
Viceroy Nute Gunray stood alone on the throne room as he contacted Darth Sidious.
The Sith Lord’s hologram appeared before him, “This should be worth my time, Viceroy.”
“The Jedi came and killed Rune Haako and the Gungan with him almost killed the Lady Crimos. She’s back in the Saak’ak for a bacta tank treatment and… I just got word from the Theed Prison Compound, the prisoners have escaped, all of them…” Viceroy blurted out.
“I am beginning to contemplate about your usefulness…” Sidious growled.
“Please milord!” Gunray started to grovel.
“Silence! Things are starting to get out of hand and it seems that you and Crimos is not enough to handle this mundane task of getting my treaty signed. Secure the planet, make sure not a single soul get past in and out of the blockade. As for that troublesome Gungan, send the entire army and decimate their underwater city. Leave no one alive. You are to contact me the moment Crimos regain consciousness or if you manage to capture the Queen once again, whichever goes first.” Darth Sidious severed the connection.
As the holo faded the blastdoor of the throne room slid open and a droid rushed in and addressed the Viceroy.
“Viceroy, the prisoners have penetrated the main hangar, they took the Royal Starship and two N1 Starfighters. They are now heading off planet.” The droid announced.
“This is not good!” Viceroy Nute Gunray staggered back and slumped on the royal throne of Naboo. “I’m dead.” The Neimoidian buried his face on his palms.
* * *
Captain Hoff Siege and Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes along with Artoo Detoo and R2-E3 flew escort to the Royal Starship.
Captain Ric Olié and his crew, freed from the prison compound, flew the Royal Starship out of Theed and headed south.
Guided by Queen Amidala they went straight to the monastery of the Order of the Sanctuary. Upon landing, the Queen ordered everyone to stay inside the ship while she, Captain Panaka, Aluva and the handmaiden Padmé went outside and headed towards the monastery.
It took almost two hours before they returned. Queen Amidala sat on her throne aboard the Royal Starship and regarded her people.
“The Head of the Order of the Sanctuary has helped us to contact new allies against the Trade Federation. The leader of the remnants of the Chommell Patriots has struck a deal for the Naboo. Their private army will attack the blockade to allow us to escape and reach the Republic capital in return they wish to open a trade franchise to us and to the entire Chommell Sector with their new and growing business empire. Their small fleet will be arriving in an hour so we will wait for their call before we head off.” Queen Amidala explained then nodded at Captain Panaka to continue.
“I have also established a contact to Bravo Squadron on Jafanara and to the guerilla forces of Nym. They have agreed to work together in our absence and keep engaging the Trade Federation army in multiple skirmishes. Captain Siege, leave the ship, you and your droid are coming aboard us. Lieutenant Sykes, go to the Jafanara and help Captain Kael and Nym.” Panaka explained.
The group started to get ready and when the new leader of the former Chommell Patriots made contact and has engaged the blockade, the Royal Starship flew off and headed towards space.
Chapter 32: The Flight to the Capital
“Sir, we are reverting to real space in two minutes.” Captain Glovv Desnocres, a Nautolan, announced from the helm of the modified Corellian Co
rvette Fair Chance.
“Thank you Glovv.” Raltosan Enterprise Chief Executive Officer Clynt Resnon nodded from his High Chair at the center of the command bridge.
After finally making contact with the Queen of Naboo through the help of the Order of the Sanctuary, Clynt was overjoyed at the result of their short negotiations. He just struck a deal that would solve two of their major problems. A firm trade route on the Chommell Sector and a chance to exact their revenge against the Trade Federation.
Since they have learned about the murder of their leaders Movi and Anna, the three major business companies under the former Chommell Patriots have reconvened on Moviana and deliberated what to do with it.
Clynt personally led a team to investigate the death of their founders and with the help of Queen Breha and the hands-on contribution of the newly elected Galactic Senator Bail Prestor Organa they identified one of the two suspected murderers, the Lady Sarc Crimos.
Clynt had met her several times in the past back when he was the head of recruitment for the Chommell Patriots, back when they were still in good terms with the Trade Federation.
Fate had just made its most twisted play on them. The former Chommell Patriots are now in league with the Naboo and a sworn enemy of the Trade Federation, and to think that only barely four months ago they were serving the Neimoidians and wrecking havoc on the Naboo.
“Shields to maximum, charge all turbolaser batteries, prepare launch bays for full deployment. You all have your targets, let’s bring in the rain.” Clynt ordered.
Captain Desnocres nodded and relayed the orders to the rest of their sizeable fleet.
They call themselves the Moviana Patriots, in honor to their two founding leaders the late Movi Yelf and Anna Yelf who was at one point were known as Alle Vomm and Sheeana Fley of the Chommell Patriots.
* * *
Viceroy Nute Gunray stood on the doorway of the medical wing of the Saak’ak watching the medical droids drain the bacta tank and assisted the naked Lady Sarc Crimos.
The Neimoidian winced in repugnance at the smooth pale white human skin of the Dark Jedi. Her curving body heaved as the coldness of the room touches her exposed skin. Gunray has never seen such a repulsive bipedal, the lack of leathery greenish hide and shinny and oily body moist was just too much for him to take. Humans were such disgusting creatures, utterly ugly and pathetic.
Star Wars - Artoo Detoo: Droid of a Kind (Volume 1) Page 27
