God Save the Queen 6 (Patreon)

Chapter 6: The Battle of Naboo

With a flash, we reverted back to real space on the far side of one of the gas giants in Naboo’s outer system. I took a deep breath, looking over the grey-green clouds of Mel-or I as the rest of the Death Watch fleet blinked into existence around us.

“All fleet elements arriving in formation, sir.”

“Excellent.” The holo of the Deathwatch commander flickered into existence next to me. “Let’s see what the Trade Federation has waiting for us.”

I watched from the forward windows of the bridge as the Death Watch corvette sank closer to the surface of Mel-or I. The larger ships waited behind the gas giant as the faster elements scouted the enemy.

My breath caught as I saw Naboo once again. The ship’s computers magnified the image of the planet, filling the screen with the deep blues and greens of my home. My fists clenched at the sight of the Trade Federation Lucrehulks orbiting the equator like an iron ring as my people starved on the world below.

“We don’t appear to have been detected, sir,” one of the Death Watch bridge officers said. “Passive scans show no increased readiness.”

I nodded, glancing over towards the holocomm. “Like I said, this world’s magnetic field masked our approach.”

“A prudent gamble, Queen of Naboo,” The commander said. “Hopefully the rest of your advice will hold the same value.”

“Let’s hope,” I said.

Panaka stepped forward. “Your Majesty, I’ve just received a tight-beam from the Naboo Royal Starship. It looks like some of our channels weren’t sniffed out by the Federation; the ground is providing us with a comprehensive overview of the blockade.

My lips tugged into a slight smile. “Relay it to the rest of the fleet.” I found my gaze pulled inexorably back to Naboo. “And Panaka… was there any additional information about…” I found myself not knowing how to end that sentence. There was only a sense of longing, rising up from within me.

“There is no word about the ground,” Panaka replied. “But I’m sure your family is fine. They were in Theed when we left, your Majesty.”

“Yes.” I swallowed once. “Of course, continue.”

My family. I’d put them almost completely out of my mind while on this mission. It just felt so natural, not to think about them, to take all of those worries and bury them just like I’d so often buried thoughts about my last father.

A hand came to rest on my shoulder. With a start, I glanced back at Qui-Gon. The Jedi Master said nothing, only looking at me with a deep understanding behind those brown eyes.

I swallowed again, nodding and turning back to the strategic plot. There would be time to worry about my family—about how quickly I’d slipped back into old habits—once Naboo was free.

For now, I could accept being a bad daughter if it meant that my parents and sister remained alive.

Panaka quickly punched in the new information, adding the Trade Federation ships to the plot. It looked like they rotated out several of the Lucrehulks; now, only about eighty orbited the planet. Still more than enough to dissuade any trade ships and laugh off any sorties from Naboo. Now though, we were coming with a war fleet.

“Formidable,” the holo said, “but well within acceptable parameters. We will continue with the plan.”

“My thanks,” I said. We had discussed many such plans before making for Naboo, but there was always the fear that the Death Watch would call off the whole assault and leave me stranded once again. Now though, there was no turning back.

“Thank me once we’ve kicked these upjumped merchants off your world.”

I smiled. “I will indeed.”

The communications officer sent back a tight beam to my starship, bouncing off several of the hidden satellites I’d revealed to our helpers. Closer to Naboo, the Royal Starship peeled out from behind a large asteroid and burned back towards Naboo.

Immediately, the ship was hailed by the Federation, demanding the immediate surrender of the Queen.

On my ship, Sabé answered.

“Queen Amidala.”

From halfway across the system, we watched a smug Nute Gunray converse with my handmaiden.

“We knew you would return, and without any aid. Could it be you’ve decided to sign an agreement at last?”

“There shall be no agreement, Viceroy,” Sabé said. “Once more I demand that you removed your blockade from my system, or face the consequences.”

“I can’t believe I sound like that.” I ran a hand down my face. “Why do I sound like that?”

Qui-Gon chuckled. “It is a common response in humans to hearing your own voice, your Majesty.”

“I have little interest in your pitiful whines, Queen Amidala.” Gunray used my title as an insult, as if to mock my lack of power. This time, however, the joke was on him. “If you will not listen to my demands, then I will spare no time for yours.”

He ended the transmission just as the Naboo Royal Starship entered turbolaser range. The nearest Lucrehulk fired a few volleys, but once it became clear that the ship was making for Naboo, it was allowed to pass with little effort.

“Easier to keep track of me if I’m on planet,” I said.

“I’m surprised that little bug decided to show up in person.”

I smirked at the holo. “The Trade Federation has burned a lot of influence on this. Gunray is a control freak; once it became clear that I was headed back to Naboo, he would feel the need to see it in person.

“Did we get the telemetry on that call?”

“Routed from the ship,” Panaka replied. He entered it in, and several of the Lucrehulks on the far side of Naboo lit up. “It doesn’t have instruments for this kind of precision work, but we’ll know where to look once the droid army activates on the surface.”

The Death Watch leader nodded. “Get our ships into position and prepare for boarding action. I want us ready to storm every one of those ships within the hour.”

Qui-Gon leaned forward. “With all due respect, your majesty, I believe the Jedi Code would frown on an act of piracy.”

I smiled at him and Obi-Wan both. “That’s why you’ll be coming with me as bodyguards.” I jerked my thumb towards the plot. “Didn’t you hear? The Viceroy wants to discuss terms.”

“I think I’ll join you.” I could hear the smile in the man’s voice. “I might have even grown fond of your aggressive negotiating style, your majesty.”

*~*~*~*

Obi-wan tried to let his fear flow out into the force as he waited on the assault vessel with his master and the queen, but it was no simple task.

Padme Amidala was a study in repose, seated in the hold of the assault ship as if it were a senate luncheon. She revealed not a hint of worry regarding the fully armed and armored Mandalorians that flanked her on either side.

Obi-wan couldn’t say the same. Even though it had been nearly a decade since he’d fought Death Watch, he could tell they still remembered him, and in impact he had on their failed coup. Oh, if Satine could see him now. Save one princess from the Death Watch, and then save another princess with the Death Watch?

“I can see what troubles you, my apprentice,” Master Qui-gon said. The two of them were seated opposite the queen.

“How can it not, master?”

“It is not the situation that troubles you, Obi-wan, but your inability to affect it.” Qui-gon leaned back in his seat, letting his eyes drift shut. “Once you accept that some things cannot be changed by your hands alone, you will be able to see beyond the anxieties of the moment, much like the young Queen here.”

Padme glanced over, sharing a wry smile with the two Jedi. “Pre-battle jitters?” she asked Obi-wan. “I used to get them too.”

He blinked, wondering for a moment when she could have gotten over such things.

“I suppose you could say that.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know what Master Qui-gon is talking about,” she said, “but either way, it will all be over soon.” Her smile grew. “Why worry about it?”

He started to respond, only to be cut off when another Mandalorian stepped onto the boarding craft. He swallowed at the distinctive armor of Death Watch’s leader. When had he arrived on the ship?

“The droid army is activating. We have our target,” the man said. “Send the signal to launch now.”

“Yes, sir!”

The ship shuddered once, rising off the deck as the doors slid closed. With a whine, the engines launched them out into space.

“I hope those starfighters of yours are worth it, your Majesty,” the commander said.

She laughed. “I thought you’d be more worried about the guns I gave you.”

He patted the new pistol at his side. “I know quality weapons when I see them.”

Padme hummed, leaning against the wall of the ship. “It’s really happening, isn’t it?” She laughed. “I can almost hear the trumpets blaring…”

Obi-wan wouldn’t mind some music right now himself, anything to distract from the awful wait until…

“Enemy contacts!” The pilot hit the accelerator, and the assault ship leaped forward. “Multiple Squadrons of vulture droids on intercept course.”

“Follow the plan, warrior.”

The pilot nodded once. Obi-wan grabbed a handle as the ship banked hard. Around him, the Mandalorians tensed. A second later, the vessel shook. The gunners opened fire on the incoming droids. Once, twice, he felt a near miss graze the hull, and then—

“Friendlies! They peeled the vultures off us like nothing!”

“Losses?”

“None, sir! Looks like they weren’t expecting a response from the ground!” Obi-wan could hear the savage grin in the pilot’s voice. “Looks like our yellow friends are going to escort us right to our destination.”

In the void of space, Obi-wan could only imagine the fight taking place outside the metal box he was trapped in. He felt flickers through the force, focused will of the pilots, their determination.

The sudden silence when one was snuffed out, only for the rest to fight even harder.

He couldn’t feel the droids, but still, the currents of the force told the story. It was like a swarm of bees fighting against a much larger hive. The Naboo pilots were skilled enough to leave echoes in their wake as they cut through the vulture droids.

And then they were through.

Sound came back in a rush as the assault ship shot into the open hangar. The inertial dampeners strained as the ship jerked to a stop.

The doors snapped open.

“Go! Go! Go!”

Obi-wan let the force guide him as he leapt from the ship as part of the first wave.

His jump carried him to a vulture droid. With a snap-hiss, his lightsaber reduced it to scrap. Qui-gon joined him a second later. They deflected a volley of scattered return fire.

Then the Mandalorians cut the rest of the droids in the hangar to scrap with precise blaster fire.

“Drop zone clear!” one of them yelled.

Obi-wan stood, lit saber held loosely at his side as the dropships unloaded the rest of their cargo. The plan called for several Lucrehulks to be hit by boarding teams to keep the Federation response fragmented, but this one was the largest assault.

Almost a hundred Mandalorian warriors stood in the hangar, in what was perhaps the largest concentration of Mandalorian might on the battlefield since before the Ruusan Reformation. In the middle of it all, Queen Amidala strode off the dropship, two handmaidens and the leader of the Death Watch at her side.

“If you would do the honors, Master Jedi?” the man asked, pointing towards the large hangar doors.

Qui-gon laughed. “I suppose it worked well enough the first time.” He strode over, sinking his emerald green saber into the door. “Though, this one feels a bit less thick than the first one.”

“Perhaps they decided to save on costs versus the next Jedi, Master?” Obi-wan asked.

“It would not surprise—” He stopped only a few handsbreaths from finishing the cut. “Obi-wan!”

Obi-wan felt the tremor in the force as his master dove to the side. Unbidden, his hands came up, the force acting through him as the door was hit from the far side with a massive blow. Master Qui-gon had cut a section wide enough for five men to walk abreast, and the entire piece of metal broke off, flying towards them like a giant blade.

Obi-wan caught the metal, pushing it up with all of his might. With a scream, he threw it over their heads with the force. Even then, it crashed into one of the landing ships, tearing it in half before cratering the far wall of the hangar.

Panting, he looked back towards the gaping whole in the door, only for his blood to run cold.

The Sith from Tatooine stood in the door, yellow eyes glaring balefully out of the darkness.

“Sonic weapons!” Padme shouted.

The Sith vanished back into the darkness right before the screaming hail of sonic blasts could hit him.

To the side of the door, Qui-Gon stood, brushing off his robes. “An ambush,” he said. “It seems our old friend has learned from our last meeting.”

Padme walked forward, a frown on her face. “You think he’ll keep attacking us from the shadows as we try to take the ship?”

Qui-Gon shook his head. “That is no doubt the plan, but it will not succeed.” He smiled. “It seems we were fated to be here after all, your Majesty.” Her frown deepened. “Obi-Wan and I will chase the Sith. You have a meeting with the Viceroy.”

“A Sith?” The commander asked. “Their kind hasn’t existed for hundreds of years.”

“And it would be a great prize to hunt one, I’m sure,” Qui-Gon waved a hand. “Rest assured that this is our quarry—”

“This is our quarry,” the man responded. “I will hunt this Sith. With this many of my warriors on board, the ship is already ours.”

Qui-Gon paused for a moment, before nodding. “I wouldn’t turn aside your aid, then.”

The other man snorted, turning. “You, get the Queen to the bridge.” Then he activated his jetpack, launching himself into the darkness.

“We’d best be going, Obi-Wan.”

“Yes, Master.” Obi-Wan spared one last backwards look towards Padme.

“Go, I’ll be fine.” She smiled. “I have all our new friends with me, don’t I?”

“Stay safe.” Then Obi-wan pulled on the force and followed into the belly of the ship.

Her reply echoed through the cold air of the darkness beyond.

“I should be saying that to you.”