“You are fortunate the kill setting of this blaster weapon is nonfunctional.” Amidala threw the blaster on his chest.
“You want a piece of advice? Never buy second hand blasters.” Amidala said and move to the communications console and began activating a beacon with a burst transmission for the Royal Starship, she set the transmit button to loop and left Alle Vomm.
* * *
A swoop went speeding past the startled Patriot militias but they recognized the Lady Crimos so they let her pass.
When they return to look out at the barren horizon a blinding glare on the sky prompted them to cover their eyes. Then their laser cannons and the rocks and dirt around them exploded.
“Take cover!” one of them shouted.
The Royal Starship hovered above and blasted everyone below. The ramp opened and Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas leaped out and landed softly on the ground and darted toward the tunnels.
When the area was clear of militias Captain Teros landed the ship and waited. Captain Panaka and two of the ship’s crew armed themselves and went out to secure the perimeter.
Inside as the Lady Sarc Crimos made her way to the tunnels she started placing remote bombs in every nook and crannies. She went straight down to the power generators and went placing bombs on key places.
A turbolift slid open and she turns and ignited her lightsabers.
Blaster fires came out as the Royal Handmaidens poured out of the turbolift covering the unmistakable Queen Amidala.
The Lady Sarc growled in rage at her escaping quarry and leaped in the air to intercept. As she landed her blades collided with another and she found herself staring in the face of Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas.
“You again!” Crimos snarled.
“If we keep seeing like this, I’m afraid you will have to meet my parents.” Sifo-Dyas grinned and threw her off.
“You have parents? All this time I thought you just sprang up on the rocks!” Crimos spat blood and tries to get back on her feet.
He turns to the fleeing women and shouted, “Go, I’ve cleared off the path.”
Crimos lurched and engaged the Jedi Master in a flurry of flashing red and blue blades. Sparks lit the dark chamber as the two battled each other once again.
“Give up Crimos, every move you make only leads to failure. Do you expect your employer will be pleased with your poor performance?” Sifo-Dyas goaded her, trying to make her slip into revealing as to who’s hiring her.
“Nice try old man, it won’t work on me.” Crimos hissed and swirled around like a bipedal tornado, her pair of blades slicing the air towards him.
Sifo-Dyas tried to parry and block but the speed of her spinning made it hard for his blade to deflect her attack.
The Jedi leaped away and looked around him. He saw a number of machineries and tools and started to use the Force to throw them all at her.
The smaller objects she easily deflected but the first large machine that hit her threw her off.
Sifo-Dyas started to leave but he felt something took a grip on his heart. Intense pain crawled all over him and staggered and fell on his knees, dropped his lightsaber and fought with the Force to pluck the unseen vise from his straining heart.
The Lady Crimos emerged from the debris with one of her hands stretched out in a crushing gesture.
Sifo-Dyas felt the life slowly leaving out of him when the first of the explosion began somewhere above near the surface of the mines.
Sifo-Dyas closed his eyes and reached out and drew strength slowly he felt the grip giving way from his resistance, it was slow and painful and very exhausting but he held his ground fully determined to survive.
The explosions are now starting to get closer and closer. The entire ground now began to shake. Rocks and machines started to fall from the ceiling and walls. Alarms blared from the still active plasma container’s power generator.
The bomb ten meters from the Lady Crimos exploded and Sifo-Dyas was thrown on the floor as the grip released his heart. The Jedi fought for consciousness but his exhaustion and the explosions around him only drove him deeper into darkness.
The Lady Crimos clipped back her lightsabers and started to take the underground exit. When Sifo-Dyas regained consciousness the place around him was in chaos, explosions detonated one after the other. He turns and saw the reactor pulsing to overload and explode.
“Not again!” Sifo-Dyas started to make his way out through the collapsing tunnels. On his way two figures emerged from another passage, the man raised his blaster and Sifo-Dyas ignited his lightsaber.
“Hold! Wait! We surrender!” the man shouted and threw down his blaster.
“Help us out of here, please!” the woman cried out.
Sifo-Dyas recognized the two. They were Alle Vomm and Sheeana Fley, the founders and head of the Chommell Patriots.
The Jedi closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“This way, follow me.” He said and darted on the tunnel.
* * *
Captain Panaka was relieved when Queen Amidala and her handmaidens came out running from the mouth of the tunnel. They all ran straight to the ramp into the Royal Starship, Panaka waited by the ramp for Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas.
“Captain Panaka!” one of the crew called out from the inside, “Captain Teros calls for you.”
“Don’t take off yet!” Panaka said and went to the cockpit.
“We have company.” Teros pointed on their radar.
“What are those?” Panaka frowned.
“Patriot Militias, hundreds of them, aboard random hover tanks, armed landspeeders and airspeeders, hordes of swoops, a few snubfighters, mostly Z-95 Headhunters. They also have a pair of Corellian YT-1100 freighters.” Teros pointed.
“ETA?” Panaka asked.
“Swoops and ships in five minutes, the rest give or take ten to fifteen minutes.” Teros estimated.
“Do you think we can hold off until Master Sifo-Dyas returns?” Panaka inquired.
“The shields could stand for about eight minutes against those ships but once the rest of them arrive, we’re goners.” Teros admitted.
“I’ll inform the Queen, let her decide.” Panaka sighed and went to the throne room. He closed the door behind him then addressed Padmé directly.
“Your Highness, Patriot militias are coming, the ships will be here in five minutes. Captain Teros said our shields can hold for as long as eight to ten minutes but she said we won’t make it out once the rest of the militias arrive. Master Sifo-Dyas hasn’t returned yet. What are your orders?” Captain Panaka explained.
Padmé looked at her Royal Handmaidens then regarded Panaka.
“Captain, we wait for the Jedi. We leave only at the last minute.” The real Queen ordered.
Panaka bowed and relayed the Queen’s command.
A few moments later, enemy snubfighters flew past them and circled back and began firing. Captain Teros launched the ship so she could fight back and returned fire. Their shields held and by the time the larger enemy freighters arrived they already hit three of the snubfighters down.
Captain Teros suddenly shouted from the cockpit, “We got Bravo Squadron!”
Panaka looked at the viewport and saw with great relief the entire Bravo Squadron swooping protectively at them and blasting against the rebels then he rushed to the Queen to inform her of the arrival of Bravo Squadron.
“That is good news, we can now hold long enough to wait for Master…” Padmé stopped talking as the door slid open. Panaka turned around and saw Master Sifo-Dyas holding two prisoners.
“We must leave now. The plasma reactor will explode any second.” Sifo-Dyas said.
Panaka issued a retreat to Bravo Squadron and before the rest of the militias arrived, the Royal Starship and its reinforcements raced to the outer space. Below them the entire plasma mines exploded.
Chapter 22: Hath Monchar
“We have another problem!” Captain Teros exclaimed on the intercom.
Captain Panaka and Jedi Mast
er Sifo-Dyas emerged from the throne room to see what Teros was talking about.
“It was the same Trade Federation Droid Control Ship we encountered on Rori.” Sifo-Dyas said.
“They are hailing us.” Teros said.
“Patch it on the throne room.” Panaka said and he and the Jedi rejoined the Queen inside.
The image of Rune Haako appeared.
“Your Highness, we are once more apologizing for this little intrusion but we are under the impression that you hold with you two prisoners.” Rune Haako said.
“If you’re implying that we turn them in to you then you are wasting your time. They have committed a long list of crimes to the people of Naboo and to the entire Chommell Sector. They are to be taken to the Capital.” Queen Amidala said sternly.
“I understand Your Highness. But I once again regret to inform you that they are not the real Alle Vomm and Sheeana Fley. You see, they are just hired guards who has gone rogue. Their names are Gil Demarden and Mina Kijia. Here are their records straight from the Republic Criminal Archives itself.” Rune Haako explained.
Panaka read through the datapad the transmitted record and checked for the confirmation codes for its validity and sent a match request back to Coruscant.
“It will take a few minutes to confirm your claim.” Panaka said.
“We can wait.” Rune Haako nodded.
Sifo-Dyas whispered to Panaka.
“This is madness, those are the real Alle and Sheeana.” the Jedi gritted his teeth.
“I believe you. I’m starting to think that whoever is behind all of this has a truly powerful connection in the capital.” Panaka nodded.
The comm buzzed and a call from the Capital was patched to them.
“Captain Panaka of Naboo, this is Coruscant Criminal Record Archivist Sam Tadoch, we have verified the records and they are genuine. Is there trouble sir?”
“The Queen of Naboo is requesting a record for the names Alle Vomm and Sheeana Fley.” Captain Panaka said after receiving a nod from Queen Amidala.
“Please stand by while we are processing and transmitting your requests.”
“I still don’t buy this Rune Haako.” Queen Amidala said.
“We shall see.” Rune Haako crossed his arms in confidence.
“They had it fixed, look at his smug confidence.” Panaka hissed silently at Sifo-Dyas.
“I don’t like where this is going either.” Sifo-Dyas nodded in agreement.
“Captain Panaka, we found the record of the two aforementioned individuals, they are now currently detained here on the Galactic Prison Block. Alle Vomm and Sheeana Fley have been recently apprehended in Kardara and were turned over to Coruscant by Prime Minister Mordon three days ago.”
“May we request of a live visual feed of the prisoners?” Panaka asked.
“This is highly irregular sir; you have to go through a different channel for that kind of request and…”
“Archivist Tadoch this is Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas of the Jedi Council, I am overriding that, this is a matter of grave importance on an on-going investigation sanctioned by the Supreme Chancellor himself. Please provide the requested live feed or do you want me to get the Supreme Chancellor for that?” Sifo-Dyas said.
“No need sir, just wait while we set-up the requested live feed.”
“Thank you.” Sifo-Dyas bowed at the Queen then whispered to Panaka.
“I need get in touch with the council on this matter at once.” The Jedi said. Panaka nodded.
“We have another holocomm on the tech station down the main hold.” Panaka informed him.
Sifo-Dyas bowed to the Queen and left.
It didn’t take long for Sifo-Dyas to reach Mace Windu on the Jedi Temple.
“What is it Master Sifo-Dyas? Is there a development on your investigation?” the Korun Jedi inquired.
“We have captured the leaders of the Chommell Patriots but Rune Haako of the Trade Federation is presenting to us official records from Coruscant that the real leaders were already detained there and the two we have are a completely different persons.” Sifo-Dyas sighed.
“Have the copies of the records sent to me, I will personally verify its authenticity.” Mace Windu said at once.
“I will have it sent. One more thing, the Lady Crimos, in our encounter I accidentally tapped her mind, it was just a brief touch, but I think I saw the Sith behind this.” Sifo-Dyas whispered.
“Be mindful of your thoughts Master Sifo-Dyas. Do not mention that again unless we have a substantial proof to back it up. I shall discuss that matter once you’re back here.” Mace Windu raised an eyebrow.
“I understand. Stand by for the records, I’m transmitting it now.”
Above on the throne room the requested live holo feed was finally transmitted.
Captain Panaka, Queen Amidala and the Handmaidens all gasped in disbelief. There on two separate prison cells was Alle Vomm and Sheeana Fley.
“Captain, bring the prisoners here.” Amidala ordered.
“You see Your Majesty, we are telling the truth.” Rune Haako said.
“I doubt that.” Amidala hissed.
Captain Panaka returned with Alle and Sheeana, the two saw Rune Haako and then the live feed but they showed no reaction to it.
“This is nothing more but an elaborate ruse Rune Haako. These prisoners we have are the real Alle and Sheeana. There were no records of such arrest on Kardara because Kardara is the territory of the Chommell Patriots and the Prime Minister was but a puppet of these two. My Royal Handmaidens have been monitoring all comm traffics and news feeds here in Kardara for months now. Those two in prison were but impostors. Rune Haako, this attempt of falsifying legal records are a direct violation to the laws of the Galactic Republic and are beyond my jurisdiction. I will see to it that Senator Palpatine will be thoroughly informed about this.” Amidala reprimanded the Neimoidian.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about! We are telling the truth!” Rune Haako protested.
Suddenly their transmission was cut off and Panaka went to the cockpit to see what happened.
“Captain Panaka, another Trade Federation ship emerged from hyperspace and has opened fire on Rune Haako’s ship.” Teros informed him.
“This doesn’t concern us. Take us out of here Captain.” Panaka said.
“Bravo Squadron, prepare to jump home, let’s leave them to their own quarrels.” Captain Teros called out to their escort ships.
“Copy that Captain!” Bravo Lead acknowledged.
“Droid Starfighters are swarming out from both battleships!” Teros announced.
The Royal Starship was suddenly thrown off their course by a glancing blow from a turbolaser. The shield protected them from destruction but they lost control and began to spin in space.
The inertial compensators failed and they were all tossed around the ship. The handmaidens and the Queen used their feet to stop themselves from hitting the walls while Captain Panaka took the magnetic clamps from its storage and threw it to the women.
Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas floated his way back to them when the two prisoners collided with him and Alle slammed his head on his. Dazed, the Jedi drifted aside as the two headed down back to the main hold.
“Captain, the prisoners!” Padmé shouted.
Panaka dashed after the two who closed the lift down to the main hold.
Alle and Sheeana made their way to the escape pods and ejected. A Droid Starfighter flew under them and took the pod and flew back to the second battleship.
“Forget them, let’s get out of here!” Panaka shouted.
Captain Teros finally managed to stabilize the ship from spinning and the astromech droids hurried down to the tech station and started fixing the artificial gravity generators. Artoo and R2-E3 both worked on strengthening the shields as the Royal Starship and Bravo Squadron made their way out of the space battle between two Trade Federation battleships.
* * *
Once Alle and Sheeana was safely aboard the sec
ond Lucrehulk-class battleship, and the Royal Starship and its escorts have made the jump to hyperspace the fighting ended. The Droid Starfighters returned to their respective hangar bays.
Rune Haako spoke to the captain of the other ship and nodded. “The Naboo will never doubt what they just witnessed. They will believe there was dissention among our ranks.” Haako answered and ended the transmission.
Alle Vomm and Sheeana Fley were escorted up to the command bridge and a familiar figure stood there and welcomed them back.
“Alas you are safe. Do you think that the Trade Federation will allow the two of you to be captured alive by the Republic? You two already knows too much. Rune Haako would have preferred to blast you off aboard the Royal Starship but I convinced the Viceroy of your importance.” Hath Monchar said.
“You’re alive!” Alle gasped.
“I am very much so, my friend. On a personal note, you two are the only true friend I got so I will do anything in my power to preserve you.” Monchar admitted.
“A Neimoidian admitting he has friends. That is new.” Alle raised an eyebrow.
“Regardless, we are thankful for your efforts to rescue us.” Sheeana said.
“Come, let us go to the conference room, I know you have many questions and grievances, let us talk of it.” Monchar ushered them out of the command bridge.
“What happened to you on Rori?” Alle asked as a droid served them several variants of cuisines.
“Basically I escaped. I was monitoring the perimeter holocams when I spotted a Naboo pilot planting bombs on the outer hull of my battleship so I took the back door.” Monchar explained.
“Why didn’t you make contact with us afterwards?” Sheeana asked.
“I was reassigned to facilitate the final stages of your clones, Gantu suggested those idea years ago, he has argued and convinced the Viceroy that clone decoys would be very useful someday.” Monchar answered.
“Cloning is expensive, the Viceroy just agreed to that?” Alle frowned.
“Not willingly at first, it was practically a business suicide but Gantu gave his entire share for the expenses of the clones. He told me that he wasn’t in this group for the credits but for the cause of the Chommell Patriots. He said that he wanted the Gungans to one day attain equal stature among the dominant and arrogant Naboo. He said that Boss Nass was too stupid to fight for their rightful place in the surface of Naboo.” Monchar told them.