Qui-Gon groaned and stirred and slowly got up and winced at the pain in his back and at the scorching heat of the twin sun of Tatooine.
He heard Artoo squealing excitedly and calling him. Qui-Gon walked towards the fallen Nantex-class starfighter and saw the droid cutting off some wiring and rewiring it on another circuit.
“Can you salvage it?” Qui-Gon asked doubtfully.
Artoo let out a series of beeps and hoots explaining to the Jedi that the ship was heavily modified and its entire cockpit can detach itself from its body and propel itself.
“So it serves as an escape pod as well huh, ingenious.” Qui-Gon looked at the droid, “How long have I been out?”
Artoo chirped an answer.
“Five minutes? Feels like an hour, I don’t think we’ll make it back before the race is finished. I would have loved to have seen how Annie did in the race.” Qui-Gun muttered with a hint of regret.
Artoo beeped in excitement and told Qui-Gon that he has set the fuel lines to explode downward to the sands, enough force to shoot the cockpit/escape pod up in the air where its own propulsion system could take over for the rest of their journey back.
“Marvelous! I would ask you later how you did that trick in detail. Let’s see if we could still make it back to see Anakin wins.” Qui-Gon said and went inside the cockpit and checked the remaining power.
Artoo flew up and squeezed himself in the cockpit with the Jedi. “Here we go!” Qui-Gon said and triggered the detonator that Artoo Detoo rigged.
The lower fuselage’s remaining power core exploded, the blast directed downwards produced a shockwave that threw the cockpit upwards the same time Qui-Gon hits the pod ejector.
The spherical cockpit/escape pod sailed hundreds of meters and Qui-Gon fired up the pod’s propulsion rockets.
The pod got them back to the Arena but while still a thousand feet above the propulsion rockets died out and Artoo screamed as they began a freefall. Qui-Gon only got controls on the steerage and he directed their drop onto the largest Podrace Balloon.
Up on that very balloon, Jango Fett struggled for his free arm to reach the button on his other wrist band. When his finger finally touched the button, a surge of electric shock streamed onto the surface of the Mandalorian’s armor.
Jar-jar was electrocuted and he involuntarily released his death grip on the bounty hunter. The Gungan staggered on the railing and almost fell. Jango Fett took out his vibroblade and started to lounge for the kill when the entire balloon shook violently. Jar-jar fell over the railing but he managed to grip the metal bars in time. Jango was thrown overboard as well but he ignited his jetpack.
He reoriented himself to get a better view of what was happening on the Podrace Balloon and all he could see was that something have collided in it and its momentum has punched through the surface of the balloon and bounced off on the other side, inside.
The entire Podrace Balloon started to fall on the messa behind the Citadel. Jango decided that the Gungan would not survive the fall so he flew back on his ship Jaster’s Legacy.
Anakin and Sebulba’s Podracers have locked on to each other as they near the finish line. Up ahead on his peripherals, Anakin partly noticed that one of the Podracer Balloons was slowly dipping down.
Up on the descending balloon, Qui-Gon and Artoo Detoo struggled to get out of the cockpit, as the Jedi was about to open the hatch, the droid warned him that they were inside the Podracer Balloon and it was filled with deadly non-breathable and highly combustible processed Tibanna gas.
Qui-Gon looked around and found a face mask and wore it before opening the hatch. The Tibanna gas was nauseating and painful in the eyes. Qui-Gon leaped out and helped Artoo get out. The two then uses conventional cutting tools to cut a hole from the thick leathery hide of the balloon. Qui-Gon was disinclined to use his lightsaber or Artoo’s electric cutter in fear of triggering an explosion.
Jar-jar desperately and literally clung for his life as the Podracer Balloon groaned and slammed onto the top of the messa behind the Arena Citadel.
Down on the Arena people were split in excitement at the conclusion of the race and for fear or alarm at the fallen balloon. Jabba ordered his men to go and see what happened and secure the Citadel should the downed balloon explode.
Jar-jar let go and bounced twice on the surface of the balloon and slid downwards to the sandy surface below. As the Gungan fell on the ground the balloon hide behind him burst open and Qui-Gon Jinn and Artoo Detoo hurriedly came out.
“Messa should have known…” Jar-jar started to exclaim but the urgency in Qui-Gon’s face and voice prompted him to run with them as fast as he can.
“Take cover!” Qui-Gon shouted as they all drop on a downhill ravine.
The Spectator Gondola attached to the fallen balloon was heavily damaged by the fall and its power core exploded.
The entire Podracer Balloon erupted in flames and in a powerful and loud explosion right at the exact moment Fode and Beed announced Anakin Skywalker as the winner of the Boontha Eve Classic Podrace.
“Need a hand?” Padmé Naberrie stood above the ravine, the tall licking flames blazing behind her. Qui-Gon and Jar-jar coughed and dusted themselves off and slowly got up, help Artoo Detoo upright and climbed up to join the Queen’s Royal Handmaiden.
“We missed the race, but Annie wins, let’s go greet him.” Padmé smiled.
“Little Annie would never believe what just happened to all of ussen!” Jar-jar grunted as they all made their way down the messa to the cheering crowd below.
* * *
Captain Ric Olié was back on the pilot’s chair and was quickly recovering from his injury when one of the crew announced that they are detecting an unidentified ship approaching them.
Olié called for Panaka and Obi-Wan and the Jedi identified the ship as a Ginivex-class starfighter.
Panaka ordered the shields at maximum and all gunners on their station as Obi-Wan Kenobi rushed out of the Royal Starship and ignited his argent blue blade.
The Geonosian fanblade open fired and the Royal Starship retaliated but they were grounded and unable to maneuver so their firing range are limited only on the front of the ship.
Their shields held from the barrage of the fanblade who kept circling at them like a vulture. Obi-Wan saw the pilot inside the spherical cockpit, the Jedi-turned-bounty hunter Aurra Sing.
The fanblade kept firing, waiting for the Royal Starship’s shield to give out. As Obi-Wan tries to figure out how to help, he felt an even more commanding presence behind him.
Whirling around, Obi-Wan saw the Lady Sarc Crimos, her pair of blue and red lightsabers thrumming under the twin sun, her fiery heterochromic eyes boring down on him like a probing laser.
“Well, hello there.” Obi-Wan grinned and planted his feet on the sands and held his lightsaber with both hands facing her.
Crimos used the Force and blasted all of the sands before her towards the padawan. The pure sands of Tatooine hit Obi-Wan like a wall and he was thrown backwards.
Obi-Wan’s eyes stung at the sands that got into his orbs and he swung his blade blindly. Crimos toyed with the Jedi and kept hitting his blade.
Inside the starship, Panaka asked Olié is they could still fly the ship even with only one engine. Olié said that they could hover a few meters off the ground but it will be very hard to keep the ship steady and balanced.
Panaka ordered to risk it in favor of maneuverability for their laser cannons. Ric nodded and told Siege to co-pilot with him. Satisfied Panaka returned to the throne room and left the battle in the capable hands of the two greatest pilots of Naboo.
Aurra Sing saw the starship took off a few meters and rotated to target her. Despite her ship’s advantage in speed and movement, she allowed herself to get hit and she slammed her Ginivex-class starfighter into the sand dunes.
Crimos saw the fall of the fanblade starfighter and took it as a cue to retreat. First she increased her onslaught against Obi-Wan but as the Jedi started
to counter and parry her attacks, she subtly allowed her opponent to gain the upper hand. All the while she was slowly moving towards the downed ship.
Aluva and two other Handmaidens came out of the starship with their blasters trained on the fallen fanblade ship. Aurra Sing came out and sprinted on the other way while firing at them.
Obi-Wan and Crimos battled closer to the starfighter and when Crimos saw that Aurra Sing was far enough and that the Handmaidens were out running after her, she let loose a surge of Force-lightning at the Jedi throwing him off rolling down the dune.
Crimos rushed into the fanblade’s cockpit and fired-up the engines and blasted off. Moments later as Obi-Wan shambles up the ramp, Aluva, Eirtaé and Saché came back with a stun-cuffed Aurra Sing in tow.
Obi-Wan’s comlink beeped as he came inside the starship’s cockpit. The voice of his master hissed in static, “Obi-Wan; have the starship docked inside Podracer Hangar here on the Mos Espa Grand Arena at once. There has been an attack here during the race…”
“We’ve been attacked again just now Master, Crimos and the bounty hunter Aurra Sing. We captured the bounty hunter but Crimos got away.” Obi-Wan informed his master.
“Wait for us in the hangar, we’ll be there shortly.” Qui-Gon said.
* * *
Jar-jar Binks, Artoo Detoo and See Threepio accompanied Anakin Skywalker to Gardulla the Hutt who bought the “Champion’s Podracer”.
Gardulla bid for half the real value of Anakin’s Podracer but Jar-jar smooth talked the Hutt and showered her with flattery. As a result, they returned to Slaves’ Row with double the price of the podracer.
Qui-Gon Jinn on the other hand went to collect Anakin’s winnings from the Boonta Eve Classic committee and then collected their winnings from Watto who were at first complaining about his loss but Jabba slid beside the Toydarian and told him to pay up.
Qui-Gon bowed to the Hutt and thanked Watto as the junk dealer handed over the control pad for the slave transmitter of Anakin. Jabba stood witness for the process of freeing Anakin. The informed Qui-Gon that the race’ holo-recording’s market value has shot up tenfold due to the action that took place.
Qui-Gon gave Anakin his winnings and proceeded on supervising the transportation of the parts they got from Watto to their Starship that is now docked at the Podracer Hangar and being repaired by its crew and astromech droids.
Three eopies pulled the parts and supplies they bought led by Jar-jar and Padmé from the shop to the hangar. Qui-Gon called Obi-Wan and told him to wait and that he would be a little delayed.
“Why do I sense that we picked up another pathetic life-form?” Obi-Wan mused.
“It’s the boy, actually. He’s the one responsible for us finally being able to get out of here, besides, there’s something more about him…” the Jedi Master explained and ended the call as he went to speak to Shmi about her son’s destiny.
Qui-Gon and Artoo Detoo waited for Anakin to say his goodbyes to his friends Kitster and Wald. Anakin then turn to face his mother and they talked silently and emotionally until Shmi finally stood up. Biting back tears and watches her boy heading towards the Jedi and the droid. Anakin walked straight, he did not look back just as his mother firmly told him to.
Qui-Gon and Anakin was the last to reach the Podracer Hangar and as they were about to cross the track towards the building, Obi-Wan came out shouting and pointing behind them.
Qui-Gon turned and saw someone cloaked in black riding a speederbike coming straight at them.
“Anakin, duck!” Qui-Gon yelled and uses the Force to stop the speederbike. The rider used the momentum to spring up high in the air and landed at the Jedi, their lightsabers already ignited and clashed at each other in a shower of sparks.
Obi-Wan yelled at the interior, “Take off now!” but as the starship began to leave the hangar, Jar-jar Binks jumped off the ramp and landed beside the padawan.
“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to install the hyperdrive…” Obi-Wan snapped at the Gungan.
“Messa got it already done! Youssa do your job, messa do mine.” Jar-jar said and ran out of the hangar and began climbing up onto the messa behind the Citadel.
Obi-Wan ran to help his master but Lady Crimos came out from above the hangar and leaped to engage him. “Now we can pick up where we left off.” Crimos snarled at him.
“As far as I can remember, we haven’t even started yet.” Obi-Wan retorted and the two became a blur of swirling blue and green blades.
The Starship took off and made a low pass allowing Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to abandon their respective opponents and Force-leaped to the extended ramp as the ship flew higher.
Anakin came to the two Jedi, “Are you alright?”
“I’ll be fine, Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Qui-Gon said.
“You’re a Jedi too? Please to meet you!” Anakin smiled and cheerfully shook Obi-Wan’s hand. The younger Jedi gave a bemused look at his master who only grinned at the two of them.
Darth Maul and the Lady Crimos watches the Naboo Royal Starship leaves Mos Espa and flew up into the noon sky.
Chapter 40: The Galactic Capital
“Two ships hard on our tail.” Hoff Siege announced.
“Can we shake them? Or outrun?” Panaka inquired.
“I’m not familiar with their speed but we’re only a few minutes to get clear of the gravity well, we could make it.” Captain Olié said.
“Identifying the ships; one Ginivex-class starfighter Sweet Vengeance and an Amphibious Interstellar Assault Transport named Jaster’s Legacy.” Siege said.
“Bounty hunters, same group we encountered earlier.” Qui-Gon said.
“Captain, ten assorted ships planet side coming up ten clicks in the eastern pole!” another crew exclaimed. “They’re hailing us.”
“Patch it through speakers.” Captain Olié said.
“Hello youssa everybody! Messa back!” Jar-jar’s voice broke through the static.
“Jar-jar! Who are these people?” Panaka asked.
“Dessa my old pals from the Moviana Patriots, messa spotted them earlier watching the race.” Jar-jar answered.
“They’re presence is impeccable.” Siege grinned.
“Youssa make the jump, wessa gonna deal with them.” Jar-jar said as his ragtag fleet dove to engage the bounty hunters’ ships.
The attackers’ ships were already retreating from the battle as the Naboo Royal Starship finally made the jump to hyperspace.
* * *
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were down on engineering tech station and override controls checking on the instruments and how the new parts are interacting with the Nubian systems.
“Master, last night when you sent me the blood sample of the boy, I never got to tell you the readout results.” Obi-Wan said casually.
“Yes?” Qui-Gon glanced behind them and nodded at Obi-Wan.
“His midi-Chlorian count is extraordinary. It reached the ten thousand mark, the highest in our recorded history. Higher even to that of Mastery Yoda’s.” Obi-Wan revealed.
Qui-Gon paused and stared at his apprentice with mixed feelings and leaned on the wall and rubbed his beard. “We must take the boy to the Council.”
“Yes master.” Obi-Wan nodded.
Up on the main hold, Padmé went to the comm console and checked the last transmission from Naboo.
“The death toll is catastrophic… you must contact me…” Sio Bibble’s holograph hissed in static. A movement caught her attention and she saw Anakin curled in the corner shivering. She took a blanket and placed it over him and knelt before the boy.
“I’m cold.” Anakin gritted his teeth.
“I know, you came from a warm planet, space is really cold even for someone as accustomed as me.” Padmé nodded at him.
“I can bear the cold, only I…” Anakin hesitated.
“…miss your mother. I understand.” Padmé finished for him.
“Here, I made this for you so you won’t forg
et me, it’ll bring you luck.” Anakin gave her a japor snippet.
Anakin explained to Padmé that the carved rune was a traditional Tatooine symbol; the pendant itself was a crafted piece of a japor ivory wood with a string of jerba leather making it a necklace.
“I don’t need this just to remember you by. Anakin, we are going to the capital of the Republic. Once we get there many things would change in our lives but my care for you will remain.” Padmé said softly looking into his icy blue eyes.
Sometime later Padmé woke up Anakin and brought him to the cockpit and introduced him to the three Captains; Ric Olié, Panaka and Hoff Siege. She left him with them and went back inside the throne room.
“Reverting to real space.” Siege announced.
“Watch this Annie.” Ric Olié beamed and looking at the boy waiting for his facial reaction as the streaming streaks of light slowed and returned into the shapes of stars. A brightly lit planet loomed before them.
“Coruscant, the entire planet itself is one big city. This is the capital of the vast Galactic Republic.” Ric Olié explained to a wide-eyed Anakin.
After a few exchange of formalities with the spaceport tower they were directed to the special lane traffic route. Anakin was at a loss at which magnificent buildings to gawked at and admire.
“Look, there’s the Chancellor’s Platform, and there’s the Supreme Chancellor himself.” Ric Olié pointed down on the largest hovering landing platform. Anakin saw several tiny figures emerging from the larger blue transport and forming a line to await their landing.
Artoo Detoo rolled beside the boy Anakin and two trailed after the group of Royal Handmaidens. The Jedi Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan led the group followed closely by Captains Panaka and Siege who flanked Queen Amidala.
Aluva and the other Handmaidens slightly face outward, their eyes alert in every corner of their peripherals. Anakin could almost feel the subtle tenseness of their muscles. The closest to him were Padmé and Yané.
Artoo whirled his photoreceptors around and was overwhelmed by the teeming air traffic and countless life readings just within his maximum radius range.
Qui-Gon spoke to the Chancellor and Artoo partly heard the word Jedi Council before the Jedi called for Anakin and the boy left him with the Handmaidens.
Two air taxis were summoned and the Queen, Captain Panaka, Aluva and Rabé took the first cab. Padmé ushered Anakin and Artoo Detoo to the second cab with Captain Siege, Saché, Yané, Fé and Dané.