The Dragon in the Dying Star

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚

Chapter III: The Dune Sea

Aboard the Queen's transport, the Jedi stood with Captain Panaka and the remaining R2 unit as the captain gave his report to the Queen on the events surrounding their escape through the Trade Federation blockade. Amidala sat surrounded by her three handmaidens, white face framed by the black headdress, dark eyes steady, listening as the captain concluded.

"We are lucky to have this one in our service, Your Highness." Panaka glanced down at the blue-domed astromech droid. "It is an extremely well put together little droid. Without a doubt, it saved the ship back there, not to mention our lives."

Amidala nodded, eyes shifting to the droid. "It is to be commended. What is its number?"

The little blue droid, lights blinking on and off as it processed the conversation, gave a series of small beeps and tweets. Captain Panaka reached down and scraped a large smudge off the droid's metal shell, then straightened. "Artoo-Detoo, Your Highness."

Queen Amidala leaned forward, and a slender white hand came out to touch the droid's domed casing. "Thank you, Artoo-Detoo. You have proven both loyal and brave." She glanced over her shoulder. "Padme."

One of her handmaidens came forward. Dejah, listening to the exchange with only half an ear as she considered the problems that lay ahead on Tatooine, noticed it was the young woman who had supported the Queen's decision to escape from Naboo. Except, it hadn't been exactly like that...

"See to the cleaning up of this little droid." The Queen was speaking to the girl. "Artoo-Detoo deserves our gratitude." She turned back to Panaka. "Please continue with your report, Captain."

The man glanced uncomfortably at the Jedi Knights. "Your Highness, with your permission, we are heading for a remote planet called Tatooine." He paused, unwilling to speak further on the matter.

"It is a system far beyond the reach of the Trade Federation." Dejah stepped into the gap smoothly. "Once there, we will be able to make needed repairs to the ship, then travel on to Coruscant and complete our journey."

"Your Highness," Captain Panaka said quickly, regaining his thoughts on the matter. "Tatooine is very dangerous. It's controlled by an alliance of gangs called the Hutts. They're gangsters and slavers. I do not agree with the Jedi on their decision to land there."

The Queen looked at Dejah. The Jedi did not waver.

"You must trust our judgment, Your Highness," Qui-Gon said, coming to stand at his fellow Jedi's side.

"Must I?" Amidala asked quietly. She shifted her gaze to her handmaidens, ending with Padme. The girl had not moved from the Queen's side, but seemed to remember suddenly she had been given a task to complete. She nodded briefly to the Queen, and moved to take R2-D2 in hand.

Amidala looked back at Qui-Gon Jinn and then to Dejah Thoris. "We are in your hands," she advised, and the matter was settled.

●◎●

It was not long before two, bright twin suns reached out into the darkness of space. Their tendrils of light spread into the cockpit of the starship, illuminating the cabin with natural light. Stars passed in the blink of an eye before a lone, desolate planet grew in the distance.

Long ago, the desert world had been covered in vast oceans and vibrant tropical rainforests. This was until, over the ages did the circumbinary world fester into the arid planet before them. The barren body was known as Tatooine, and it was located in the Outer Rim, a region of the galaxy far removed from its core. Now, as part of a binary star system, the planet could be found oppressed by its twin, scorching suns, resulting in a world which lacked the necessary surface water to sustain any large populations.