The in Between || A Star Wars Story

Chapter 23 - Found

The sun had set by the time the festival started. For a celebration called the "Festival of Light" there was an awful lack of light.

Kennedy and Ahsoka stood together and scanned the stage as the ray shield went up. The stage was a circle with stadium seats surrounding it. The ray shield went up around the seats and met at the top, enclosing them in the bubble together.

The chancellor stepped up to the podium at the center of the stage and began his boring speech that Kennedy tried not to zone out of. "It is an honor to be here for this momentous occasion. The pride I feel for this planet cannot be put into words. 847 years ago, Naboo joined the Republic. And tonight, we celebrate that union."

The crowd applauded, Kennedy scanned the spectators and the guards beyond the ray shield. Nothing seemed wrong yet but they knew the attack was going to happen outside. It was just a matter of time before they struck—Count Dooku and his comradery of bounty hunters, with Obi-Wan hidden amongst them.

"Take a moment and look around this glorious city of yours," he raised his hands over his head. "It wasn't long ago this was all plasma mines. Naboo has indeed come a long way. But as we chart a bold course for the future, let us never forget out past."

Fireworks exploded all around and the crowd erupted with cheers and applause. It was at this moment that Kennedy felt that feeling of anxiety rising in her chest. Something was about to happen. She frantically looks around, trying to see anything out of place.

Ahsoka noticed her eyes darting all over the place. "What? What is it?" she asked as she began to look around as well.

"Something is about to happen. I can feel it." And then she saw it.

"Skywalker! The shield generator!" Windu yelled from across the stage.

Peeking through the shield generator, was a Parwan, a squid looking life form with long pointy tentacles that can withstand the electrical impulses of a ray shield, reaching through the shield and for the generator. Anakin made a run for it across the stage but the Parwan rigged the generator to explode just before Anakin could get there.

The explosion boomed over the crowd and the shield dissolved.

Cries and shouts sounded from all around Kennedy as she tried to regain her sense and look through the smoke. When the dust and debris settled, the chancellor was lying unconscious in the middle of the stage, Anakin struggling to get up from where he was thrown from the explosion.

"This way your majesty. Hurry!" Ahsoka ushered Padme and the queen away and Kennedy gave her a nod saying she'll be alright.

After Anakin got to his feet, he jumped over the railing and onto the stairs that wrapped down and around the stage—where the Parwan was hiding.

Kennedy ran over to Windu as he listened to something from his comlink. "I'll find him. Kennedy come with me." They both ignite their lightsabers and go to the stairs where Anakin had disappeared.

Static electricity buzzed around his clothes as he slowly sat up, grimacing and rubbing his forehead. "Those tentacles pack quite a punch."

Windu offered his hand, "Come on."

Kennedy pushed past Windu and tried not to frown at his complete lack of concern for Anakin. She gave him a concerned look, silently asking him if he was okay. Still grimacing, he nodded.

"The Chancellor! The guard escorting them is a bounty hunter!" Windu's comlink said. Kennedy recognized the voice. Rako Hardeen. Which was actually her Master, which she still couldn't wrap her head around.

They all ran back up the stairs to see the chancellor getting into a speeder with a bounty hunter. Before they could speed away, all three of them point their lightsabers at the Parwan and he raised his hands in surrender. But it felt too easy—something wasn't right.