Always in Motion is the Future I: A Star Wars AU Story

Chapter XIII

The streets of Theed were silent as Queen Amidala, the Jedi and the Royal Guard sneaked through the alleyways that emerged near the palace. Even the usually resounding, metallic clanking of battle droids on patrol was muted by the empty city. It was almost haunting to Quinlan; he had visited many cities on many worlds from the Core to the fringes of the Outer Rim, each alive with life in its own unique way.

This city was dead, its inhabitants held under guard like cattle, and it all felt so, so wrong to him. But surely it couldn't solely have been the suffering of the people of Naboo, even compounded with the strife of the Gungans not far away. No, there was a dark presence here on Naboo, hiding in the shadows of his mind, and he felt that Qui-Gon and the others had sensed it too -- the Sith Lord was here, undoubtedly guarding the viceroy and his cabal. They would have to move with extra caution to protect Padmé.

The Queen quickly flashed a miniature laser signal across the plaza, where Captain Panaka and the rest of the guard were preparing to ambush the droids. The captain signaled back; they were ready. Quinlan hoped that the soldiers would be able to fight well; if their line of defense fell, they would quickly be routed, and the gambit would fail. He stood nearby Qui-Gon as the senior Jedi knelt to speak to Anakin.

"Once we get inside, find a safe place to hide and stay there," he said.

The boy nodded his head and replied in affirmative, but Quinlan sensed the boy wasn't completely aware of the imminent threat looming over their heads, compounded with the fact Anakin was acutely aware of the unsurety of his future and his separation from his mother. Quin quickly thought of an idea.

"Aayla can stay with you," he suggested. "She's good with a lightsaber, but in case this plan goes wrong, you and Aayla may be able to escape. You're both good mechanics and pilots; if we're overwhelmed, you can grab a ship and head to Eriadu and wait for Tarkin to finish the job.

Anakin seemed better sated by this, especially if he could have someone to talk machines and ships with, but Aayla seemed put off, even concerned.

"Master," she said severely. "You mustn't say such things. You and Masters Kenobi and Jinn are great fighters. The Federation will not defeat you, not if they sent ten thousand droids against you."

"It's not the droids I'm worried about," Quinlan replied solemnly, causing Aayla to open her mouth to speak again, but they were interrupted by Obi-Wan murmuring audibly, "Here we go."

An explosion rocked the plaza as an AAT went up in flames, destroyed by Panaka's men. The Queen lead the charge into the palace as the main droid security force engaged the soldiers in front of them, with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan trailing close behind her, lightsabers ablaze, cutting down any stray B1 unit they stumbled upon. Eventually the twenty-odd warriors entered the same hangar from which the Queen had escaped not a few days ago.

"Get to your ships!" Padmé called to the pilots that had escaped from the camps with Panaka. They rushed to their N-1 fighters, activating their astromech droids that had been stored in the hangar during the occupation. Deftly avoiding blasterfire by Federation droids that were guarding said starfighters, the Naboo soldiers gave covering fire, the Queen and Jedi leading the fray. Anakin tried to find cover, hiding behind one of the N-1s, but almost immediately a pilot, with her astromech unit next to her, dashed up next to him, then climbing the ladder rungs into the cockpit.

"Better move, kid!" she shouted over the sounds of battle. "This one's mine!"

Anakin backed away as the starfighter, ducking as it swung out and over the skirmishing soldiers and out of the hangar, towards the droid control ship in orbit. His cover now gone, two battle droids noticed his position and fired at him. He yelped and raised his hands as Aayla placed herself between him and the attackers, deflecting their blaster bolts back at them.