Artoo Detoo: Droid of a Kind (Volume 1)

Mark A.J. Cristobal

Prologue: Malfunction

The conveyors thrummed with power, a myriad of mechanical parts began to drop from a series of containers, dumping them all on a wide rotating platform. Foundry Droids detached themselves from their individual storage capsules and activated their repulsorlifts. Then they converged on the rotating platform and began a seemingly chaotic task of picking up their respective assigned objects to collect from the pile.

Once the container attached to them is full they hover onto their designated conveyors and unload the mechanical parts and will then again resume their picking on the platform.

The various parts will then be taken along a maze of assembly machines with different functions. It was like a large lake splitting into a number of rivers passing through almost endless caves and emerging and merging until there are only three conveyors left bearing similar assembled structures.

This is a typical day in Industrial Automaton in Nubia, one of the largest Droid Manufacturing Company in the Galactic Republic, the other one is Cybot Galactica in Etti IV. Among the other contending companies were the Techno Union, Arakyd Industries, Genetech Laboratories, SoroSuub Corporation and Veril Line Systems.

Since the merger of Industrial Intellect and Automata Galactica some eight hundred forty years ago, it has become the Industrial Automaton and had risen to match the once sole leading droid foundry Cybot Galactica.

This particular batch has been ordered in bulk by the Royal Palace of Naboo in preparation for the crowning ceremony of their new Queen, a young top graduate from the Naboo Legislative Youth Program and a well known Princess of Theed who was elected by a landslide to replace the former King Veruna.

Human technicians waited at the end of the three conveyors of almost finished products of R2 unit astromechanic droids. One by one they were installed with a memory chip and an AI programming module by a machine before reaching the human techs wherein those chips and AI will be scanned and tested for efficiency. Afterwards the products will be hauled by droid workers and put them on another conveyor belt in which the R2 units will be boxed for shipment.

The last leg in the production ended in the rear foundry exit were massive Freight Cargo Ships awaited their load to deliver.

These pair of freighters then made the jump into hyperspace and emerged within the Chommell Sector and reverted into sublightspeed into Naboo space. After a brief interaction with Spaceport Control, the Nubia Delivery Freighters Steadfast and Dutiful landed on Theed Spaceport wherein they were met by Naboo Royal Engineers.

Lienn Entarrie, a former NRE was recently fired from work due to his constant rule breaking and radical AI programs that were deemed non-conforming to NRE standards. His latest creation was an AI chip which he called Entarrie-1, a chip that in his design and theory should provide astounding sentient traits to a droid including that of loyalty, devotion and creativity that is beyond any standard droid programming.
Having been fired has further limited his access within the NRE compound. This shipment though, is his only chance to test his Entarrie-1. Disguised as one of the NRE crew, he deftly went to blend with the others and join the long ride back into NRE compound.

Inside, he slipped off from the rest of the crew and stealthily made his way up to the Programming Department. It was just a few minutes past day shift and the nightshift programmers are still down by the lobby having casual chats with the dayshift. The room was relatively empty and Lienn quickly opened the main server. Punching a stolen access code he began uploading his Entarrie-1 chip programming into the preset program upgrade that will overwrite the Industrial Automaton R2 programming.

Outside the NRE compound, a small T-13 Skyhopper suddenly crashed into the power generators causing the alarms to blare and the power in the entire compound to go off. Emergency power back-ups automatically kicked in as people outside scrambled to do what they can to extinguish the fire.

The entire room was suddenly filled with darkness which startled Lienn, then after a few seconds power returned and the computer began to reboot. Then a guard came in and saw Leinn Entarrie, he was new and did not know who Lienn is so he raised his blaster at him.

“Put your hands in your head and step away from the computer!” the guard barked.

“Relax, I’m an employee here. I am Engineer Enterrie…” Leinn cautiously said but he continues to re-install his Enterrie-1.

“I said put your hands in your head and step away from the computer! This is your final warning!” the guard growled and his finger dangerously hovered on the trigger.

The monitor beeped and Lienn saw that upload began and started to reach 5%. In a desperate attempt to give his chip the time to be uploaded he moved with surprising agility and wrestled the blaster from the guard.
Lienn underestimated the strength of his would be captor. The guard was smaller than him but younger and unbelievably far too strong. In their struggle the blaster fired, hitting and scorching walls, the chairs, the panels and worse the computer.

He saw that the uploading was completed but the installation on the droids was not. In a surge of frustration, rage and madness he began punching the guard. The struggle then became a brawl and more guards came in to see what caused the blaster noise.

The newly arrived guards recognized Lienn and rushed to stop the two. But the first guard was now equally enraged and was using his full pumped adrenaline strength to beat the life out of the now defenseless Lienn Entarrie.

By the time the guard stopped Lien was already gone. The other guards cuffed the first guard and then called for Naboo Security to take him while they took Lienn’s body to the medical wing.

Lienn Entarrie died under the knowledge that his Entarrie-1 has failed to be installed. He never saw the 2% installation progress in the monitor before it got blown.

The NRE had ordered 200 astromech droids. Only one of them has been successfully programmed by the Entarrie-1 chip. But with no one alive aware of what Lienn has done, no one could ever know what has just happened, and which of those two hundred R2 units were secretly modified.

Chapter 1: Eve of Coronation

Graf Zapalo, Master of Sciences and member of the Royal Advisory Council strode on the receiving bay to inspect the astromech droids from Nubia. Graf’s subordinates could have easily done the job but as a loyal servant to the Crowned King of Naboo, and to his successor the next Queen, he preferred to do the inspection himself to make absolutely sure that there will be no problem during the coronation and no threat at all whatsoever.

There were two hundred R2 units and he was inspecting the last of them when Hugo Eckener, Chief Architect and also a member of the Royal Advisory Council strode to his side and whispered at him.

“Graf, the Governor is ordering an emergency meeting in ten minutes.” Hugo said in his ear.

“He’s doing that in the eve of coronation? What’s wrong?” Graf frowned in annoyance. He had much to do, as are the rest of the council and staff. Representatives from the Galactic Senate and the Jedi Order would be coming tomorrow and there are tons to be arranged and prepare.

“He wouldn’t say. But Hela said Senator Palpatine, Chancellor Valorum and Master Yoda will attend this meeting via holonet.” Hugo explained.

Graf stiffened in alarm and alertness. “It’s that serious? Well then let’s go.”

Graf grabbed Hugo’s arm and hurriedly walked out of the compound but Hugo stopped him shortly.

“Wait, take one of these new droids, we’ll have need of it.” Hugo said nodding at the last R2 unit.

“Very well then, Fenn activate that one, we’re taking it.” Graf ordered.

The technician nodded and went to activate the indicated droid.

The blue astromech droid surged with power as its internal power cell turned on. Lights blinked in its semi-transparent dome and it rotated to take in on the surrounding. Recognition protocols took over followed by imprinting. The droid’s consciousness awakened at saw the technician; its lens zoomed in on his chest plate and marked him as Riggs Fenn, Supervising Technician.

“Droid! Come with us.” Graf called out.

The droid whirled to look at who spoke the command. Recognition program identified him as Graf Zapalo, Master of Sciences, Royal Advisory Council. The older man beside him was Hugo Eckener, Chief Architect, Royal Advisory Council. The droid then did as told. He extracted his central foot and started to roll towards them.

“What is his number?” Hugo asked Fenn before they leave.

Fenn checked his datapad and answered, “R2-D2 milord.”

“Hello R2-D2. I assume you already know us.” Hugo smiled at the droid. Graf merely scoffed, to him, the idea of treating a droid as sentient is absurd but he tolerated the older man’s indulgence. There’s much work to do.

Artoo beeped in affirmation and gave a series of hoots and shrills.

Hugo laughed. “Hardly an hour here and you are already as well informed as the next person!”

“He’s been programmed to know, Hugo.” Graf snapped.

They turned on the stairs Hugo slowed to wait for R2. Artoo retracted his central foot and began to use his servomotors to use his wheeled legs to take the steps. Graf stopped at the top of the stairs and looked down at Hugo and the droid and rolled his eyes.

“Droid, just fly, we are in a hurry.” Graf said gruffly.

Hugo looked at the droid and shrugs.

Artoo beeped something sarcastic that made Hugo muffle his chuckles. Graf had already resumed walking and hadn’t heard the droid’s remark. Hugo nodded at R2 and started after the other. Artoo retracted his pair of flight boosters at the side of each of his legs and flew after them.

The Throne room was magnificent; with all the tall columns on each side supporting the high dome above, the dome in itself has an intricate painting from the ancient greatest artists of Naboo. The entire room was vast, each side have tall windows overlooking the City of Theed at one side and the Lake Country at the other.

Artoo whirled his dome to look at those who are already gathered ahead of them.

He saw Palace Guards in every corner and columns, alert and watchful. Then there were the Royal Handmaidens sitting on equally spaced chairs that forms the outer circle of the throne. The inner circle is composed of the Royal Advisory Council including Governor Sio Bibble. Graf Zapalo went straight to his chair. The rest Artoo recognized based in his NRE programming as Hela Brandes the Music Advisor and Lufta Shif the Education Advisor. He landed quietly and resumes rolling and halted beside the chair of Eckener.

Artoo’s single photoreceptor finally rested on the two other presences in the throne room. One old man sat on the throne; he was stiff with authority and power and Artoo instantly knew he was King Veruna, the outgoing ruler of Naboo. Technically, Veruna had already abdicated from his throne but under the circumstances, his presence is imperative in this meeting and the group had agreed that the former King still be seated on the throne at least for this one last session. Beside the throne, a special smaller version of it was placed and there sat a very young and beautiful girl. But despite her youth, her eyes glowed with knowledge and determination. Artoo found her name in his database, Padme Naberrie, the most celebrated Princess of Naboo, the successor of the King and the one that would take up the Royal name Amidala at the beginning of the coronation tomorrow.

The King nodded at Sio Bibble and the governor in turn gave a nod to Hugo. The old man patted Artoo’s domed head, “R2D2, activate the holos and also start recording and transmitting.” He said with a tinge of camaraderie.

Artoo beeped in affirmative. This is one of the many tasks pre-programmed in him back in Nubia and was further ‘polished’ by NRE. The droid moved to the center and attached on the holoprojector. Three figures instantly appeared in separate holos and Artoo returned to Hugo’s side and began holorecording the meeting.

“Senator Palpatine, Master Yoda, Chancellor Valorum, we are greatly honored that you have found time to hear our plea.” King Veruna said flatly.

“Always eager to help, the Council does.” Yoda’s image nodded.

“Has the Viceroy of the Trade Federation made contact since the last time we talked?” Valorum asked without preamble, his tone implies directness.

“Yes. They continue to insist we defer to their mad proposals.” The King sighed.

“The Neimodians just wanted to evade the new taxation laws. They must not be permitted to execute their demands.” Palpatine said, turning to face Valorum.

“You mentioned in the message that they threaten to put a blockade in your planet. Is this true? Have they made the move to do so?” Valorum asked Veruna.

“Viceroy Nute Gunray have indeed said so, we have the recording if you wish to see it. But he has not sent any of his ships within the Chommell Sector yet.” The King explained.

“The Trade Federation representative in the Senate denies all of this of course. But if you do have that recording, it would serve as a powerful proof of their harassment.” Palpatine commented.

“Thoughts you have, Princess Naberrie?” Yoda nodded at the silent Queen-to-be.

“Lord Veruna, if I may.” Padme said to the King. Her use of his current civilian title made the Advisory fidget in unease. The Handmaidens eyes widened as those the Palace Guards. Veruna himself looked shocked but he quickly controls his reaction and returned to his expressionless face. I will not be put off by this novice, Veruna thought grudgingly.

Veruna nodded at her to speak.

“Chancellor, Senator, Master Jedi, My Lord, Governor, my Advisors, I strongly believe that this harassment of the Trade Federation is an obvious ploy to evade the taxation trade routes recently imposed by the Republic. But on the other side I also feel that this act of threat is mere duplicity. The Neimodians are a cowardly race and I feel something deeper is edging them into this. It is my intuition…”

Veruna raised a hand to interrupt and smirked at her. “Princess Naberrie, your imagination surpasses me. Though I must remind you that even if they are of cowardly race, as you so eloquently put it, they are still the Trade Federation. They are cunning business people and have access to the largest droid foundries in the Outer Rim alone. They can make their threatening real, they do not need this deeper something to goad them. Their greed has already covered that part.”

“Agree I am…” Yoda nodded solemnly and Veruna looked victorious at once.

“…to the Crown Queen’s intuition.” Yoda finished and the former King scowled.

“This matter requires further investigation.” Valorum said to them then turn to ask the Jedi Master, “Should the Jedi be on this situation now Master Yoda?”

“Deliberate on this, the Council will.” Yoda agreed.

“Master Jedi, with all due respect, we are in the verge of a crisis here, don’t you think deliberations are…” Padme started to say.

“Deliberate on whom to send, not whether to take part. Involved in this, we already are.” Yoda smiled at her.

“Thank you Master Jedi.” Padme graciously bowed.

“For the meantime, I suggest you postpone the coronation tomorrow. It is not safe to be in public view during this time of conflict.” Palpatine suggested, looking at Padme.

“I agree…” Veruna said.

“No. The announcements have been made. The coronation begins tomorrow and postponing it would only send the wrong message to those who are aware of this dire situation. The Trade Federation would see this as a sign of weakness in our parts. The off-world traders would interpret this as a proof of danger in dealing with us. Postponing it would only make things worse. We need to show them that we are confident in our security and rights, that their harassments are empty and do not faze us at all.” Padme argued.

Suddenly one of the Palace Guards behind Hugo raised his weapon and fired at Veruna and Padme. The holos blocking the attacker and his targets partially blurred his aim. The blaster bolt struck harmlessly on Padme’s chair while the second shot grazed Veruna’s left arm.

Artoo Detoo spun and rolled at once toward the surprised assassin. Before any of the Palace Guards could return fire, Artoo rammed the attacker while emitting a battle cry-like ear-splitting shrill. As the assassin fell on his back, Artoo blasted him with his stored electrical surge rendering the man unconscious.

The rest of the Palace Guards now went to drag the assassin while the other went to check on their leaders.

“It seems there is no question now as to the severity of this impending conflict.” Padme said to everyone.

Chapter 2: Unveiled Plot

 Artoo Detoo was taken by Captain Magneta to the Palace Security Dome just across the east exit of the main building, accompanied by a dozen Palace Guards including the ranking officer Commander Panaka pulling the unconscious assassin on a hover capsule.

Entering the dome the group began to go over their respective tasks with precision and order, almost droid-like which fascinated Artoo Detoo.

The commander, a tall dark skinned man paused and noticed the astromech droid standing silently observing them on a corner. He walked toward Artoo and addressed the droid.

“I saw what you did. It was both heroic and unexpected. We have recovered a highly encrypted datacard from the assassin and our decrypting computers and slicers could not open it. Do you have the latest decrypting programming?” Panaka inquired.

Artoo tweeted in affirmative and the commander beckoned him to follow. The two went on the inner room where Captain Magneta and the rest of the decrypting team gathered.

“Captain, this droid has the updated slicing programs.” Panaka said cocking his head at Artoo.

Captain Magneta turn to regard the droid with a slight crease in his eyes then move his gaze on his commander.

“Well then, the meeting is still ongoing and I have to personally supervise security there. Work on the decryption and contact me at once if the droid cracks it.” Captain Magneta ordered and stood up and left.

“There’s the console, the encrypted file is N3-E21.” Panaka said to the droid.

Artoo beeped once and rolled onto the console and connected his scomp link into the console and began extracting the said encrypted file. Panaka sat by the chair beside Artoo and waited patiently.

An hour passed and the room was left for the two of them as the other crew ended their shift. There will be no third shift for the night because as tradition, Coronation Day is a holiday and the entire Palace staff and crew are off except only for the security branches.

Panaka glanced at his chronometer; they still have at least twelve hours before the coronation ceremony begins. Just as he was about to ask the progress of Artoo, the astromech beeped in excitement, or alarm, Panaka wasn’t really sure because he’s not that good at interpreting droids.

“What is it?” Panaka asked instead.

Artoo relayed his message in the console for Panaka to read.

Panaka’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped in disbelief at what he just read. “Droid, are you absolutely sure you have this right? Answer me!” he growled.

Artoo beeped an affirmative.

Panaka closed his eyes and clenched his fists.

Fools! We’re all been fooled! The commander said to himself but then he regained his composure and took a long deep breath before opening his eyes. The orbs that stared back at Artoo Detoo was glazed with renewed conviction and determination.

But something nags at him and Panaka stopped and forced himself to calm down and think rationally and logically. Now he realizes it is most probably a trap, no assassin in his right mind would carry a datacard in his person that contains information that would implicate him and/or his employer. It is definitely a trap. Then on one side, ignoring it would only make his job of unraveling this mystery even harder. Let it unfold, he recalled a Jedi Master once saying to him during his time in the Republic Special Task Force while on a hunt for a notorious pirate gang in the Corporate Sector. Master Tholme, yes that was his name, he recalled him saying, “Among my Jedi friends we have this saying, to discover the culprit, one must spring the trap.”

Commander Panaka stood up and activated his comlink to contact Captain Magneta. “Captain, listen very carefully, the droid had just decoded the file. King Veruna has been dead for a month now, the unconscious Veruna we found a month ago is a clone, arrest that impostor!”

“This is absurd commander! I will not have this madness tolerated! That droid must have malfunctioned or something or that file must be planted there on purpose.” Magneta’s voice was sharp and angrily hissing.

“But Captain, according to the file, that clone is conditioned to kill the Queen during the coronation!” Panaka insisted.

“Really now? Then why was he also a target of that assassin?” Magneta countered.

“What better cover than being a victim?” Panaka was determined to convince his captain.

“Give me proof commander. As much as I doubt this, I admit I must be open to possibilities however unlikely it may be. Give me proof! We cannot arrest Veruna with just that file as evidence. You have ten hours.” Magneta growled.

“Yes Captain.” Panaka sighed and closed the comlink.

“Droid, can you trace its source or something?” the commander asked.

Artoo beeped and re-inserted his scomp link and began working his way in analyzing every byte of the decoded file for clues of its origin.

“How long will this take?” Panaka frowned.

Artoo’s reply appeared on the monitor.

“Alright, get on with it. I’ll be back in an hour. Anyone else comes in here that isn’t me, call me.” Panaka left the droid his spare comlink.

Commander Panaka left in hurry and called for the rest of the Palace Security personnel that wasn’t assigned inside the throne room and started to brief them about the situation and prepare them to his plan.

Artoo watched Commander Panaka leave, he was about to run a playback of the meeting while he was waiting when a Palace Guard entered.

Artoo hooted and beeped at him trying to make the newcomer leave but the guard merely grinned and raised a bolt-gun and fired. Sparks surged in Artoo’s internal circuitry as the restraining bolt attached itself on his ‘chest’. Artoo made a desperate burst of coded message to Panaka’s comlink before he was shut-down by the intruder.

When Artoo was reactivated, he was in a cave. His internal chronometer informed him that he was out for at least two hours. He tried to move but he only managed to rock and sway in place. The restraining bolt prevented him from leaving his position. He couldn’t also use any of his tools that could be attributed to a weapon. Moaning in frustration, Artoo glances around the cave, there were faint lights here and there and the continuous thrumming and slight vibration in the walls and ground indicated a nearby power source. His scanners are unrestrained so he quickly made use of it to determine where he was.

His sonar sensors gave him a clear sonar blueprint of the cave; he was in the bottom most part of a five layer cave tunnel. Next move Artoo did is to ran his NRE list of geographical and topographical holomaps and searched for a match. It took him a fracture of a millisecond to find out that he was in the Mootoo Cave deep in the Eptto forest, ten clicks southwest of Keren City.

Artoo made another scan, for biological entities and his scanning registered eighty sentient beings within the Mootoo Cave, fifty of which were Gungans, twenty eight humans, one Neimodian, which alarmed Artoo and one Iridonian Zabrak that confuses him because its presence was illogical according to his analysis.

Then he heard voices, running voice pattern recognition for the given four present species, he counted five individuals voice of each species, two of which were humans, a male and a female.

Shadows appeared at the left tunnel and the group came into Artoo’s view at last.

Artoo decided to run a face-recognition from his NRE database on the five, he only got three matches, the two humans were Alle Vomm and Sheeana Fley, two of the most wanted terrorist leaders in the entire Chommell sector. The Neimodian was no other than Hath Monchar, the Trade Federation Viceroy’s Second-in-Command. The filthy muscular looking Gungan and the tattooed face Zabrak in black hood and cloak remained unidentified to Artoo.

“Wesa cannot risk bein’ seen in this attack!” the Gungan growled, his deep voice resonating in the confines of the cave. He was tall, muscular, dark hued like the sap of a wroshyr tree of Kashyyyk, his left eye were gray with a spot of white that indicates a form of cataract, the other was obviously artificial because it strangely resemble Artoo’s own photoreceptor.

“We already did our part. We have stolen the data from the NRE yesterday, even blow up their power generator.” Sheeana said to Hath Monchar. Her eyes were of icy blue and her skin was pale and almost sky blue. She wore a Palace Guard suit that even in her odd coloration; she could still manage to blend in on the busy populace of Theed.

“If you want us to make the delivery tomorrow, you’ll gonna have to throw us some more extras.” Alle scornfully added. Artoo recognized him. He was the one who shot him with the restraining bolt. Vomm was so average looking that no one would even think he was a terrorist.

“I assure you all that the Viceroy will fully cover your participation for tomorrow.” Hath Monchar grunted.

“Whosa’s des creep anyways?” the Gungan loomed over the Zabrak.

“Step back Gantu, you would not want to antagonize my friend here.” Hath warned.

Artoo searched a match for a name of Gantu and easily enough there was a file about the Gungan, but his face in the file was different, he has no cataract and artificial eye and the skin hue is a little lighter mix of orange and green. According to the file, Gantu was half-Ottola and half-Ankura, his long record was mainly about making troubles in Oto Gunga since childhood then into Keren, Theed and other countryside cities and villages of Naboo until he joined Alle’s group five years ago.

Gantu ignored the Neimodian and stepped closer to tower over the Zabrak, he was two heads taller than the cloaked one but the Zabrak matched the intimidating glare with an almost bemused stare. After a full minute, the Zabrak finally gave a faint smirk and spoke.

His voice was unnerving. It was cold, low and menacing.

“A Jedi chopped that eyestalk of yours. He could have killed you effortlessly. I killed him effortlessly.” the Zabrak hissed, his eyes narrowing into slits.

Without waiting for any reaction, he turned around and left where they came in leaving the others unsure what had just happened.

“He killed Denuga?” Sheeana gasped.

“Shut up!” Gantu shoved Sheeana and strode out on the other tunnel.

“Who’s Denuga?” Monchar asked.

“The Togorian Jedi Master we encountered in Glee Anselm two years ago. We lost twenty of our men in that operation.” Alle explained.

“Who is that creep anyway?” Sheeana nodded at the direction where the Zabrak went.

“He is Lord Maul.” Hath Monchar stated.

Artoo never got to hear Hath Monchar’s answer because the entire cave shook vehemently and a deafening explosion accompanied it.

All hell broke loose.

Chapter 3: Behind the Queen

 Artoo Detoo toppled down along with tons of empty metal crates on the wide uneven cave floor. Sheena and Alle half drag, half carried Hath Monchar where Gantu had gone earlier and several humans and Gungans alike ran frantically in every direction, scrambling for exit or hiding.

Artoo struggled to move the crates off of his cylindrical body and after what seems forever he finally got loose and managed to get himself erect once again and started to roll off where the other had gone.

The cave continues to shake as distant and nearby explosions competes with the deafening sirens of security alarms. It took Artoo awhile to finally orient himself to the right tunnel and emerge on an underground river. Three Gungan submarines were tethered by the makeshift docks while the fourth was already halfway towards the sharp turn some half click away from him.

The Gungan subs were not designed to accommodate an astromech droid and Artoo also doubt if he could even get to open the bubble hatch at all. He was at this dilemma when another ship flew low from the other side and after the receding sub ahead.

Artoo made a quick scan of the fast ship which suddenly faded in his optical sensors. Baffled the droid only got a partial read, a Seinar-class ship and to his calculation according to what data he acquired, possibly equipped with a rare, illegal cloaking technology.

He was still at the docks platform hesitating from jumping into one of the subs, staying or flying off after the others when a pair of N1 Starfighters zoomed past the underground river straight to the sharp turn and faded in the dark, the booming thunder of their engines still echoing loudly in the confines of the cave.

Then the cave ceilings began to crack, tons of long sharp stalactites began to fall like thrown spears destroying the Gungan subs and the docks platform. Artoo was forced to use his jet boosters to avoid being thrown off the dark unknown river.

Artoo finally had no choice but to fly onwards after the others halfway there another N1 Starfighter flew from behind and slowed into a hover a few meters parallel to him. The canopy opened and the pilot called out to him.

“You there! What’s your I.D. code?” the pilot shouted.

Artoo sent a burst transmission about his registry number, the pilot was relieved to learn that the astromech was one of theirs so he punched something in the console and the burning astromech droid behind him was ejected, hit the cave ceiling with a loud bang and fell in ruins at the black river.

“Get inside, my guidance systems are not working, I need your help to get out of here.” The pilot said.

Artoo flew closer and slowly inserted himself on the droid slot behind the canopy. The internal arm locked in on his body as the canopy closed and they both flew off.

Artoo quickly began working, fixing the burnt out night vision sensors, sonar radars and began guiding the pilot through the pitch black tunnel. After a few minutes a white spot finally appeared ahead and began to grow bigger into a cave opening with its black river falling off as a waterfall.

The N1 Starfighter shot out of the hole and flew vertical deftly squeezing its way on the treacherous cliff walls and then finally out of the Egotto Chasm, one of the distinct landmarks in the deep jungles of Eptto.

Artoo and the pilot gave a cry of relief as they emerged on the moonlit dawn. Behind them the Egotto Mountain shook and crumbles inward from some areas as the Mootoo cave beneath it was finally destroyed. Dozens of other N1 Starfighters flew in formation of the ship where Artoo is and reports of success filled in the com as the pilots began reporting to Artoo’s pilot.

“Yellow Lead, we have captured several humans and Gungans trying to make a run in the forest, but we could not find any of their leaders.” Another voice crackled in the speakers.

“Copy that Commander, they must have used a Gungan sub and went to the core.” Artoo’s pilot acknowledged.

Moments later Keren City became visible ahead and the pilot finally addressed Artoo.

“Thank the Force you were there the moment I am in need of an astromech. My name is Ric Olie, that poor droid is R2-A3, he’s been with me since the Academy days.” Olie’s voice trailed off with unspoken memories.

Artoo replied with a series of beeps and chirps.

“Please to meet you, R2-D2.” Ric smiled.

Captain Magneta and Governor Sio Bibble were at the Keren District Hall waiting when Captain Ric Olie, Commander Panaka and Artoo Detoo came in a few moments after they arrived.

The holoprojection of Senator Palpatine and the Queen-to-be appeared.

Bibble gave a slight nod at Captain Magneta who in turn stood up and strode on the center to face the Senator and the new Queen.

“Our team has acquired an encrypted data from the possession of the assassin. They have decoded it and discovered information about an underground base of the so called Chommell Patriots, under Commander Panaka they sent scouts to confirm this and they have reported a positive I.D. on two of the leaders of the terrorist group namely Alle Vomm and Sheeana Fley. They also spotted an odd looking Gungan and what seems to be a Neimodian.” Magneta reported.

“Have they identified this…Neimodian?” Senator Palpatine asked skeptically.

“The scout didn’t get a clear view of the suspected Neimodian.” Magneta shook his head.

“How about the Gungan? Have you identified him?” Palpatine raised an eyebrow.

“No sir…” Magneta started to say but Captain Olie cleared his throat and they all turn to regard him.

“Yes Captain, you have something to share?” the Queen spoke invitingly.

“Yes Your Highness, Your Excellency.” Captain Olie bowed at the Queen and the Senator then looked at the Governor and Magneta for permission.

Bibble waved a hand for him to continue and Magneta stepped aside to give the floor to the ace pilot who beckoned Artoo Detoo to come with him.

“This R2 Unit has been taken by the Chommell Patriots earlier in Theed.” Ric Olie glanced at Commander Panaka who nodded at the others in confirmation.

“According to this droid’s recording, the Gungan was mentioned by name by the terrorists. They called him Gantu…”

“Gantu Raltos, the Gantu Raltos?” Sio Bibble gasped.

“Yes Governor, we too believed him to have died years ago, apparently he survived and got a new look. But that is not the most alarming news, the scouts are right, this droid as also identified our Neimodian, one called Hath Monchar.” Olie said.

“Hath Monchar?” Bibble’s eyebrows creased at the unfamiliar name.

“He is the Second-in-Command of Viceroy Nute Gunray.” the Queen supplied.

“Then it is clear now. The threat implied by the Viceroy is about these terrorists who are obviously here to kill the Queen.” Magneta surmised.

“And since their base of operation is destroyed then we have averted this plot. We only now need to apprehend these schemers.” Captain Panaka added.

“The evidences are still circumstantial. It will not be enough to hold on the Senate Court. The Trade Federation can easily disclaim sanctioning Hath Monchar in scheming with the Chommell Patriots. What else do you have?” Palpatine leveled with them.

“One of the prisoners talked. He mentioned knowing only that they are there to instigate a riot during the coronation. He knows nothing more.” Panaka answered.

“There is one other thing…” Captain Olie started to say.

“But we are not sure of it yet.” Magneta interjected sharply.

“Tell them.” Panaka countered and Magneta shot him a reprimanding look.

“What is it?” the Queen asked.

“Yes Captain, enlighten us about this ‘one other thing.’” The Senator’s gaze was piercing.

Captain Olie leaned down at the astromech and whispered something. Artoo beeped and played a partial of his recording on that scene in the tunnel, he adjust his projection and isolated one black hooded cloaked person standing with Hath Monchar.

The face was hidden in the thick black hood and its shadows. They all thought they detected a hue of red and pair of fiery yellow orbs.

“Who is he?” Sio Bibble inquired.

“What is that?” the Queen scowled.

“The droid only identified his species, a Zabrak. Of his identity we came out empty.” Panaka spoke for Magneta could react.

“He is of no consequences, must be another bounty hunter, you must focus on finding Hath Monchar and those three Chommell rebels.” Palpatine scoffed.

“What if the droid is just being used by the rebels to mislead us?” Magneta implied.

“That’s your job to find out, Captain.” The Queen snapped.

“But of course, Your Highness.” Captain Magneta bowed in submission.

“Find them Captain Magneta and bring them to us.” Palpatine ordered then turn to face the holo of the young Queen. “As for you Your Highness, I believe you should rest now, let the Governor take it from here. I shall see you in the morning, we are now preparing for our trip there.” The Naboo Senator said in finality then turns to give farewell on the others and severed the connection.

“Captain Magneta. Have your men search for those rebel leaders. Commander Panaka, I need you back here, I shall discuss with you something before I retire. Captain Olie, have that droid swept for traps, spy tools, I want its validity. Governor, I leave to your hands the task of running Naboo until morning, I’m afraid King Veruna had lapsed into unconsciousness, his wound proved far greater than we thought. That would be all for now. May the Force be with us all.” The young Queen issued her orders clearly and distinctively possible then faded as well, leaving them all in silence.

They all started to leave for their respective tasks, Artoo rolled faithfully beside Ric Ollie and the captain regarded him with warmth and mirth. “Well Artoo, I guess you’re stuck with me for a little longer.”

Artoo beeped something a bit of both sarcastic and humorous.

“Hah! Don’t get all big in the head yet, I have feeling that this is just the beginning.” Ric laughed.

Chapter 4: Countdown to Chaos

 Ric Ollie hadn’t slept in two days. The Coronation starts in seven and a half hour, which means he have only three hours’ worth of sleep to spare, not to mention he had to scan the droid for traps and tampering which would take at least half an hour, further reducing his sleep time.

“Well Artoo, let’s get this on shall we?” Ric crouched in front of the droid and unpacked his scanning kit and started attaching wires and other sensor equipments on several parts of the astromech droid.

Artoo moaned an inquiry.

“Relax, I won’t do anything to harm your programming, I’m just gonna check if you have been tampered in the two hours you’ve been down there in that cave.” Ric explained.

Artoo tooted and gave a longer series of hoots and tweets.

“Well that would just be too bad doesn’t it? So far so good, no sign or indication of recent restraining bolt other than the one given to you back here, a faint burnt mark from that bolt-gun attack on you earlier, no permanent harm on that. No recent interface uploads either, hmmm. Deeper diagnostics are now running, that’s the long part. Well, I’ll leave you for a few minutes.”

Artoo beeped an alarm as Ric started to leave him alone on his garage.

Ric turned to smile at the droid, “This is my home, and you are safe here. I’m just going to change. I’ve been wearing this uniform for two days now. I need a bath.”

Artoo moaned in resignation, the last time someone left him alone he ended up getting electrocuted, hauled to an underground cave and was almost crushed by the caving in mountain.

Artoo’s musing was interrupted as a young kid suddenly entered the garage, walked past him and straight into the tool shelves and began rummaging there.

Artoo rotated his dome to get a better look at the youngster. A male human probably ten sun cycles old, fair skin, blue eyes and that same curled brown hair of Captain Ric Ollie.

The kid found what he was looking for and was about to turn and leave when he finally noticed Artoo.

“You’re not Athree, where is he? Who were you?” the kid asked as he walk closer and sat before the droid, eyeing the myriad of wires attached at him.

Artoo beeped and told the kid about R2-A3’s demise. At first Artoo was hesitant because the kid might not understand his language but there was no translation pad attached at him at the moment, and since Ric had mentioned that A3 has been with him since his Academy days, Artoo thought it was a possibility that the kid may have some capability to understand him.

Tears slowly formed and streamed from the eyes of the child. He just nodded at him and to Artoo’s surprise, embraced him, in whom the kid let go of his restraint and cried aloud.

Artoo was momentarily stunned, so to speak, all he could think of was to moan assurances to the kid that everything will be alright.

The child held him like that for a few more minutes until he finally let go, returned from his cross-legged sitting position facing him and wipe his face with his sleeves.

“I’m sorry. Poppa said it’s rude to be highly emotional to a stranger if one hasn’t even introduced oneself. I’m Rinn Ollie. What’s your name?” Rinn said between fading sobs.

Artoo answered the boy.

“Please to meet you R2-D2. Can I call you Artoo?” the boy smiled.

Artoo beeped an agreement.

“Do you know I’m going to see the new Queen tomorrow, I mean this morning? Poppa said the new Queen wanted to hold a small feast for all the children of the palace employees two hours before the actual Coronation. Isn’t it wonderful?” Rinn exclaimed.

Artoo squeaked a question.

“No King or Queen in the history of Naboo had ever done that before. Anyways, I heard she was so beautiful, maybe not as beautiful as my mother. Although Momma often says that the new Queen is the most beautiful person she had ever seen in her life. I still can’t believe that anyone can be more beautiful than my Momma. Maybe that’s why she’s the Queen, because she’s more beautiful than my Momma.” the kid ranted.

Artoo gave a series of beeps that is an equivalent of an amused chuckle and told Rinn that he hadn’t heard the word ‘beautiful’ mentioned too many times in one speech.

Rinn blushed, “Sorry, I do that when I’m excited.” He said shyly.

Artoo groaned assuring the boy it was alright and he was just amused at him.

“I see you have met my boy here.” Ric emerged from the side door wearing his night robe, behind him strode another human, a head smaller than him, same blue eyes, brown hair but straight and at shoulder length. Artoo surmised she was Captain Ollie’s wife.

“Artoo meet Thea, my wife.”

Artoo greeted the woman.

“Please to meet you too Artoo.” Then she called at Rinn, “Back to sleep Rinn, you’ll have plenty of time to fix that little toy of yours after the coronation. Let’s go Rinn.”

“Yes Momma, goodnight Artoo.” Rinn waved and took his mother’s hand and they both kissed Ric before entering the house.

“So, how’s the scan?” Ric crouched and checked the results of the sensors, it came out clean.

“That’s good news then.” Ric nodded in satisfaction and stood up and called someone in his comlink.

“Captain Magneta here.” came out the voice on the other end.

“The droid’s all clear.” Ric reported.

“Very well, I know you haven’t slept for awhile, I’ll send a pilot to take the droid to the governor to analyze that recording in it.” Magneta closed the link.

“You’re going to the governor Artoo, don’t worry, he’s a good man.” Ric smiled and patted his dome and started removing the wires and packing up his portable Mechis G5-X001 droid scanner.

After only a few minutes someone came knocking on the garage gate and Ric spoke to the intercom then opened the blastgate. A younger Naboo pilot in complete uniform saluted at his captain. Ric waved a hand indicating Artoo and the newcomer nodded and together they approach him.

“Artoo, this is Lieutenant Hoff Siege, he’s my best wingman and he will accompany you to the governor. I’ll rejoin you both in the morning alright?” Ric explained.

“Hello Artoo. Shall we?” Hoff smiled at the droid.

Artoo was relieved to see that the Lieutenant is also a ‘droid-lover’ and not like that Graf Zapalo. Artoo gave a farewell hoot at Ric as he followed Hoff to his landspeeder.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the palace and into the stark office of Governor Sio Bibble. The old stout man had a serious but welcoming presence. He was not one to be trifled with but he’s one of those types that can maintain camaraderie and authority at the same time.

Artoo was beginning to like him already.

Also in the office were Captain Magneta and Graf Zapalo.

Artoo moaned silently, not him again.

“Droid, play the cave recording again.” Magneta ordered and Artoo complied.

They watched in silence and played the recording several more times, slowing on some part, zooming on the other and replaying certain scenes or lines then Magneta told Artoo to stop and told the Lieutenant to take Artoo outside and wait for their summons then they went to discuss what they’ve seen, noticed, analyzed and suspect.

“I have here the requested updated records from Chommell Intelligence, this would have taken us weeks to get had not Senator Palpatine pulled some strings there.” the governor projected the report from his datapad and into the central projection platform.

“Gantu Raltos, Gungan, Forty years old. Orphan and a street kid in Keren City, a Pick-pocket and thief in his youth. Gantu had become a robber and troublemaker in his adolescence and a hardened criminal and compulsive murderer from then on. He joined the Chommell rebel cell here on Naboo until he went off planet to be more active in his group. He was reported to have been killed by a Jedi raid two years ago in Glee Anselm and was never been seen again since.” Sio Bibble reviewed.

“How about Alle Vomm and Sheeana Fley?” Magneta asked.

“Both came from a family of Corellian immigrates in Kardara, a small mining colony world deep in the Chommell Sector. They were two of the seven children that were rescued during the Kardaran Raid of the Mandalorians two decades ago. Both were suspected to have been raised on Galidran and escaped the Jedi raid there and returned here in Naboo and established the Chommell Patriots.” Bibble changed the holo to those of Alle and Sheeana.

“Do you think the Mandalorians may be behind this?” Magneta asked.

“I doubt that. The Mandalorians had never set their eyes on us even back in the time of the Kardaran Raid. Besides, the presence of Hath Monchar in the Mootoo Cave is more than enough proof of the involvement of the Trade Federation.” Zapalo shook his head.

“Have your men found Hath Monchar and the others?” Bibble asked Magneta.

“We’re still looking.” Magneta sighed.

“What about that hooded Zabrak? Who is he?” Zapalo recalled.

“The Senator seems to think he’s just a bounty hunter.” Bibble explained.

“He doesn’t look like a bounty hunter to me. More like those Jedi people.” Magneta move to take the chair beside the governor.

“The Jedi would never be involved in such criminal activities.” Zapalo scoffed.

“I didn’t say he’s a Jedi.” Magneta felt chagrined.

The discussion went on for another hour until they finally adjourned and decided to just double the security for the morning and wait for the reports of the search party.

Lieutenant Siege and Artoo decided to go to the main hangar where he was assigned to guard for the night. Siege showed Artoo the layers of docked N1 Starfighters and told him stories about his piloting lessons, how he joined the Space Fighter Corps and some of his few dogfights against the Chommell Patriots and other pirates.

He and Artoo were on the ledge of the hangar watching the vista below when Commander Panaka came running inside and calling Siege.  Behind him were the entire Raid Squadron pilots heading off to their respective ships.

“Lieutenant, we have a situation!” Panaka exclaimed.

“What is it sir?” Hoff hurriedly stood off the ledge and met his Commander.

“Space Patrol spotted a Neimodian shuttle flying off from the South Pole and heading towards the moon Rori. Prepare the ships. I’m putting you in command for this sortie. I’ll get your clearance to Captain Magneta, you have to hurry or we might miss them again. They have to be captured before sunrise, understand?” Panaka ordered.

“Yes sir! Artoo, follow me!” Hoff led Artoo to his N1 Starfighter as other pilots started to pour in from the entrance hall. Panaka issued the same command to the others and informed them that Hoff will be their leader for this raid. Then Panaka gave wave to Hoff and activated his comlink and contacted Captain Magneta.

The Lieutenant was the first to take off and started to check on his squadron. After everyone has reported they made a wedge formation and flew up.

“Call sign is Raid Squadron! ETA in twenty minutes, everyone, synchronize!” Hoff announced.

“Copy that Raid Lead!” came the answers.

“Artoo, you alright back there? Have you ever been to a space battle before?” Hoff asked.

Artoo moaned a negative and a short reply.

“Well Artoo, there’s a first time for everything. Here we go!”

Chapter 5: The Moon Mountain

 Raid Squadron was actually a temporary merging of three of Naboo’s best starfighter pilots. These squadrons are Keren, Theed and Moenia, all named after the city they were founded. Raid Squadron was currently in the phase of reorganization as the new transition of leadership is about to take place, the council and the incoming Queen had issued a decree to form a Naboo Starfighter Navy despite the lack of support from Senator Palpatine and the previous King, Veruna. The name to replace Raid Squadron is Bravo. Captain Ric Olie himself chose that name and the rest of the lead pilots agreed enthusiastically on it.

But at the moment, Bravo is not yet used. It will be active this morning during the coronation. Artoo shrilled a warning that shook Lieutenant Siege off of his musings.

“Recalibrate the sensors, they must be jamming us!” Siege told Artoo.

“Raid Lead, we’re picking up heavy space traffic coming out of Rori!” Raid Two exclaimed. Adin Moorr was the leader of Keren Squadron and a good friend of Siege since childhood, Siege owed him his life for countless occasions, they have become so close that Adin had fallen and married Siege’s sister Lilla, unfortunately she died at childbirth and her child was abducted and was never again found. Captain Panaka suspected that the Chommell Patriots were behind it, it was rumored, though Siege never managed to confirm it, that his nephew was sensitive to the Force. Two years ago a pair Jedi hunted the Chommell Pirates in search for the child, the Order wanted to retrieve the boy for two main reasons, one of them was to train him to become one of them. The two Jedi never returned.

“They’re transmitting false transponders, but they are unmistakably the Patriots.” Raid Three called out.

“Spread out and engage, Keren and Moenia Flight! Theed Flight, we’re going in for the target. Track them down Artoo!” Siege commanded.

Raid Two made a sharp ninety degree turn to the left while his entire Keren Flight broke formation like a panicked flock of Twirrls, a carnivorous, mammalian falconoid species, native to Naboo. The rebels fired wildly at them, more for the sake of firing than hitting.

Adin smiled, he could now read the fighting style of his enemies by that simple reaction to their spreading out. He could now feel the general flow of their encounter and his innate reflexes is beginning to take over his usual methodical style.

Adin suddenly made a tight loop that startled his own droid, that same moment three proton torpedoes shot past where his ship was and detonated on two of other incoming enemy fighters.

He checked out the readouts on his console, the Patriot’s ragtag squadron consists of battered and overly modified heaps of old model Corellian and Kuat starfighters, he even spotted five Manda Motors vintages in the fray. These enemy ships may sport thick hulls and shielding and better firepower than their Nubian N1 Starfighters but his men were better pilots than these lowlife thugs that claim to be the true patriots of the entire Chommell Sector.

He felt, more than saw, his wingman taking a direct hit from the attacking ships ahead, with deft precision and speed he angled his ship to block his wingman that forced the other to make an involuntary bank sideways to avoid collision. That quick thinking on his part caused an ion blast to hit his shield with a following proton torpedoes to explode on his fuselage.

Raid Two ejected himself and his droid, his vac-suit automatically sealing off his helmet and activating its oxygen reserve, their beacon kicked in. His droid R2-E6 used its side boosters to reach his floating chair and clamped it on its cylindrical body. The droid then steered him away from the battle, a click behind them, Adin’s wingman had finished off his attackers and were now making the turn to retrieve him.

You should join the Jedi Order. Adin heard his friends’ voices. They always tell him that whenever he made inhuman maneuvers in their every mission. “They won’t take me. I’m way too old to be trained.” He muttered to himself, it was his typical retort at them.

“Raid Two, I got you, try to make do with my compartment for the meantime.” his wingman Raid Four said through their radio.

“Just don’t take too long. I don’t want to wake up with backaches!” Adin chuckled as he and R2-E6 make their way into the compartment under the ship of Raid Four.

“It means you’re getting old, admit it!” laughed Raid Four.

“Only Fambaas gets old!” he retorted.

Out of nowhere a dark beat-up Corellian YT-1100 flew past them, Raid Four’s starfighter erupted into flames. None of them even manage to scream as they were vaporized to oblivion.

Lieutenant Siege struggled to steady his starfighter as they enter the turbulent atmosphere of Rori. He was the only one left of Theed Flight, the enemy fleet had overwhelmed them. “Of all the places in this moon, they had to go straight into this ion storm!” Siege shouted. Artoo’s shrill was inaudible compare to the fiery noise of burning oxygen as they rip through atmosphere and into the chaotic maelstrom of a violent and massive ion storm that were now raging across the southern region of Rori.

All of the alarms blared simultaneously and Artoo strained himself to deactivate them and at the same time help Siege steady their ship, but after passing through the atmosphere, their flight only got worse as vicious ion charged lightning crisscrossed their downward path. The combined thick hazy storm clouds and gale force winds blowing from almost every direction made visibility impossible. Their sensors were in complete disarray and so they were flying blind.

“How long will this…” Siege shouted at the top of his lungs at Artoo when they finally shot out of the dark ion storm and into a windy mountain range.

Siege screamed in terror as a thick massive wall of granite came out of the dissipating fog mere meters before them. Artoo took over and made an astonishing turn, barely missing the cliff face with only a foot. Their shields crackled as the invisible ray made contact with granite and then they were over the mountain and were now cruising in reduced speed.

“…take.” Siege finished his sentence and felt a lump forming in his throat.

Artoo beeped a quip.

“Damn right if I throw up here! Remind to do puke on you when we landed!” Siege tried very hard not to be sick.

Artoo chirp an unmistakable laugh.

“Shut up.” Siege groaned and slump his head on the console.

Artoo beeped in a more serious tone.

“Have you found them yet?”

Artoo’s insistent bleeps made Siege look out of the canopy ahead of them.

The site froze him in shock.

A single massive Trade Federation Lucrehulk-class battleship sat like an egg between the surrounding mountain ranges, using its walls and the thick storm clouds above to hide it presence from Naboo’s planetary sensors.

Artoo slowly turn their ship away and landed inside a large cave behind one of the mountain walls. When their sensors finally recovered from the ion bombardment, they finally found the beep of their target, it was entering the battleship.

“By the Seven! What are we going to do now?” Siege climbed out of the N1 starfighter and heaved on the side. Artoo flew out from his cache and landed slowly behind him.

Artoo moaned in uncertainty.

“We still have an hour, check the compartment, and see what explosives we have.” Siege said as he began to unpack his cooking tools and prepare for a quick meal.

Artoo complied and rummage through the compartment and started making an inventory as his human partner eat his meal. It will be Artoo’s longest hour yet.

Chapter 6: Morning Fireworks

 “Artoo, can you contact our pilots out there?” Siege asked his partner as he prepares their trek down the mountain into the swamps below toward the enemy battleship.

Artoo moaned a negative, the ion storm above are still preventing him to reach the others.

“Very well, just loop the hailing signal and have it re-transmitted to my comlink the moment someone answers back. Remember keep the frequency on our squadron channel only. We wouldn’t want the Trade Federation combing down the entire moon for us.” Siege said as he made one last check on the equipments in his backpack, belt and pockets.

The slopping drop of the mountain’s side was craggy and hazardous for Artoo, almost most of the time he was being lifted or carried by Siege who never seem to complain about it, which makes Artoo grateful for the lieutenant.

When the path was too arduous for the pilot to carry Artoo, the little droid uses his side boosters to fly over the rocks, ravines and cracks on the mountain. As the snow recedes, the trees grew thick until they were out of the mountain’s feet and were now laboriously clearing their way through the damp darkening jungle.

Artoo was forced to ‘walk’ in the thick jungle bed, with all the mixture of clay, mud, feces, leaves, twigs and who knows what else, using his wheels results in getting caught on long leaves or veins that get tangled in his three wheeled robotic feet. Siege patiently halts to remove the leaves and veins and slowed his pace to allow Artoo to keep up.

“How close are we now to the swamps?” Siege finally asked after a full hour since they left the cave.

Artoo checked his sensors and beeped a reply.

“Half a click, alright Artoo wait here. Keep your comlink open in case I have to call for you.” Siege said and darted into the foliage before Artoo could even protest.

Artoo moaned silently, his sensors have been detecting fauna the moment they entered the forest and it has been alarmingly increasing and moving towards them. High about the thick canopy of branches and leaves the sunlight barely reaches them, Artoo could hear various cries and noises of insects and avian and tree dweller creatures from above them. Here and there something would startle flying insects. A vicious roar would echo in the distant darkness and would be answered by another on the opposite side.

Artoo checked his internal chronometer. It has been three hours now since Lieutenant Hoff Siege has taken him from Captain Ric Olie’s care which means the coronation starts in four hours. It’ll be eight Standard Time Parts now on Naboo, which means they are running out of time. Artoo was curious to witness the coronation of Queen Amidala and he was no intention of missing it even if he has to fly himself into the Trade Federation’s ship and destroy it on his own just to get the job done quickly. Artoo paused and reprimanded himself that it is such a very irresponsible attitude even for a brand new astromech droid.

Artoo was trying to figure out how they could travel through the swamp faster without him having to use his booster or the lieutenant carrying his heavy bulk when the pilot emerged from where he had left.

“Let’s go!” he smiled.

Artoo followed Hoff into a clearing, before them were the fog, bog, muck and moss infested swamp country of the moon Rori. Down the slope on the water was a raft made out of branches and sticks tied in roots and tough veins.

“This ought to speed us up a little, hop in!” Hoff beckoned him as he boarded his makeshift raft and took a long arm-thick trunk with roots at the tip that would serve as the paddle.

Artoo whistled and flew onto the raft. Their combined weight held and Hoff started paddling off the bank and into the murky waters, carefully avoiding submerged roots. The fog thickens as they go deeper into the swamp. Their pace was cautiously slow because Hoff has to strain to see ahead through the thick haze and steer off on constant obstacles on their path.

Artoo calculated their distance to the Trade Federation ship and computed that in their current speed they will arrive there in an hour. Siege asked Artoo how long will it take to reach their destination and the astromech answered his every question.

“One hour is too long.” Siege sat in deep thought and resume paddling.

Artoo tried to think of a solution but the lieutenant beat him to it.

“I got an idea!” Hoff grinned like a naughty school boy.

Artoo beeped an inquiry at him.

“Watch and learn Artoo. Watch and learn.” Siege smiled at him. He took his blaster from its holster and fired the cable wire on the farthest tree within the range limit of his line ahead of them. The grappling hook punched into the trunk, Hoff pulled to test its tautness then activated the reverse of the cable wire. Bracing himself and Artoo, their raft began to move faster as the cable wire was reeled in by Hoff’s blaster.

When they reached the trunk, Hoff pulled it off, reinserted it on the smaller nozzle of his blaster and shot the tree afar. Throughout their progress Hoff repeated the method until they reached a sharp turn and Artoo informed him that they should go on foot now straight ahead.

Hoff helped Artoo off the raft and together they traversed the remaining kilometer. If not for the thick foliage and the massive trees that blocked the sunlight and the sky above they would have seen the looming globe ship directly in front of them.

A few more minutes and they encountered a clearing littered with crushed and burnt woods, trees and animals. A hundred meters before them stood the globe ship that towered like an obese skyscraper in the middle of the jungle.

Artoo warned him that perimeter sensors were all over the base of the ship and is most probably detecting him right now. Hoff tensed and raised his blaster but Artoo assured him that his heat signature will only register as one of the constant presence of local fauna.

Artoo then asked the big question.

“I go inside, find the power generators and plant these thermal detonators, set the timer and leave.” Hoff said.

Artoo swiveled his dome taking in on the length of the ship then hooted another question.

“That I haven’t figured out yet. I was hoping you’d help me on that part.” Hoff Siege admitted.

If Artoo had eyeballs he would have rolled it by now.

Artoo shushed Hoff and made a quick cursory scan of the perimeter and of the immediate interior of the globe ship. Hoff waited expectantly until Artoo started to lay out the plan he estimated would work better.

Hoff listened intently and made a few questions and suggestions until the two finally agreed on a detailed plan.

At that moment, Lieutenant Siege’s comlink beeped and he answered it.

“Raid Lead, we got your message! We’re going in!” cried out the unmistakable voice of Raid Three, the leader of Moenia Flight exclaimed.

“No wait, listen to me first!”Siege called out and when Raid Three acknowledged, Siege carefully laid out he and Artoo’s plan and warned them of the danger awaiting them in their descent.

“Alright Artoo, let’s do it. Let me know when you’re in.” Siege said to his partner and they parted ways. The lieutenant ran on the east side of the grounded globe ship while Artoo labored his way to its western wall.

Hoff checked his thermal detonators and took three from his pack then gathered momentum and hurled each of the bombs as far as he could to the bulk of the warship. He had set the thermal detonators to explode upon impact. His aim and throw were good and the first bomb exploded on the exposed massive landing claw. The second and third bomb impacted on the lower hull causing enough damage to alert whoever was inside the massive globular Trade Federation battleship.

On the other side of the ship Artoo spotted a ramp lowering down to allow a number of B1 droids riding on STAPs, droidekas and half a squadron of starfighter droids to descend and proceed to the site of explosion and investigate.

Artoo quickly rolled up the ramp after the last B1 droid left. Another number of B1 battle droids milled about the chamber but ignore Artoo thinking he was one of them.

Artoo silently blew a whistle and continued rolling deeper into the labyrinthine complex. He spotted a terminal link up and went straight at it and protruded his scomp link and inserted it on the socket.

The A.I. prompted Artoo of the nature of his inquiry and the astromech informed the computer that he had just came out from his regular memory wipe and wanted to update his mapping systems.

The A.I. processed his request and then allowed him access to the holographic schematics of the entire Lucrehulk-class battleship. Artoo hurriedly downloaded the data and at the same time deftly uploaded a N36 computer virus into the Trade Federation ship’s A.I. The N36 was a special sabotage programming created by the Naboo Royal Engineering technicians, it was designed to be invisible to current virus detection programming for at least a full thirty minutes which by the time it can be detected it would already be too late. Within twenty minutes upon infection the virus will render the A.I. and the entire computer grid of the ship unresponsive to manual commands and overrides. It will also ruin the automated functions of the A.I. making it in all terms and description, useless. Unfortunately, it was a one-time program only. Once the astromech droid deploys that virus, the droid can never do the same trick again unless it receives another upload of the same program from NRE.

Artoo checked his internal map of the ship and marked the power generators as his target. Leaving the console, Artoo proceeded to his next step.

On his way to the power generator Artoo spotted a Neimodian running in escort by several battle droids into a battered Corellian frigate. Artoo’s facial recognition identified the Neimodian as Hath Monchar. Artoo took a recording of his escape as he sped away just in case it might be needed later.

Artoo found the power generator complex deep in the battleship’s interior and was relieved to see no guards stationed there. Then Artoo halted and re-assessed the situation. His human-like programming in battle tactics warned him that this is a typical set-up for a trap.

Artoo decided to make a cursory scan of the entire chamber for droid signature and he instantly detected three dozens of them hiding from various machineries throughout the power generator complex.

Artoo looked around for something he might find useful when he spotted another console terminal. Another idea came to his oddly creative mind and Artoo went and jack himself into the terminal. He issued a recall order for all battle droids within the chamber and within microseconds the A.I. complied and sent the recall order. The thirty six battle droids and droidekas mechanically moved out of their hiding places and marched out of the chamber passing directly at Artoo and ignoring him at all.

Artoo hooted a goodbye to the marching droids as he hurried towards the lined columns of power generators. One by one Artoo planted the thermal detonators he was carrying and set the detonation to remote.

Once finished, Artoo dashed as fast as he could out of the battleship.

Outside, Lieutenant Hoff Siege manage to snatch a Single Troop Aerial Platform or STAP from one of the B1 Battle droids and were now being chased by a dozen STAP riders.

Siege made a sharp turn barely avoiding a massive branch ahead of him and reached for his comlink and called Artoo.

“Artoo you done yet?” he shouted over the noise of repulsor engine and the blaster bolts whizzing past him.

Artoo hooted a reply at him.

“Good job, meet me back on the cave, I needed to lose my tails first!” Siege told Artoo.

Artoo chirped an acknowledgement.

The droidekas were also chasing him but they were far behind due to the uneven terrain of the thick jungle plus the constant presence of little swamps throughout the foliage. Above the high canopy of branching leaves Siege could hear the whining engines of droid starfighters circling overhead tracking his STAP’s signal.

Siege still has at least three thermal detonators left. He made a quick glance and saw four of his pursuers gaining. He activated the magnetic brace of his first thermal detonator and threw it behind him. The bomb attached itself to the nearest metal and then detonated taking with it the four battle droids and their STAPs.

Eight was left and he still has two of the bombs. Again he waited until four of the droids were close to each other before throwing out his second bomb. Siege cried out in victory but the last four increased their speed and reached him, paralleling his flight. With two of them on each of his side they flanked him and matched his speed and they all aimed their blaster rifles at him.

“Uh oh.” Siege felt his mind reeled but he still have one trick up his sleeves and he wasted no time and executed it.

The moment the droid raised their rifles he took out his blaster, switched to cable and shoot the first tree that sped past him and as the cable tugged him off his STAP he released the last of his detonator and it attached itself on his STAP and exploded.

The close proximity of the explosion threw Siege off and he was alert enough to let go of the blaster or he would have smashed like an insect on one of the thick trunks of the trees around him. Siege fell on the bushed but the thick leaves and the soft mud cushioned his fall.

Siege reached on his belt to call Artoo but his comlink wasn’t there, it must have fallen off during his stumble. Siege walked the rest of the way and after an hour of making wrong turns and retracing his route he came out of the woods and into the rising slope of the mountain.

Then two droid starfighters came from above and circled around to bear their cannons on him. Siege froze thinking it was his end when the first droid starfighter exploded and as the other one tried to reorient itself on the new threat it too was destroyed.

Lieutenant Hoff Siege’s N1 Starfighter hovered a few meters before him and made a soft landing. Behind the empty cockpit Artoo swiveled his dome and whistled at him.

“Great shot Artoo, but don’t get cocky!” he smiled and climbed at his ship.

Siege and Artoo climbed up as the rest of the droid starfighters made the attempt to follow them but a number of N1 Starfighters suddenly burst out from the ion storm and fired at the trailing enemy ships.

“Yihaa!” Siege cheered as his surviving team made a tight formation around him.

“Look! It’s a Trade Federation warship!” cried out one of the pilots.

“Look at the size of that thing!” exclaimed another one.

“Cut the chatter, we’re leaving!” Siege, back as Raid Lead ordered.

Artoo whistled at him.

“Alright Artoo, do the honors.” Siege said.

Behind them as they enter the ion storm, the massive grounded Trade Federation Lucrehulk-class battleship exploded.

Moments after they were out of the atmosphere of Rori and into the blackness of space, Raid Squadron regrouped and headed home to Naboo.

“Raid Squadron, we still have two hours to get cleaned up, eat breakfast and refuel, we have a Coronation to attend!” Lieutenant Hoff Siege announced.

Behind them at the far side of Rori, a single Corellian freighter jumped into hyperspace.

Chapter 7: A Clone’s Fate

 Five hours earlier, back in Theed, Captain Magneta and Commander Panaka along with two other Palace Guards have taken the clone of King Veruna into the rarely used Interrogation Cell in the Palace Detention Building. The authenticated data provided by Artoo Detoo were reinforced by the recovered datachips from the Mootoo Cave ruins.

The Queen personally gave the initial interrogation on the captive clone but the prisoner only gave them vague details of the actual murder of the real King Veruna. Then she left Magneta to take over.

“Speak clone, who created you? Who is behind all this?” Magneta scowled in annoyance at the unresponsive captive.

The clone of King Veruna only stared at him with a smirk. It was a trademark of its original. Magenta would have back-off from that smirk from the original Veruna, but not to this one. The idea of copying his former king infuriated him. The clone was a powerful slap on his integrity, responsibility and honor. The clone in front of him is a tangible reminder of his failure as Captain of Naboo Security, as loyal citizen of Naboo and as a personal friend.

Veruna’s little sojourn in the jungles a month ago was approved by him. He allowed the King his regular hunting trip, securing only the outskirts of the entire forest. The former and late king had specifically instructed him to stay off of the jungle until his return.

He was so confident with his security arrangements that he agreed to let the king go in alone in the forest armed only with a projectile rifle to hunt for a zalaaca. Hours passed and the king was never found. Magneta led a search party that lasted a week until the king was found slightly injured and unconscious in one of the deeper caves with a carcass of a zalaaca beside him.

Magneta’s personal investigation led him to conclude that base on King Veruna’s testimony he shot a zalaaca but was attacked by a narglatch. He was scratched by the beast but he shot it and the narglatch fled. He dragged the zalaaca inside a cave to process it for trophy and meat but his wounds rendered him weak which resulted to fainting and suffer a week long comma.

Magneta believed the king and he had no reason to doubt him. Now, learning that the thing he found on the cave was not the real Veruna but a lowly clone, Magneta felt insulted and shamed for not recognizing the real from a clone. Panaka tried to ease his frustration by stating that not one of them could have possibly known it was a clone. Magneta ignored his commander’s patronizing, for him he has lost face and worse, failed his king.

Magneta punched the clone to vent out his rage and supplicate his wounded pride.

Panaka’s comlink beeped and he stepped out to take the call. Moments later Panaka burst open the cell door.

“Captain, space patrol spotted a Neimodian ship coming out of the South Pole and bearing towards Rori!” Panaka exclaimed.

“Handle it. I need to see this through.” Magneta said absently, Panaka doubt the captain had even grasped the import of this news.

“Yes sir!” Panaka left and started calling their squadron pilots.

“Guards, what will about to happen in this room must stay in this room, understand?” Magneta said menacingly at his remaining two companions.

“Yes Captain!” the pair of guards chorused.

Magneta left and when he returned, hovering with him was an IT-O9 interrogator droid prototype, a brother of the one owned by Riboga the Hutt. Such droids were illegal to the Republic. This one though was confiscated by Magneta during one of their raid against the Chommell Patriots in Keren City. King Veruna had ordered him to forge the documents of its decommissioning and keep the prototype hidden in case they may have use of such device in the course of their campaign against the self-proclaimed Chommell Patriots.

“Ironic isn’t it? To use this very droid that King Veruna had me kept to use against a prisoner to talk, which in this case, you, his clone.” Magneta said and spat on the clone’s foot.

“Alright, fine, I’ll talk.” the clone finally said but his voice were a bit hushed that Captain Magenta had to lean forward and down at his prisoner.

“What?” Magneta frowned.

The clone shot out his bound hands and rammed its steely fingers on the neck of Magneta who staggered back choking. The pair of guards raised their blasters and aimed but the clone leaped into the table, sprang up and slapped both blasters as the guards pulled the trigger. The green stun bolt hit squarely on each of the guards and they fell limp.

The clone casually kicked Magneta in the temples rendering him unconscious and then checked his pockets and finally retrieved a key and removed his binders. He took his time to bind the three at each other around the bolted metal table, locked them including the droid in the Interrogation Cell wherein he killed the power connection.

A single guard was outside and as the clueless guard turns around, the fist of the clone came at his face knocking him down. The clone changed his suit and took the uniform of the unconscious Palace Guard.

The clone of King Veruna darted straight into the quarters of the incoming queen. He was met there by another pair of guards but the clone easily got rid of them.

The clone paused and took Magenta’s comlink and activated the palm holo.

The small yet chilling black hooded form of a tattooed Zabrak appeared.

“Request to execute ahead of schedule.” The clone hissed. Eyes alert for any incoming security personnel. None came at the moment.

“Commence Red Pool.” the Zabrak bared his teeth.

The clone closed the comlink and punched the codes to enter the quarters of the new queen. The blastdoor opened into another wide hallway with a computer console at the far end. No one was there.

Reaching the end of the hall the clone turned left and entered the queen’s bedroom. Saw the sleeping form of Padme Naberrie on the blue silken robe and blanket. The clone raised the blaster and fired in full power with the setting set on kill. The bright red beam of the blaster tore through the bed leaving scorched fabrics, foam and wood killing the sleeping figure leaving a gaping hole in her cauterized belly.

The clone was momentarily blinded as the lights suddenly turned very bright in the bedroom and it felt a steely blow connected with a jarring impact on its nape. Before the clone could even react it was kicked in the left ribs sending him sprawling on the carpeted floor.

The tallest of the incoming queen’s handmaidens stood before the clone. Her eyes aflame with an unspoken threat, behind her comes the rest of the new handmaidens and Padme Naberrie herself.

The clone leaped but the tall handmaiden swung a roundhouse kick and hit the other square on the chest sending him back sprawling from where he was.

The clone charged again the handmaiden matched his attack. The two sparred with quick blurry hand movements, each deadly to its intended targets but both were evenly match, they easily dodged, blocked and countered every punch, jab and chop they could deliver at each other.

One swift punch got through the clone’s defenses and connected hard on its left jaw. Padme heard the loud crack of bones as the left jaw broke.

The clone spat blood and eyed the tall handmaiden with disbelief.

“You’re not a real handmaiden!” he muttered, his broken jaw made it even harder to speak and enunciate.

“And you are not the real Veruna.” the tall handmaiden grinned.

“I am Veruna! Every cell of it!” he countered.

“A clone nonetheless. If you must know, I am Aluva D’asima of Emberlene. I owe my life to Queen Amidala. That is all I am allowing you to know.” Aluva snarled contemptuously.

The clone started to say something but Aluva grabbed his collar, raised him over her and slammed him hard on the other corner of the room. The clone retaliated and the two was once again intertwined with each other, their seemingly erratic fighting techniques covered their cold, brutal precision.

They fought fiercely that way for the next twenty minutes until Captain Panaka arrived with several Palace Guards.

The clone dug his fingers on his hip into its flesh after he knocked Aluva off her feet. Then his fingers came out bloody holding a two inch capsule with led on it. Aluva and Panaka recognized the device.

“It’s a bomb!” Panaka exclaimed and unceremoniously grabbed Padme and threw her down the outside room and place his body protectively over her, his eyes closed tightly expecting a powerful explosion. He looked up and saw Aluva advanced on the clone.

Aluva swung, grabbed the clone’s hand holding the small bomb detonator and shoved it into its mouth and then gave him an amazingly strong kick of Padme’s window. The clone plummeted down the cliff face side of the new queen’s room, a few seconds the clone exploded.

Panaka stood up and helped Padme on her feet and the two went to look out of the window. “What a way to go.” Panaka said.

Chapter 8: The Chancellor’s Decree

 Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum sat on his stark office, doing his best to maintain a calm disposition as he listens to the argument ensuing before him. Seated to his left side of the table was Sei Taria his loyal Spiran aide and the stern Chagrian aide Mas Amedda both holding their datapads and a stack of datacards while they stolidly observed the other guests in the Supreme Chancellor’s office.

Across the table were a group of senators and Jedi.

Senators Palpatine of Naboo, Orn Free Taa of Ryloth, Passel Argente of Lethe Merchandising, Bail Organa of Alderaan, Fang Zar of Sern Prime and Garm Bel Iblis of Corellia sat on the long sofa facing the Supreme Chancellor and heatedly debating about the recent assassination of the leaders of the Trade Federation and the objection of the new Neimodian leaders on the on-going bill regarding the revision of taxations in trade routes.

The four Council members of the Jedi Order and one non-council Jedi Master stood on the right side of the seated senators offering insights and counter arguments whenever a question was directed at them or something is said that needed their interjection.

Masters Yoda, Dooku, Mace Windu, Sifo-Dyas and Qui-Gon Jinn regarded the matter at hand with calmness and objectivity.

“I am telling you something is not right here. The leaders of the Trade Federation being assassinated has something to do with this stirring conflict in Naboo about this taxation law we are to vote for today. The murdered Viceroy and his ranking officers were supportive of the proposed taxation bill, now they have been succeeded by former Senator Nute Gunray whose ideals and stand in taxation laws are completely contrast to the stand of the former leaders of the Trade Federation. He has to have a hand in this.” Fang Zar argued.

“Choose your words carefully my friend. Accusing Viceroy Gunray without evidence is not what a respected senator like you would normally say.” the stout Twi’lek senator grunted.

“The Viceroy has every reason to oppose the bill. I for one openly agree with him. This proposal will only choke the economic progress throughout the Republic, the restrictions represented in this bill will lead to the decline of profits margin not only for the Trade Federation but also for the other giant corporations such as the Banking Clan, Commerce Guild and so on.” Passel Argente stated.

“The bill will not destroy our economy. It will save us from plummeting down to economic chaos, the only reason these corporations were opposing this is because it will limit their profits, nothing more. The smaller companies will greatly benefit because it will allow them equal opportunity that those larger business enterprises has been denying them for centuries.” Garm Bel Iblis countered.

“In the first place, this bill has already been passed by Senator Palpatine seven months ago. I don’t see the need to revise it.” Passel Argente protested.

“If I may, this word just came in. A small group of Naboo pilots has discovered a Trade Federation ship hiding in Rori. According to the report here, the ship was destroyed and a certain Hath Monchar is suspected to have died there.” Senator Palpatine interjected, reading through his datapad.

“Hath Monchar is one of the heads of the Trade Federation. This will not look good to the newly crowned Queen of Naboo at all.” Master Sifo-Dyas said.

“The Trade Federation should never have been there in the first place.” Qui-Gon Jinn shook his head.

“The matter is unclear. There is another development as well, King Veruna turns out to be dead for a month now and the one we’ve been speaking to this past few weeks was a clone. The clone tried to assassinate the Queen around the same time the incident in Rori was taking place.” Palpatine added.

“The Trade Federation has gone too far this time!” Fang Zar growled.

“We don’t know that yet.” Passel Argente argued.

“The events in Naboo all ties up to them.” Garm Bel Iblis nodded at Fang Zar.

“What does the Neimodian representatives say on this?” Bail Organa asked.

“They do not know yet about these recent incidents.” Palpatine shook his head.

“So they say.” Fang Zar scoffed.

“We must dispatch a mediator to settle this conflict.” Orn Free Taa threw a pleading glance at Master Yoda.

“To the Trade Federation a Jedi has already been sent.” Yoda nodded solemnly.

“But the troubles are on Naboo. We should send Jedi there to protect the Queen, her coronation starts today, considering the past incidents, I believe whoever is responsible to those assassination attempts will not stop that easily. Someone clearly replaced King Veruna with a clone for a purpose. I could only imagine what the culprit would would do once the clone was back to the throne. Naboo will fall under his control.” Bail Organa implied.

“Agree with you the council does. Master Windu, emissaries to Naboo, who shall be?” Yoda turn to his Korun friend.

“Most of our Jedi have been dispatched elsewhere, a lot of crisis has been occurring across the galaxy recently…” Mace Windu mused.

“I will go.” Master Sifo-Dyas stated. “I don’t have an apprentice right now but… Master Dooku?” he turned to regard his old comrade.

“The entire council will be going to Naboo in a few hours but I can only stay there for the duration of the coronation, I have prior engagements after that.” Dooku shrugged.

“My padawan is on a peacekeeping mission to Anzat with Master C’baoth’s envoy, I will go with Master Sifo-Dyas.” Qui-Gon volunteered.

“You can’t stay long there as well. We are to reinforce our Jedi on Anzat.” Mace Windu reminded him.

“Then I guess we’ll have to solve it before the coronation ends.” Qui-Gon smiled.

“Persistent you are Master Qui-Gon. Solve it in only a few hours you can?” Yoda grinned.

“The revision of the taxation law will inhibit the monopoly of the Trade Federation in their sectors of operation. The fact that I have allowed them to build up their own private army because of that crisis with the Nebula Front terrorists has given them a dangerous capacity to impose their terms over their clients. It was my mistake to give them such resources. This tax revision is intended to end their droid army production and induce the Trade Federation to allocate half of the control to their droid foundry to the Republic.” Valorum explained.

“You’re blackmailing them? Is this what has become of the Republic?” Passel Argente frowned at the Supreme Chancellor.

“I don’t think of it that way Senator Argente.” Palpatine went for the defense of the Chancellor. “The new Viceroy of the Trade Federation wasn’t there yet when the approval for their small army was ratified by the senate. Now that the involved Neimodians were killed, Viceroy Nute Gunray and his henchmen have now full control of the production of their droid army in which I am personally alarmed.”

“The army is for the protection of the Trade Federation.” Senator Orn Free Taa said.

“It’s still a private army.” Bail Organa countered.

“Do not forget the involvement of the Chommell Patriots in this.” Fang Zar smirked at Argente and Free Taa.

“My points exactly, it may very well be the doing of those terrorist group rather than the Trade Federation. Those rebels could be just distracting us from looking closely into their operations by blaming their attacks to the Trade Federation.” Passel Argente elaborated.

“According to Senator Palpatine, a certain Hath Monchar has been seen working with the Chommell Patriots. Hath Monchar is said to be a high ranking Trade Federation leader.” Mace Windu interjected.

“Then he’s the traitor, using his connections on the Trade Federation to aid those rebels. But he was dead already right, in that explosion on Rori?” Orn Free Taa shrugged.

“That is why I am going there to investigate, so I can give you all the answers to your questions.” Sifo-Dyas mediated.

“Chancellor, Senators, we shall take our leave now, we will discuss this further in the Council.” Mace Windu bowed to Valorum and nodded at the gathered Senators.

“Rush not into conclusions you must. Danger I sense in Naboo.” Yoda said as the Jedi strode out of the Chancellor’s office.

“What did he mean by that?” Orn Free Taa frowned in confusion.

“Senator Palpatine, do you think Viceroy Gunray will actually use his droid army?” Bail asked.

“I do not know but with the events going on in these past few days alone, I think this new Viceroy can be a problem for the Republic.” Palpatine sighed.

“It gives us all the more reason to settle this issue as soon as possible.” Garm Bel Iblis nodded.

“Chancellor Valorum, the Senate will be in session in a few minutes.” Sei Taria politely interrupted them.

“Very well, senators, my friends, let’s get moving.” Supreme Chancellor Valorum stood up. The other senators piled out of the office as Sei Taria and Mas Amedda discusses the final details to the leader of the Galactic Republic.

Outside Master Sifo-Dyas was waiting in the hallway. Senator Palpatine acknowledges the Jedi and together they walked towards the empty corridor.

“What is it my friend.” Palpatine asked.

“I have been thinking a lot lately.” Sifo-Dyas sighed, not sure how to begin.

“Thinking about what I said to you the last time?” Palpatine glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot.

“Yes. In there, when they mentioned the alarmingly growing droid army of the Trade Federation, it got me thinking again. The treat in Ynchorr, all those Jedi that perished including Master Micah Giiett and now this conflict in Anzat, it all involved massive numbers of army… putting two and two together, I am beginning to see your point. If these threats decided to direct their forces at the Republic itself instead of internal planetary conflicts, our Republic Navy will not be enough to protect our worlds, not even with the Jedi helping.” Sifo-Dyas slowly stated.

“My friend, I am sorry if my words have caused you distress. It was not my intention for you to be this… troubled.” Palpatine placed his hands on the Jedi’s shoulder and looked at him in the eye.

“Don’t be sorry. You were right. I have spoken to Lama Su and he has offered a way to save the Republic from this growing threat. But I do not have the authority or the credits to get it started. I wanted to speak of this to Master Dooku or to the council…” Sifo-Dyas sighed heavily.

“Wait a minute. Lama Su, Prime Minister Lama Su of Kamino?” Palpatine’s eyes widened.

“Yes.” Sifo-Dyas nodded.

“The Kaminoans are cloners, what do you have in mind?” Palpatine whispered.

Sifo-Dyas looked around before answering.

“Back in our meeting at the Perlemian Orbital Facility, Hego Damask gave this suggestion, that I contact the Prime Minister of Kamino and…”

Sate Pestage suddenly came and approached them.

“Forgive me for the interruption, but the Senate session will now begin.” He said.

“Thank you.” Palpatine nodded then tapped the Jedi’s shoulder. “I gather you have placed the order then?” he asked casually.

“Yes but…” Sifo-Dyas nodded hesitantly.

“Don’t worry, Hego Damask is my friend, he will handle the funding.” Palpatine smiled and left him.

When they were on the entrance to his platform, Palpatine activated his portable holo-comm.

“Lord Tyranus, the order has been placed. Begin your search for the template.” Palpatine said and ended the communication. Palpatine nodded at Sate Pestage and together they climbed the platform.

Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum was already speaking.

“You seemed happy Senator.” Sate Pestage grinned knowingly.

“Of course I am. Everything is proceeding as planned.” Palpatine smiled deviously.

Chapter 9: Naberrie Fields

 Ryoo Thule stood by the door looking at her youngest granddaughter being readied by a contingent of Royal Handmaidens. She beamed with pride and fear for her granddaughter knowing all too well how many times her life had been repeatedly placed in danger the moment she was elected to succeed the late King Veruna.

Jobal Naberrie came to stand beside her mother and smiled.

“She is so beautiful.” Ryoo said to her daughter.

“She takes after you.” Jobal nodded.

“So do you.” Ryoo agreed then another Naberrie joined them.

“Hey don’t forget about me. I’m beautiful too!” Sola teased her mother and grandmother.

“Of course you are my dear.” Ryoo embraced her older granddaughter. It’s been a while since she last saw them. In fact the last time was when Padme became Princess of Theed.

And now her granddaughter is the Queen of Naboo.

She felt warm tears running down her cheeks.

“Grandma, don’t cry you’ll make me cry too.” Padme spoke still facing on the mirror before her but her eyes were on their reflections.

“And you’ll ruin her make-up!” Ruwee Naberrie strode in and kissed his mother-in-law and daughter in the cheek and his wife on the lips and then walked past them to stand behind his daughter as the handmaidens continue to fix her hair and make-up.

“Hello dad, how’s your meeting with the Council?” Padme asked. Aluva her bodyguard crouched before her and applied red paint on her lips and cheeks.

“Reports from Raid Squadron from Rori indicate an encounter with a Trade Federation control ship that is believed to be under Hath Monchar. The ship has been destroyed with the Neimodian. Governor Bibble is now trying to contact the viceroy to confront him of this obvious direct violation of our trade rights.” Ruwee explained to her.

“Ruwee if you are going to ruin this moment with matters of the state then I will have to throw you out of the room.” Jobal chided and pulled her husband away from Padme who were starting to laugh at her quip.

“I’m innocent!” Ruwee jokingly protested as he was ushered back to the doorway.

“Now you young lady should stop laughing. I hear the delegates from the capital will be arriving shortly, you must be ready by then.” Jobal smiled at Padme.

“Aluva?” Padme glanced at her bodyguard.

“We’re almost done Your Highness.” Aluva bowed.

“Darred has arrived!” Sola announced after answering her boyfriend’s call on her comlink.

“Who’s Darred?” Ryoo frowned.

“Darred Janren, Sola’s boyfriend.” Ruwee answered.

“You’re getting married now?” Ryoo gasped, Ruwee rolled his eyes.

“Mother, she’s just dating him, it’s not that serious… yet.” Jobal said and winked at her eldest daughter.

Aluva interrupted them, “Her Highness, the Queen of Naboo is ready.”

Ryoo, Jobal, Ruwee and Sola stopped and turn to look at Padme and were stunned.

Padme Naberrie stood regally in her flowing red royal gown with hand-stitched golden embroidery from her chest and downward with shed potolli fur cuffs. Six illuminated sein jewel were equally place at the lowest part of her gown, rimed around the edges was a wide gown flare that completely hides her feet. Her hair was tightly combed back with the rest of her hair in hidden in a bun behind. Her face was of stylized white make-up based from Naboo’s ancient customs. Each cheek has a stylized beauty mark that symbolizes symmetry and her upper lip was of crimson and her lower lip was of white with a single red mark in the center representing the Scar of Remembrance, a reminder of Naboo’s time of suffering before the Great Time of Peace.

“By the Force! You’re so…” Ryoo gasped.

Jobal was at a loss of words, Ruwee nodded with approval at his youngest daughter and engulfed his wife in a tight embrace.

Sola was teary eyed and pressed her hands together smiling at her sister.

“You’re a goddess Padme!” Sola exclaimed.

“Oh Sola.” Padme smiled.

Governor Sio Bibble arrived with Darred Janren.

The governor formally bowed, “Your Majesty, the ship from Coruscant has arrived.”

“Oh my, Padme… I mean, Your Highness, you are so radiant!” Darred awkwardly bowed at her.

“Thank you Darred.” Padme chuckled then turn to her family, “Grandma, dad, mom, Sola, I will take my leave, I’ll see you at the ceremony, I love you all.” Padme said to them, she wanted to run to her parents and embrace them and kiss them but she held herself back, right this moment she is the Queen and have a lot of duty to attend to. She can be mushy later tonight in the privacy of her chambers when they were alone with each other.

Governor Sio Bibble led Padme down the hallways and was joined by Captain Magneta, Commander Panaka and the Advisory Council, trailing behind her was her Royal Handmaidens led by Aluva.

“Ruwee, Jobal.” Darred shook hands with Sola’s parents as they watch Padme and her companions leave.

Sola introduced him to her grandmother, “Darred, this is my grandma Ryoo.”

“I am honored to finally meet you, now I see where Sola and her mother’s beauty came from.” Darred took her hand and kissed it.

“I like him already.” Ryoo raised an eyebrow at Jobal and Sola.

“Well Darred, I must say I am really glad to have you with us here. Between us, I kind of needed another male around here, with all these pretty ladies joining forces against me.” Ruwee placed an arm over Darred’s shoulder.

“Well if that was the case then we really shouldn’t let that happen!” Darred grinned.

“We still outnumber you.” Sola countered as they all started to walk out of the palace to the reception area by the garden.

Sola were in charge of the festivities for the Queen’s Coronation, and she divided her duties to Reception, Entertainment and Cuisine. Her father is a great cook so she assigned him to oversee the preparations for the foods. Her mother has a nice taste for music so she put her on entertainment which Jobal was very grateful. Sola was more of a people person so she handled reception.

Grandma Ryoo joined her daughter while Darred gladly assisted Sola on checking on the number of seats and tables and coordinating with Commander Panaka for security details.

Sola went to the garden entrance to make sure the reception committee was in good order. The tables were set and the security lines were ready. She approached Junior Palace Guard Gregar Typho, nephew of Commander Panaka and introduced Darred to him. She left the two men discussing security details while she went to review the VIP list on the data card of one of the members of the reception committee.

Another staff approached her.

“Sola, we need your help on the table for the Jedi Council, some of our men were unsure about the physiology of our Jedi because…”

“We start with Master Yoda’s chair…” Sola rushed with him to the VIP section.

 * * * 

Lieutenant Hoff Siege has bathed and dressed up for the occasion and was now heading for the Flight Office for a final briefing with Captain Ric Olie. Artoo Detoo, fresh from an oil bath trailed after him.

“Take your time off Artoo then meet me back at the hangar in an hour.” Siege said and tossed a comlink to the astromech droid.

Artoo caught the comlink and beeped an affirmative and paused to look around, unsure what to do for the time being and where to go.

Then his auditory pick up detected faint music. Curiosity, an odd trait even for a modified R2 unit, compelled him to head off to where the sound was originating. After a few turns here and there Artoo found himself looking at a vast garden filled with flags, hanging decorations, lanterns, banners, tables and chairs and darting people.

A stage was set at the farthest side of the garden right by the cliff but it was high enough for even those seated near at the entrance to easily see it.

Up in the stage were off world musicians… and several droids whose make and model were not found in Artoo’s programmed archives.

Artoo started to roll and accidentally bumped onto two conversing males.

Artoo beeped an apology and rolled onward.

Typho and Darred regarded the droid with mild amusement then resume conversing.

“Artoo! Artoo! Mom, look it’s Artoo Detoo!” a child’s voice caught the attention of Artoo as he was about to duck over a passing men carrying a huge roasted beast on a bamboo pole. The droid rotated his dome and focused her photoreceptor on the source of the voice.

It was the kid Rinn Olie with his mother Thea.

Artoo was relieved to see a familiar face and hurriedly rolled towards them.

“Mom will sing for the Queen, isn’t that wonderful?” Rinn proudly stated.

Artoo chirped a compliment at Thea Olie.

“Thank you Artoo.” Thea smiled then a middle aged lady approached them and spoke to her.

“Thea Olie?” asked the older lady.

“Yes mam?” Thea nodded.

“I’m Ryoo, Jobal’s mother. She says your final rehearsal is about to begin, follow me.” Ryoo said then left at once.

“Who is she?” Rinn asked.

“Jobal is the Queen’s mother so she’s the grandma of the Queen.” Thea answered then turn to regard Artoo.

“Artoo, can you look after Rinn for a while?” she asked him.

Artoo gave a series of hoots and beeps explaining he must be back to the hangar in an hour.

Thea nodded, “I’ll be back by that time, if not, bring Rinn to the East Music Hall.” she said to him.

Artoo beeped an acknowledgement.

“Thank you Artoo. Now you be a good boy, Rinn.” Thea leaned to kiss her son and left.

“I’m always a good boy.” Rinn muttered then when his mother was out of sight he turn to the droid.

“Hey Artoo, I heard they have a Wookie band playing for the coronation feast, I have never seen a Wookie before, have you?” Rinn asked.

Artoo beeped a negative.

“Let’s go see them! They’re over there on that blue tent!” Rinn exclaimed and before Artoo could react the boy was already running off.

Artoo moaned and hurried after the boy.

If anyone nearby understood it they would have heard:

I got a bad feeling about this.