Star Wars – Artoo Detoo: Droid of a Kind (Volume 2) [Preview]

PART THREE: MAKER’S SON

 

Prologue: Maintenance

Reepek was no longer his old Recon-PK droid self, he received a full memory wipe and overall reprogramming from his basic reconnaissance algorithms to his ever skeptical personality.

His mechanical brain was transferred to an entirely new and larger, humanoid metallic frame made from a very rare and overly expensive quantum allow complete with chrome finish.

Physically Reepek now resembles a lithe Twi’lek male but internally he was something else entirely. His new maker made him an advance droid mechanic and bodyguard for the Queen of Naboo who were now facing a lot of stress and threat due to her coming end of term and the seemingly endless rallies of several factions that has been protesting against the continuous trade franchise privileges obtained by the Raltosan Enterprise and the ongoing joint military exercise in the moon of Rori between the Royal Naboo Security Forces, Gungan Grand Army and the Moviana Patriots.

Reepek knew that politics was not among his strong points nor it was on his companion, although the little astromech droid seems to be highly opinionated about the bureaucratic affairs of Queen Amidala and the acting Chommell Sector Senators Sate Pestage and Kinman Doriana.

Captain Aluva D’asima of the Royal Naboo Special Action force was still technically Reepek’s owner, but the droid is currently reassigned to the Droid Maintenance Division of the Naboo Royal Engineering Department.

A loud series of beeps and chirps snapped Reepek out of his daydreaming, if such a term could be attributed to their kind. Annoyed, Reepek swiveled his faceless chrome head to look down on the petulant R2 unit who kept shoving him in to the Diagnostic Center where the rest of the Bravo Squadron astromechs are being processed.

“If you will not stop pushing and scratching my expensive legs I will be forced to hallow out your body and convert it into a waste dispenser!” Reepek snapped at Artoo Detoo I annoyance.

Artoo rotated his dome and let out a litany of complaints and retorts much to the consternation of Reepek.

“Oh shut it Artoo, your friends will not be undergoing into any form of memory wipe today and I am personally assuring you of it. That is if my word is enough for that thick bunker of a head of yours!” Reepek groaned as he punched in the access code of the highly secured Diagnostic Center.

Artoo was about to give the former Recon-PK droid a witty quip when a young boy came by the entrance to greet them.

“Finally! Where on the moons of Iego have you two been? I’ve been having a really hard time to start my check-up on your friends here,” Technical Engineer Trainee Rinn Olié blurted at Reepek and Artoo Detoo as he pointed on the relentless and noisy bunch of R2 units.

Artoo would have let out an exasperated sigh had he been capable of it upon seeing the rest of his fellow Bravo Squadron astromechs moving about in systematic chaos around the chamber giving the frantic technicians a sizable headache enough to seal the Maw off permanently.

Artoo Detoo spotted the familiar color scheme of R2-E3 amidst the fray; unfortunately, Reepek seems to have spotted her the same time as he does.

“Oh Artoo, look, there’s your girlfriend.” Reepek said jovially.

Artoo squealed angrily at him emphasizing that she’s not. Reepek merely chuckled which further infuriated him. Deciding to ignore and leave his sarcastic companion, Artoo hurriedly rolled through the throng of darting astromechs and chasing technicians to where Artoo Ethree seems to be engaged in a heated debate with the Diagnostic Center Computer.

Arthree spotted Artoo and chirped a greeting then resume her cursing against the DCC. Artoo noticed that her scomp link seems to be already heating up from its socket.

Artoo warned her of it but she ignores him and kept insisting on the computer that none of them needed to be diagnosed at the time being. And that she doesn’t care whether the database insists that they were all signed and scheduled to undergo on one today.

Knowing that once Arthree enters in that mood, there would be no stopping her until the matter is settled… in her favor.

Artoo then noticed that the astromechs of Vengeance Squadron are also in the room and surmised that there is indeed another trouble brewing once more here on Naboo.

Artoo Detoo rolled and greeted Afy, the Head Astromech of Vengeance Squadron before rejoining Reepek and Rinn Olié who were huddled absorbingly by the central holographic table showing an unfamiliar virtual schematic of a large space vessel. Upon reaching them he asked what it was.

Reepek answered reflexively without leaving his gaze on the area where Rinn was indicating with his laser pointer, “It’s an ancient Daedelus-class Star Fortress…”

“It’s the Jaguada Void.” Rinn said gravely.

Artoo Detoo frowned, or so to speak, the name doesn’t ring a bell at all.

 Chapter 1: Case Dismissed

Queen Amidala, Interim Senators Sate Pestage and Kinman Doriana, Captain Panaka and General Jar Jar Binks along with Eirtaé and Sabé stood on their senate platform as it hovers before the Supreme Chancellor’s podium.

Hovering alongside them were Senator Bail Prestor Organa with his aides Liana Merian and Agrippa Alderete, and Senator Yarua of Kashyyyk with Jedi Knight Kai Justiss on their respective platforms.

Opposite them floated the senate platform of Senator Lott Dod of the Trade Federation looking as smug as ever.

Mas Amedda, the Chagrin aide and second-hand of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine raised his voice over the uproar of protest and angry howls of the larger percentage of the senate attendees and the creepy and mysterious Sly Moore glaring at the complaining senators.

“The Senate Ruling Committee has unanimously agreed to strip the Trade Federation of their Droid Army and revoke their entire trade franchise within the Chommell Sector and half of their trade franchise within the Outer Rim Territories…” Mas Amedda announced and the crowd bursts into cheers and applauses.

“…the Senate Ruling Committee on the other hand have no found no compelling grounds to remove Nute Gunray from his rank as the Viceroy of the Trade Federation,” the Chagrin continued, this declaration triggered an avalanche of protests from the supporters of Queen Amidala.

Mas Amedda shouted for silence as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine pounds his gavel and raise his hands to calm the outraged senators.

“Please, my friends. Be seated and calm down…” Palpatine went on with his speech about accepting the rule of law and the decisions of the Senate Court but the representatives from Naboo were no longer inside the Senate Chamber to listen to him.

Disgusted, Queen Amidala and her company walked out of the Senate Building and into the newly constructed Senate Building Extension and Landing Bay. Behind her, Pestage and Doriana pleaded for her to listen to their explanation but Queen Amidala was no longer interested with their excuses. She was seriously contemplating on accepting Senator Organa’s suggestion that she take the representation of the Chommell Sector from the two Interims in order to gain more access and opportunities to protect their Sector’s rights within the Republic, especially in the Senate.

General Binks nodded for Captain Panaka to lead the Queen back to her Royal Starship as the Gungan turn to block the two Interim Senators.

“Youssa two have ussen done enough. Wessa no longer interested with youssa excuses… or lies.” Binks growled and glared down at Pestage and Doriana then went to leave with the others.

The envoy boarded the Royal Starship and left Coruscant in a hurry. Hours later, the Queen was back on her throne room on Theed Palace facing the holo of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.

“Your Majesty, please I implore you not to give up. The Trade Federation may have found a way around the technicalities but I assure you that Interim Senators Pestage and Doriana are doing all they can to bring Viceroy Nute Gunray into justice…” Palpatine said.

“You’ve been giving that line to me throughout my term, Chancellor. It is time for the leaders of the Chommell Sector to elect a new Senator, your aides however loyal they maybe to you are not one of us. They do not share the same passion and needs of our people. Doriana and Pestage are not even from our sector. I am sorry Chancellor Palpatine, but the nominations for our new representative must finally put in motion.” Queen Amidala intoned.

“Very well, Your Highness. I trust that whoever will replace my vacated position will not disappoint you this time.” Palpatine bowed and faded.

“Captain, send out a call for the leaders of the Allied Worlds of the Chommell Sector. Tell them I wish to convene with them as soon as possible here.” Queen Amidala ordered.

“As you wish, Your Highness.” Captain Panaka snapped in attention and left the throne room. Governor Sio Bibble regarded her curiously.

“Yes Governor?” the Queen acknowledged the look her old friend was giving her.

“Are you finally considering the suggestions of Senator Organa and Baron Clovis?” Sio asked.

“This is the last year of my term as queen but I still feel that I have much to do for our people. Senator Organa’s offer is an option but there are a lot of things to be weighed and considered before I make a final decision.” Amidala nodded.

“Her Majesty, are you aware that the governors of Naboo are petitioning to the Legislative Commission for granting you a second term?” Sio Bibble reminded her.

“The Legislative Commission will not allow me to be Queen again. Since the multiple terms expended by the late Ars Veruna, the term of service of a monarch were reduced to three years. You know that.” Amidala shook her head.

“True, but not if the people elected you once more,” the old man countered.

“I cannot run, I must be nominated.” Amidala said.

“More than half of the Nomination Panel of the Legislative Commission is now casting their vote on you as we speak.” Sio Bibble smiled.

“I am flattered and honored that they still believe in my abilities to serve our people. Who else are nominated?” Amidala inquired.

“Three other Princesses of Theed namely Senna Marie, Gellene Zapalo and Danielle Nashira.” Sio answered.

“They do posses the necessary qualifications, and they are all younger than my batch when I was nominated. I know Gellene; she was my Junior Aide when I was princess of Theed. As for Senna and Danielle, I have met them last year when I hosted the graduation of the Legislative Youth Program. Those two were the top of their class.” Amidala recalled.

“Your wisdom of experience will be hard to compete against.” Bibble commented.

“Yet their fresh perspective, youthful ideology and untainted academic achievements are far more difficult to go against.” Amidala mused.

“You are a just ruler and a fair opponent. This election will indeed be most interesting to behold.” Bibble nodded.

“Governor, I want you to set up a conference between the other governors, the council and the three nominees. I want you to head that meeting and discuss the platforms of the three for our planet and our people; I guess my bid for the senate must wait a little longer.” Amidala smiled and stood up.

“I will arrange for the conference and set it tonight, will you be joining?” the old bureaucratic veteran asked.

“No. I do not wish to cause a conflict of interest.” Amidala said and dismissed everyone and was escorted by her Royal Handmaidens to her room.

* * *

A soft drizzle gently obscures the moonlit night of the Theed side of Naboo, a bright fire by the hearth at the living room of the Olié residence casts long dancing angular shadows from the four figures facing each other.

Thea Olié, recently appointed as Assistant of the Lady Crystaé, head of the Naboo Committee of Commerce gives her best to answer the political inquiries of her son and his two droid companions; Reepek and Artoo Detoo while they wait for her husband Captain Ric Olié to get home from his staff meeting at his office in Theed Palace.

“So mother, in what category does Naboo falls? We are a member of a confederation of worlds here on the Chommell Sector and also a part of the Galactic Republic right? So technically we are governed by democracy but locally our political structure seemed far more complicated…” Rinn started to ask.

“…we are ruled by a monarch but it couldn’t be truly called as a monarchy since the process of succession is not based on royal bloodlines but from an electorate’s basis exclusively under the discretion of the Legislative Commission consisting of our local city governors and that of the carefully appointed Advisory Council. In that method we fall under parliamentary rule but on the other hand, we do not ordain a prime minister like that in Kardara and the other neighboring worlds. And two thirds of the vote comes from the citizens, this got me really confused, mother.”

“Classifying a complex governing system like ours is derived from a combination of the various typical governmental structures existing among the diverse multitudes of the Republic…” Thea explained.

“And what about the integration of the Gungans to the Naboo, how does the two different bodies of civilization fits in together? Will the Gungan now be subjected under our laws or us to theirs? Or a new structure is to be made to accommodate both systems?” Reepek asked.

“That is a good question, Reepek. It has been three years now since the Great Battle of Naboo and both groups has not settled yet into a formal convocation to meet each others’ terms. This is mostly due to the fact that a lot of drawbacks and backlashes have surfaced in the aftermath of our war against the Trade Federation.” Thea explained.

“Because of the involvement of Black Sun and the agents of the Hutts,” Rinn nodded in understanding.

Artoo Detoo beeped in supplication and Thea smiled at the droid, “Yes Artoo you are right. Aside from those criminal organizations’s involvement, there is this undying issue in regards to the huge participation of the Raltosan Enterprise and their private army the Moviana Patriots.”

“All because they were once the Chommell Patriots, a ruthless and troublesome terrorist group that plagued the Chommell Sector and its outlying systems until the blockade.” Reepek added.

“Exactly,” Thea smiled and continued, “You know all about this activist group right?”

“The Anti-Moviana Movement,” Rinn supplied.

“They are just the voice of the minority, how could they be a problem?” Reepek queried.

“A minority? You must understand that not because the vocal protesters are few doesn’t mean those who agree with them are few as well. Most people harbor their resentment and opinions on their own, behind whispered conversations, under the cover of shadows. For example, before the blockade began, none of us knew how numerous the Gungans truly are. Even though we know they are many, we never would have imagined that they actually numbered in millions because we rarely see their kind within the human populated cities and towns before they forged their allegiance with us.” Thea clarified.

“Alright, but still, I am utterly baffled as to how would their protests and public rallies do any good for their cause? Our system is fixed; the decisions can only come from the Legislative Commission, the Advisory Council with Queen making it final. I don’t see how they could stop the treaty between Naboo and the Raltosan Enterprise, unless a large number of the Panel and Council are members of the AMM.” Reepek said.

“The answer is plain and simple, their arguments would affect public opinion and a strong public opinion can always put pressure on the decisions of the powers-that-be. That is a basic rule in every civilized world.” Rinn explained to him.

Artoo moaned sadly.

“Yes, once again you are correct Artoo. The AMM can also go legal in this. As the Assistant of the Head of the Naboo Committee of Commerce, I have come across the studying of our laws and constitution, mainly in part of learning the legalities in commerce. And I am telling you right now they can go around the law and spot some conflicts and exploit it to their advantage.” Thea said.

“Politics is way too complicated, even for my mechanical brain.” Reepek shook his head.

Artoo chirped a retort and everyone burst into laughter.

The chime sounded and they heard Ric’s landspeeder moving into the garage. After a few moments he emerged from the garage side door and rejoined them on the living room.

“What have I missed?” Ric asked.

“Oh not much really dad, besides, the case is already closed and we are now moving to the second agenda.” Rinn inclined his head.

“And that is?” Ric feigned confusion as Reepek and Artoo Detoo leaves the living room and into the kitchen to help out Thea prepare and serve the steaming hot zalaaca chops and Kaboola ribs.

“Dinner!” Rinn Olié exclaimed.

 Chapter 2: The Voice of the People

A year ago in an open-talk convention between the Naboo Committee for Commerce and the Anti-Moviana Movement conducted by the newly elected Governor of Keren; retired Captain Maris Magneta, Bravo Squadron Leader Hoff Siege was introduced to the young and stunning Selle Marrie, leaders of the AMM and the only and older sister of Theed Princess Senna Marrie.

Despite the political barrier between them the two were surprised to learn that they have much in common. Since that night, Hoff and Senna had been constantly dating. In their first months together, they became a hot item on the media networks of the Chommell Sector, but after a couple of months the press’ interest in them waned. They were finally left to enjoy each other’s company in public restaurants and parks without being feasted by reporters and journalists.

Hoff and Senna fell deeply in-love with each other that they agreed never to discuss matters of state and maintain mutual respect to their political stand.

In two months’ time they will be celebrating their first year together. Hoff intends to propose to her on that day.

“Eight months and I still haven’t met your family.” Hoff commented as the two of them snuggled together on the edge of the plateau overlooking the Theed Spaceport below and the regal Theed Palace to their right.

“Next week my grandmother will be celebrating her 90^th birthday. It’ll be like a grand reunion of our entire clan. Come with me.” Senna said and kissed his neck.

“I’ve only met two from your side; your beautiful and intelligent sister Selle and your temperamental cousin Max.” Hoff grinned at the memory.

“Oh please understand Max, he’s been through a lot. His mother being bed-ridden for almost four years now, his father…” Senna placed her hands on his cheeks to turn his head so he could look at her captivating eyes.

“I know. Max is a great kid, and a very talented one. He and Rinn developed that certain brotherly bond since working together during the blockade crisis. I heard he became the Tech Supervisor of Naboo Royal Engineering. Director Riggs Fenn did the right thing. Max will do wonders for the NRE.” Hoff nodded at her.

“You were telling me a few months back that you’ve been meaning to make contact with your youngest sister Hena in Corrovos IX. Have you done so?” Senna recalled.

“We’ve been busy for the past few months; at least I know that she’s doing fine there. She got a job on a diner; a cook, something she’s always passionate about.” Hoff said remembering his last conversation with Hena.

“She’s a very beautiful woman; does she have a boyfriend already?” Senna asked.

“Over my dead body!” Hoff chuckled.

“Don’t be selfish Hoff! She’s old enough to be in a relationship, she’s tough and independent, and she can handle herself.” Senna playfully punched his ribs.

“Alright, alright, I give up!” Hoff laughed and pulled her down with him on the thick Kothlis carpet.

* * *

Artoo Detoo and Reepek accompanied Rinn Olié to the Legislative Youth Program campus after receiving a call about a virus infecting the database system of the entire compound.

A curious group of young students gathered around Rinn as he checks the computer console in the head office. Professor Olek Barquin came in and ushered the students out of the room.

Outside, Artoo Detoo and Reepek were suddenly bombarded with questions by the students about Artoo’s experience in the Great Battle of Naboo and Reepek’s state-of-the-art modifications done to him by Rinn Olié.

The smallest girl examined Reepek’s face closely, “It looks thin and light, isn’t this supposed to be some kind of armor?”

“Do not be deceived by the appearance of weakness…” Reepek quoted and the children smiled recognizing the old saying.

“…for strength lies beyond what the eyes could discern,” the same girl who asked him finished the quotation.

“My favorite, The Journals of King Jafan,” one of the boys grinned.

“A wise and great King he was. So, what should I call you, little miss?” Reepek regarded the small girl.

“Jamila,” the girl giggled.

“I’m Keet Migos!” the blonde boy puffed his chest and then the rest of the children introduced themselves to the two droids.

Artoo Detoo was showing to them some holorecording of the space battle against the Trade Federation when Rinn and Professor Barquin came out.

“Just give a few hours for the entire system to reboot and load the new system. I’ve installed my own programmed firewall in your security software just to be sure. Should anything go wrong again just give my supervisor a call. You do have Max Entarrie’s comm code right?” Rinn was saying to the old professor as they were stepping out of his office.

“Yes, yes, thank you so much Rinn. Captain Olié must be very proud of you.” Professor Barquin shook the boy’s hand.

“Much of these I learned from Max, I was more of a technician and mechanic than a programmer and a slicer, but I think I can also learn that trade.” Rinn nodded.

“Oh I’m sure of that Rinn.” Professor Barquin winked then regarded the other children, “Come now kids, go back to your classrooms, say goodbye to our NRE friends.”

“Goodbye Rinn, Artoo and Reepek!” Jamila, Keet and the others waved as the trio started for the hallway leading out to the courtyard.

Outside, the three were surprised to see that a crowd of students from the young ones to the seniors gathered across the lawn.

“It’s them again.” Reepek commented.

Artoo Detoo extended up his periscope at maximum length to look above the heads of the crowd and saw what his counterpart means.

Rinn let out a deep sigh. It was the Anti-Moviana Movement again. “I’m still free for the next thirty minutes so I guess we might as well stay for a while and see what the Righteous Ones have composed this time against our off-world allies.”

Artoo Detoo moaned in agreement. Reepek being the tallest of them and of the gathered people, led Rinn and Artoo closer.

Selle Marrie, the striking activist leader of the AMM was standing on her landspeeder and was holding a loudspeaker addressing the gathered curious students.

 “Have you all forgotten, four years ago when the Gungan terrorist Gantu along with their leaders Alle Vomm and Sheeana Fley came in this campus and forced our Dean to surrender the codes to the Restricted Vaults in the Royal Archives? Have you forgotten how one of their soldier, Clynt Resnon, now the director of the so called Raltosan Enterprise, stormed in with his men and shot down Dean Kynes Migos and several other professors?” Selle was saying.

The senior students nodded in recollection while the rest only gave her confused looks. Rinn crossed his arms; he was nine when that happened. His father led the assault to drive the Chommell Patriots militia away.

“And now, that same Clynt Resnon is out there, basking with the profits his precious Raltosan Enterprise was reaping from this insulting trade franchise granted to them by our Queen! Where is justice in that? Since when do law offenders, especially terrorists, like Resnon and his men earn the right to profit from their victims?” Selle pointed out and some students yelled in agreement.

“They should be facing the court instead of getting fat with their striving business empire! A business that was very clear to me that serves only to fund their still existing army under the guise of a new name, the Moviana Patriots! Open your eyes future leaders of our beloved Naboo! Is this what has become of us? Allowing terrorists in our midst, embracing them as friends and equals?” more from the crowd began shouting mixed reactions.

“They are laughing at our naiveté, shoving the name of that accursed Gantu criminal in our faces. Raltosan Enterprise is nothing more than a façade, there is no Moviana Patriots… they still, they are and they will always be Chommell Patriots; oppressors of the people, criminals, terrorists!” Selle raised her clenched fist.

Some of the older students cheered and raised their fists while some shook their heads, shouted boos and started herding off the younger ones. Rinn, Reepek and Artoo noticed that some of the young students were looking back at Selle, admiration glistening in their eyes.

“She knows how to win her crowd.” Reepek muttered.

“I got a bad feeling about this.” Rinn sighed and led Reepek and Artoo out of the campus to the parking lot where their landspeeder is.

* * *

Senna Marrie, Gellene Zapalo and Danielle Nashira; Princesses of Theed, sat on the chairs facing Governor Sio Bibble, ten other City Governors, the Royal Advisory Council and the representatives of the Naboo Legislative Commission.

“Princesses, we are greatly pleased that you all graced us…” Governor Bibble started to say.

“Where is Queen Amidala? I was expecting her to be brave enough to face me.” Princess Marrie inquired, her tone was soft but there was an underlying defiance and annoyance in there that wasn’t lost to everyone in the spacious room in the City Hall of Keren.

“Princess Marrie, the Queen is on a holoconference with our Chommell Sector leaders…” Governor Bibble explained but Princess Danielle Nashira interposed.

“Princess Marrie, this meeting is about the discussion and review of our individual plans for the betterment of Naboo and has nothing to do about a confrontation with Her Majesty.” Princess Nashira snapped.

“Don’t be naïve Danielle, this meeting is just one of her devious means to find out more about us and figure out ways to exploit our weaknesses and use it to her advantage to retain her seat of power.” Senna scoffed.

“Princess Marrie, this is not the behavior of a Princess of Theed!” Princess Gellene Zapalo countered.

“Do not delude yourself with illusions of propriety Gellene, and don’t even think for one second that I will cower at your pretentious air of authority. Just because you were the daughter of one of the Advisory Council and a top Legislative Youth Program graduate you can go all righteous with any of us here. Such petty obeisance and bootlicking behavior can only lead to the downfall of our already degenerating government.” Senna growled.

“You are a sharp one, Princess Marrie, much like your older sister.” Graf Zapalo commented.

“Unfortunately, it is what’s lacking in the Palace right now. You all know my stand in this, if I am to become the next monarch, this immoral allegiance with the Raltosan, Hutts and Black Sun will be put to an end and them to the mines of Kessel.” Senna’s narrow eyes glared at Graf Zapalo.

“Please, Princess Marrie. Naboo has made no such dealings with the Hutts and the Black Sun. The only trade franchise granted was for the Raltosan Enterprise, and regardless of their shady origin, they are now a legal trade company. The Moviana Patriots are not a private army but a recognized military of the planet Moviana, a member of the Republic.” Governor Bibble explained.

“Come now, governor, you don’t think that smartly conjured propaganda will work on me? Please, spare me your cover-ups. The AMM has already unmasked your lies to the public years ago.” Senna rolled her beautiful big round doe eyes.

“Can we just proceed with the presentation of our platforms?” Princess Nashira interrupted.

“I agree with Danielle.” Princess Zapalo smiled at her friend.

“Fine,” Senna Marrie stood up and placed a datacard on the table before them, “This contains everything that I will enforce the moment I am chosen to succeed our outgoing Queen. Before I go, allow me to say to all of you here this one thing…”

“Naboo is for Naboo, and we the people who live here, humans and Gungans alike are the Naboo. If we can’t even provide justice for our own people then we do not deserve to be part of a larger union of worlds and systems. I am the voice of the people and this is our plea; Justice!” Princess Senna Marrie intoned, stood straight to glower at them then made a smooth turn making her long skirt swirl and glided down the hall and out and did not look back.

“Beautiful, smart and strong minded.” Zapalo mused.

“She will be trouble, I tell you.” Sio Bibble grunted.

“Isn’t she already?” the Lady Crystaé grinned.

Chapter 3: Devotion to the Dead

A golden urn lies alone on a small grotto on a candle lit cavern beneath a house near the Legislative Youth Program campus.

Max Entarrie stood before that urn.

“I have failed you father. Three years and I have done nothing to appease your passing. How could I ask for justice when you have openly broken the law? The poor man who has beaten you to death has been imprisoned. I could not demand further punishment than that. Our law has been exacted. Forgive me father, I could not possibly do more.” Max cried.

There was no justice at all, my son.

Max gasped and stepped back, he couldn’t believe that he just heard his father’s voice. He was alone, his mother was asleep two storey above him.

“Father?” Max frowned, his heart pounding in mixed confusion, fear and excitement.

Yes my son, it is I. The man who killed me was never sent to prison. He is somewhere in the Lake Country assuming a new life. The people who brought about the ruin of my name, my profession and my life are still out there, enjoying the best things in life while your mother lies in sickness and you in torment.

Avenge me, my son and take back what they have taken from me.

“What would you have me do? I’m just a Tech Supervisor. I have no power on NRE or anywhere at all! I can’t even cure my mother…” Max ranted.

Use the legacy I left you. Find the Count of Serenno and do everything it takes to gain his trust. Use his powers to aid you and you shall discover that you can be more than what your mother and I could ever have hope for you to be.

“I don’t understand father. What are you talking about?” Max stared at the urn containing the ashes of Lienn Entarrie.

Find the droid that bears our Entarrie-1 program. Use him and the Count of Serenno to exact your revenge.

“The Entarrie-1 is a success?” Max eyes widened in surprise.

Yes, and you can do better than that. You have the gift, the key to t he perfection of the Entarrie-1 program. Ask your mother about the vault, she’ll know that it’s time.

“Time for what?” Max asked.

Ask your mother.

“Father?” Max called out but the voice in his head was gone and the deafening silence suddenly became too much to his ears. But he stayed there rooted on where he stood and eyes staring blankly, his brain still processing the strangest and most absurd thing that has ever happened to him.

Then his shock slowly faded, he ran up the stairs out of the cavern and up to his room. He went straight into his bathroom and hit the shower. He didn’t bothered to take off his clothes, he allowed the stinging cold water soak him from head to foot, trying to clear his head.

When he was somehow assured that he wasn’t dreaming or hallucinating at all, he took off his clothes and took a proper shower, dried up, got dressed and went to his mother’s room.

Xella Marrie Entarrie reclines in her bed as Max enters the room. Her back was supported upright by two thick pillows. Her hands slowly darting around the keys of her datapad whose wires were connected to a larger glass monitor.

A tube runs out from her nose and into the oxygen tank beside her. Several diodes were patched on her chest and her temples sending read-outs on the life-support monitor console to her left. A medical droid stood unmoving on the far corner, its power charging indicator blinking.

Fresh flowers on a vase were on a side table to her right with a tray of untouched food and medicines. But what caught Max’s attention was his mother herself. Her eyes were sunken as is her cheeks, her lips were cracked and dry, her skin pale and her hands were slightly shaking as she types on the datapad. Her once fit clothes hung loosely on her frail body. Her hair was mostly gone and her once bright green eyes now seem fading into light green.

Despite her degenerative state, she remains beautiful in a way that Max couldn’t explain. Even in her slow deliberate movements, an underlying strength and energy were somehow lurking beneath her weak body.

“Hello Max. How’s work today? Did you know that I received a new project today? The Concert Hall of Moenia wanted me to design certain software that can simulate Naboo fauna holos using voice command. The offer seems fair enough so I took it. Here, look at my initial program…” Xella rasped, even her voice was too hoarse from lack of moisture.

“Mother, how many times do I have to tell you to never skip your meds?” Max reminded her and placed the capsule in his mother’s mouth and gave her a glass of water to drink.

“Seriously Max, I need your opinion on this. You have a keener eye than me and your father combined. I’m sure you can spot things that I’ve missed.” Xella ignored his mild reprimand.

Max sighed and obliged, he turned around to look at the glass monitor and his eyes grew at what he saw, “Mother this is amazing! AI for holos, you could get a fortune out of this tech throughout the Republic!”

“Don’t patronize me Max. I’m just sick, not gullible.” Xella coughed.

“I’m not! This is really astounding! You converted the 4D RylTek holo imaging to a virtual remote control AI!” Max exclaimed.

“It’s not a hundred percent original, your father originally thought of that conversion when you were just a toddler. Unfortunately NRE wasn’t much into holos. They assigned him to droid maintenance and control.” Xella’s eyes stared past the monitor to a distant memory.

“Wizard!” Max whistled in awe then a thought came to him, “Mother, we need to patent this first before you hand over the finished product to the CHM.”

“I’ll leave that to you, but enough of that. What’s nagging on your mind Max? I feel that you’re not exactly here for a regular visit.” Xella caught his eyes.

“I thought you’d miss that. I guess your keen sense of observation is sharper than ever.” Max admitted.

“I’m your mother, how can I miss that? Now talk.” Xella closed her datapad and set it on the side table then took both hands of her son on hers.

“Mother, please tell me about the vault.” Max said hesitantly.

Xella visibly stiffened and her grip on his hands froze, “By the Maker… how did… who…”

“Mother?” Max worried.

“Oh never mind that, I guess you’re old enough to finally have a look at what’s inside that vault.” Xella sighed with resignation and gave one more look at her son’s face. What she saw in there were conflicting emotions.

“Hand me over the small brown box inside the third drawer from the bottom.” Xella indicated her drawer. Max complied and brought out a palm sized brown box and gave it to her.

“Open it,” Xella instructed and Max obeyed. It was an electric charged key within the NRE logo in it.

“What is this for, mother?” Max was puzzled.

“It’ll open your father’s hidden vault deep in the power grid tunnel beneath the main office of NRE. But remember, that section of the compound is off-limits to biological entities which are why droids are the only ones allowed in there. You’ll need an astromech droid to bypass their quadruple security countermeasures.” Xella explained.

“I could borrow Captain Hoff Siege’s astromech…” Max thought.

“No son,” his mother’s tone offers no room for disagreement, “This matter is entirely personal and utterly confidential. No one outside our immediate family must know.” Xella said in finality.

“Mother, Hoff is cousin Selle’s boyfriend and soon enough I know they’ll be marrying each other. He’s practically our family too.” Max defended his friend.

“Selle and Hoff are together? No, it can’t be! That is not good at all!” Xella clenched her fists angrily.

Max frowned, he was confused at his mother’s hostile reaction on Hoff and her rage about the captain being with his beloved cousin Selle.

“Mother?” Max regarded her carefully.

“I’m sorry Max. I’ll explain that later. Focus first on the task at hand. Get a new astromech, thoroughly wipe its memory and recalibrate it to your personal specifications. Reconstruct it if need be, just don’t use anything outside the family.” Xella instructed adamantly.

“Yes mother.” Max sighed and kissed her once more on her forehead, “Sleep mother, your health comes first.”

“Goodnight Max.” Xella turned sideways and closed her eyes and Max took it as a sign of dismissal.

Max took the tray and left her room. After doing the dishes he took another quick shower, got dressed and activated the household droid with a secondary programming as a guard droid.

He went into the garage and powered up his landspeeder, eased it out and closed the gates before speeding his way through the streets of Theed.

* * *

Selle Marrie sat on the chair by the veranda of their house overlooking the Grassy Plains and the distant Umoko Donga forest sipping her tea.

Max Entarrie and the younger Senna Marrie sat at the railing of the terrace playing portable dejarik.

“You sure you don’t want to join?” Max asked Selle.

“I’m more of a holo-sabacc gamer.” Selle took a full three seconds before answering.

“What’s bugging her?” Max whispered at Senna.

“That pilot boyfriend of hers. They were considering the M word,” Senna winked as she moves her gundark on Max’ feronax.

“Aw snap! I didn’t see that coming!” Max groaned as her gundark snapped the neck and backbone of his feronax. “Seriously though, do you know anything about father’s vault on NRE?”

“No.” Senna shook her head.

“Yes.” Selle said at the same time.

Max whirled excitedly at Selle, “What’s in it?”

“Uncle Lienn’s stuff,” Selle shrugged.

“Aw come on Selle, I’m being serious here,” Max absently moved his ontallas between Senna’s gundark and agwyyyk.

“As I am, I really have no idea what’s inside the vault. All I know was that it was something both our fathers have worked on during their days in the NRE Academy in Harter Secur.” Selle explained.

“Why didn’t you mention it to me before?” Max asked.

“Because dad strictly told us to forget about it, he wanted our family to have nothing to do about it. He said it would only cause further ruin to our clan.” Selle retorted.

“Mother said it’s our legacy…” Max insisted.

“Clearly our dad and your mom don’t share the same sentiments about the vault.” Senna interjected as she made her gundark and agwyyyk tear apart Max’s ontallas, “I win,” she smiled at him.

“Dinner’s on me then,” Max said to Senna then added, “Is there some kind of a rift between mother and Uncle Sol?”

“Not that I know of,” Senna frowned.

“I may have an idea but I’m really not sure.” Selle mused.

“Tell me. Come on, anything I could start with.” Max requested.

“Start with what and what for?” Selle looked at him.

“I don’t know. I just wanted to understand more about that vault before I open it.” Max was helping Senna close the portable dejarik.

“You’re going to open it?” Selle gasped.

“Yes, mother says so.” Max didn’t dare mention that the voice of his father was talking to him.

“About a decade ago dad and Aunt Xella’s youngest sister, Zhoel participated on a pet project of father and Uncle Lienn while they were still working on NRE and Aunt Zhoel is still studying in the NRE Academy. It was something about designing the perfect droid.” Selle gathered her memory. Max and Senna was now listening intently at her.

“Uncle Lienn and Aunt Zhoel teamed up to develop a very complicated AI program while dad labored on perfecting the framework and structure of that perfect droid. Their project was doing quite well when Aunt Zhoel decided to quit and focus on her studies… and her boyfriend.” Selle continued.

“I never met Aunt Zhoel…” Senna mused.

“Shush, I’m not yet finished.” Selle snapped, perfectly imitating her Aunt Xella. Max and Senna laughed.

“Anyways, from the snatches of stories I got from mom, dad and Uncle Lienn went to confront Aunt Zhoel’s boyfriend but she and her bestfriend did everything to keep the two from confronting her boyfriend.” Selle said.

“Mom and Aunt Xella intervened and convinced dad and Uncle Lienn to let the matter drop. The two then went on to finish their project without Aunt Zhoel who became more and more madly in-love with her lover.”

“Wow…” Max whistled. Selle glared at him for the interruption.

“Unfortunately for Aunt Zhoel, her boyfriend broke up with her after they graduated and married her other bestfriend. Aunt Zhoel was so devastated she went to the couple but her own bestfriend stopped her, that time the wife of her ex were pregnant that time.” Selle continued.

“Let me guess, Aunt Zhoel felt everything in her life has fallen apart and lapsed into a state of depression and despair?” Max surmised.

“Pretty much,” Selle nodded sadly.

“Which resulted to Aunt Zhoel jumping off the Virdugo Plunge,” Senna concluded.

“Her boyfriend was Lieutenant Adin Moorr of Raid Squadron, KIA in the Battle of Rori. The other friend was Lilla Siege-Moorr who died at childbirth nine years ago and her bestfriend was Thea Auden-Olié, Assistant Director of the Naboo Committee of Commerce.” Selle revealed.

“Lilla, Hoff’s oldest sister?” Max’ eyes widened.

 Chapter 4: Redeemed Traders

Borvo the Hutt lazily reclines in his platform as his pilot awaits the clearance from Rori Tower Control. The image of the former Freeorin pirate turned businessman, Nym, appeared before the Hutt syndicate leader and gave a slight bow of greeting.

“Hello Borvo, we are pleased that you have come. Please pardon the slight delay, a lot of work is still being done for the colonization of Rori so things tend to pile up.” Nym grinned.

Borvo snorted and waved a stubby arm at Nym, “My clients are having second thoughts about this set-up. Why can’t we just openly trade with the Naboo as promised to us by Queen Amidala?”

“Easy Borvo, the Queen never promised anything. It is I who implied open trade but as you know there is a growing dissension from civilians regarding our involvement here. So if you want to blame someone, I’m here.” Nym spreads his arms.

“Hidden Profits you are cleared for landing. Please follow the indicated entry vector and proceed to the coordinates being sent to your navicomputer. Welcome to Rori,” a female voice spoke from the open channel.

“Take us in captain,” Borvo ordered unnecessarily for his ship was already following the designated coordinates, “Has the representative of the Raltosan Enterprise and the Black Sun arrived?” the Hutt glowered at Nym’s image on his monitor.

“Not here. We’ll talk in person. I’ll be waiting in the spaceport.” Nym glared at the Hutt then ended his transmission.

The Hutt’s ship followed the safe path through the violent ion storm on the atmosphere of Rori before coming out at the spectacular surface of the moon.

The once lush jungles of Rori were now being slowly mixed with Naboo and Gungan architecture. Rori Spaceport, although smaller compared to those on Naboo were already bustling with activities.

Freight Haulers of various shapes and sizes filled the landing area of the spaceport while the rest of the ships were scattered on patches of clearings across the surrounding woods.

Gungans and humans milled about, walking or riding speeders, cranes and hover trucks. Construction vehicles and work force went about their tasks in building halls, compounds and other facilities from commercial to residential.

NRE Director Riggs Fenn was on the tent set up in front of the Rori Colony Center speaking with Chief Architect and Royal Advisory Councilor Hugo Eckener and a holo of Master of Sciences Graf Zapalo when Nym joined them.

“Nym, here’s the dossier for the Colony Trade proposal drafted by the Director of the Naboo Committee of Commerce. The Lady Crystaé wanted you to review this first and make some notes on the changes or suggestions you would like to give before we finalize this.” Riggs handed Nym an envelope of flimsy and a datacard.

Nym nodded and took it from Fenn then took a seat by the table beside Hugo Eckener who shook his hand in greeting, “Good to see you again Nym.”

“So are you, you seem not to have aged a bit Chief.” Nym grinned.

“Bacta spa, you should try it sometimes. It’ll take some years off of your skin.” Hugo smiled.

“One day I shall. Now, Borvo has just arrived and would be joining us shortly, he’s asking about the other associates.” Nym lowered his voice.

“Let’s take a walk.” Hugo stood and took Nym with him. The Freeorin handed over the flimsy and datacard to his assistant before following the Chief Architect.

Hugo and Nym strolled casually on the edge of the still untouched side of the Basin. Basically, the entire colony was being built over the spot where the Globe-ship of Hath Monchar was destroyed years ago the night before the coronation of Queen Amidala.

“The Council and the Queen has approved your trade franchise and that of the Raltosan Enterprise, but as for Borvo, the other Hutts and… the Black Sun…” Hugo left the end hanging.

“I perfectly understand, but you know these creeps are expecting profits for this whole trade franchise issue. Are you implying that my group and Resnon’s must serve as middlemen for them?” Nym asked carefully.

“We are in a delicate position my friend. We are aware that Borvo and the other Hutts are slavers and spice runners, and the Black Sun, well…” Hugo shrugged.

“Agreed, I myself do not wish to have further dealings with the Hutts and more so with the Black Sun but their contribution to the battle was undeniable. We are indeed in a tight spot here. Before I make anything final, I think we need to discuss this in depth with Clynt.” Nym said.

“You’ll probably have to do it later,” Hugo cocked his head back to the tent.

Nym turns around and saw the unmistakable bulk of Borvo the Hutt and his typical retinue of bodyguards and henchmen.

“I am so not looking forward to this meeting.” Nym rolled his eyes.

“After you,” Hugo laughed.

* * *

Borvo the Hutt was in a foul mood as his space yacht sailed in the steady stream of hyperspace towards Kardara after another fruitless meeting with the officials of Naboo on the colony moon Rori.

“How long will I have to put up with this charade? This is embarrassing and utterly degrading!” Borvo growled angrily in Huttese.

“My employer wishes to remind you to be patient and do not lose your composure before those people if you want for our arrangement to succeed,” the female Clawdite bounty hunter that serves as emissary of the Kardara Plasma Mines and Droid Foundry said to him.

“I grew weary of their bureaucratic nonsense! Three years and all I’ve been getting from them are promises!” Borvo boomed.

“Politics is not my strong suit, oh Bloated One.” Zam Wesell grunted.

“I am most curious, bounty hunter, about your employer. When will I be allowed to meet him?” Borvo asked in his native language.

“Sooner than you expect, as long as you keep your end of the bargain. I need your help to insert some of my people to Moviana. We can’t get there on our own, their security borders to paranoia,” the Clawdite said.

“Moviana, that will be easy, the Raltosan Enterprise is our business partner.” Borvo rubbed his slimy chin as he nodded at her.

“We’re almost there now; remember to address the allies of my employer with respect. They are all powerful men.” Zam Wesell reminded him as she glances at the chronometer.

“I have always been a respectful Hutt.” Borvo proudly intoned.

* * *

Clynt Resnon sat comfortably at his tall executive chair in his office; with him was Captain Glovv Desnocres and they were both facing two figures via holotransmission. Behind the shimmering images stood Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and her new padawan learner Barriss Offee, both were keeping their presence hidden from the two business representatives speaking to the CEO of the Raltosan Enterprise.

“My fellow Vigos are starting to have doubts about our deal with the Naboo. The Queen is at her last year of her term and nothing tangible is still happening. We, the Vigos, would like to remind you and your pirate-turned-businessman friend Nym that we have lost too many agents, mercenaries, equipment, ships and credits helping them against the Trade Federation. We deemed their debt is long overdue and it is time to collect,” the Falleen Vigo snarled.

Resnon wasn’t about to be put out with his intimidating glare, nor was he at all disturbed or terrified about his grim record in the Black Sun. The young Falleen Vigo was reported to be the most ruthless member of the organization and is most likely to take over Black Sun at all cost. He was young and new but already he thinks like the old Hutt, Aruk.

Resnon himself was once like him, and as one ruthless businessman to another, he was not at all fazed by his undertones.

“Prince Xizor, I assure you that proper compensations will be exacted to your organization. I just came back from a meeting with the Naboo Committee for Commerce in Rori and I was informed that certain arrangements are being carefully reviewed by Her Majesty that will satisfy everyone.” Resnon said smoothly.

“Do not mock me human. I may be a rookie but I assure you that I am the one person you should not mess with.” Prince Xizor growled and his holo faded.

“Resnon, is what you just said to Prince Xizor is for real or just to get him off of your skin for a few more days?” Ziro’s holo grumbled in Huttese.

“What I have said is true, ever word of it. The moment that resolution has been approved by the Royal Advisory Council, the Committee for Commerce, the Naboo Governors and the Queen herself then we will all be set for a profitable trade franchise.” Resnon assured the Hutt.

“Very well, I have known you since your days of service to my friends Alle Vomm and Sheeana Fley that is why I will take your word at face value. Don’t cross me Resnon, you wouldn’t want my clan as enemies to your growing business empire,” the Hutt reverted to basic.

“But of course Lord Ziro. Give our regards to Zorva and Jiliac.” Resnon bowed as Ziro the Hutt’s image faded.

“I congratulate you on your smooth diplomatic abilities, CEO Resnon, no wonder why the Raltosan Enterprise is steadily growing and becoming more and more prominent in the trade business,” the Jedi Master said in accented Basic.

“That is most kind of you to say Master Jedi. Now, to what do I owe the honor of this visit from such esteemed visitors?” Resnon asked.

“Three reasons. First, or mission requires subterfuge and we require a cover. Since your company also operates within the Chommell Sector, the Raltosan Enterprise shoots way up in our list. Second, you’ve had past experience in working alongside the Jedi and I must admit that the report filed by Master Kenobi speaks highly of you, personally. Third and most importantly, your past would be most valuable to our mission.” Luminara said.

“Fair enough,” Resnon inquired cautiously, “May I know the nature of this mission?”

“I have made inquiries about you, CEO Resnon…” Luminara began.

“Please, Master Jedi, call me Resnon. Clynt, if you want.” Resnon smiled.

“…Resnon. I have carefully studied your track record and despite your dark beginnings I am most impressed with your, let’s say, change of heart. You have redeemed much of your colorful past with your humanitarian projects. Perhaps that is why your company is continuing to flourish, you are doing greatly in balancing philanthropy and business,” the Jedi Master said.

“Thank you.” Resnon touched his palms as if praying and bowed at her.

“I believe there will be no harm in telling you why we are dispatched by the Council.” Luminara stopped as Captain Desnocres’ comlink beeped.

“Sorry, excuse, please continue,” the captain stood and left the room to answer the call.

Barriss Offee casually stood and went near the door looking at the posters and holopictures hanging on the office wall.

“In the past three years the Trade Federation and the Commerce Guild as well as the Techno Union and the Banking Clan has been steadily moving trade vessels in the Kardara System. The Republic Department of Commerce has sent agents to inspect that part of the Chommell Sector. They even send men on the Plasma Mines of Lethe Merchandising there but none of them reported anything unusual.” Luminara explained.

“None of the agents discovered where the trade vessels have been delivering, or taking their cargo. It would not have caused such alarm to the Senate and to the Council if not for the questionable accidents our probe droids suffer ever time one is sent to tail their cargo ships.” Master Unduli summarized.

“Intriguing indeed, I did receive reports about some of our cruise ships and trade vessels spotting such ships within Kardara but since we have no contract in that system, we never bothered to give a second glance. Anyways, what can we do to help you?” Resnon asked.

Luminara Unduli took the chair where Captain Desnocres sat earlier and began to lay out her plan to Resnon. Barriss Offee sat by the couch near the door and waited for her master to finish.

 Chapter 5: The Northern Shipyards

Artoo Detoo blew a whistle.

This is a LOT of work. Artoo thought as he, Reepek, Rinn Olié and Captain Hoff Siege stood by the vast and huge hangar in the Northern Paleasé Hangar, sprawled before them were literally hundreds of casings of N1-Starfighters and floor to ceiling piles of crates containing various ship parts from pilot seats to hyperdrive engines.

Captain Ric Olié and Lieutenant Gregar Typho came out to greet them.

“Where’s Max?” the older Olié asked.

“Hello dad, Max filed a temporary leave of absence leaving me to fill in for him for the meantime.” Rinn Olié explained.

“Well you’re in for a treat,” Typho said then turn to indicate the numerous starfighter parts, “Three hundred brand new fresh from the foundry. All ready to be assembled.”

“Wizard!” Rinn exclaimed, “So it’s true, the Space Fighter Corps are expanding, with all these N1s…”

“Actually, these are N2s. Faster, superior shielded, much armed, with longer sensor ranges and all the latest stuff from Nubia.” Typho beamed.

“We struck a sweet deal with Nubia, much of it we owe to the Raltosan Enterprise. Apparently, two of Moviana’s moons are rich with asternium, the prime non-conductive light metal used by Nubian Engineering to build their ship parts. Resnon just got a huge contract with Nubia for their moons to be mined.” Ric informed them.

“Part of the negotiations is for Naboo to be the first to receive the products built from the resources of Moviana, at a lower price than the others.” Typho added.

“That’s great!” Rinn drooled at the sea of mechanical hardware.

“Reepek, Artoo, follow me. I’d like you two to be acquainted to our new tech-droids that will be under your supervision in assembling all of these N2-Starfighters.” Ric motioned for them to follow him while Typho ushers Rinn and Hoff up on the NPS Office five levels up.

Ric stood before a hundred Tech-G9 Malvox Droids, “G-Nine 1, meet Recon-PK Droid Reepek and Astromech R2-D2, register them as your project supervisors than state your function and features.”

G-Nine swiveled his cube-shaped head to train his visor/photoreceptors to the two droids and took a read and registered their I.D. code into its memory banks and labeled them as instructed then snapped into attention and gave a monotonous introduction of itself and its crew.

“I am designated as Tech-G9 Malvox Droid, I.D. number TG9MD-00001-00001-B3GNDU24X100-A or G-Nine 1 for short. A Malvox-class shipbuilding automaton standard issue 24950 Galactic Year from Kuat Drive Yards reporting for duty, SIRS!” G-Nine 1 said.

“We operate in numbers, speed is our essence, quality is our assurance,” chorused all one hundred of them.

“Kuati slogan,” Ric grunted, “Now you are acquainted, here are the N2 schematics, the crate database and the equipment list available in the hangar and their location. I’ll leave you all to your work now,” Ric handed over the datapad to Reepek and went to rejoin the other humans on the office.

“Well Artoo, this should be fun.” Reepek studied the datapad and gave his partner a copy.

Artoo rotated his dome to regard the awaiting tech-droids and gave a series of beeps and chirps at Reepek.

“Oh cheer up, according to the manifest, assembly time would be three hours per two tech-droids. We got a hundred of them and three hundred of those. With fifty ships in three hours we’ll be done in the next eighteen hours. Give or take three more hours for the moving of the parts to the ships from stacks of crates…” Reepek computed.

Artoo chirped and gave a suggestion. Reepek nodded in agreement, “A wise and practical time management Artoo. Yes, we’ll have the crates unpacked first; distribute the parts before every ship casing along with the equipment.”

“Alright everyone, you all heard it, let’s get moving!” Reepek ordered and the tech-droids dispersed.

G-Nine 1 blinked its lights and marched towards the crates followed by his companions while Artoo Detoo rolled to the maintenance chamber and activated the hauler droids with Reepek dividing the haulers into two teams; one to aid the tech-droids unloading the contents and distributing it before the ship casings while the second group went with Reepek as they collect the necessary equipment from microspanners, hydrospanners to massive fusion cutters and welders.

“Efficient, systematic and coordinated,” Ric commented looking out from the transparisteel window looking down at the bustling droid activities below them on the vast hangar.

“The best thing about droids, also the worse,” Hoff stated.

“I’m surprised we still have an allocated budget for these new ships.” Rinn mused.

“We practically poured the entire ship procurement budget for this year as down payment for this batch alone. These N2s are freaking expensive but worth every decicreds of it.” Ric told them.

“I flew one for a test ride, took it on a battle drill with several pre-programmed droid starfighters on Nubia. The type of asternium used to build the frames of these N2s is Ion-resistant, I took a direct hit from an ion cannon and my ship just kept flying.” Ric recounted his trip to Nubia with Resnon a month ago.

“Amazing!” Hoff and Rinn said in unison.

“Now if only they could develop a frame that can resist turbolasers then I’ll be willing to procure more funding for these birds.” Ric admitted.

“Now that would really be something!” Rinn grinned.

* * *

Artoo Detoo and Reepek watched in fascination at the smooth gliding motions of G-Nine 1 and 2 as they ‘dance’ around the skeletal fuselage of the N2-Starfighter and move each of their ten flexible and expandable tentacles all at the same time. Each limb were picking parts and tools and assembling them steadily.

“They are fast and efficient indeed.” Reepek commented.

Artoo hooted in agreement.

In just twenty minutes, the two droids has assembled the pairs of ionization chambers, pressure manifold, binocular range finders, targeting and flight sensors, engine-bearing structural members, combustion chambers and engine heat sinks that would comprise the wing ends of the N2s.

“Wow! That was fast!” Reepek exclaimed once more.

G-Nine 1 and 2 then set aside the wing ends and move to assemble the laser stabilizing fields, communication antennas, receivers, fuel pumps, hydraulic system pressurizers, torpedo launcher assembly, torpedo magazine, torpedo firing chamber chargers and the fuel and sensor lines on the ship’s nose and wings for another twenty minutes.

Artoo and Reepek moved into the wind ends after the two tech-droids connected them to the wing and went to assemble and install the laser fire control processor, laser cannon, laser stabilizing field generator pump distributor, computer mainframe, landing gears power and life support lines.

Reepek made the system diagnose on the radial engines while Artoo rolled to check the stability and integrity of the sensors and stabilizers.

After another twenty minutes, G-Nine 1 and 2 proceeded to install the pilot’s chair, controls, power cells, life-support systems, droid socket, acceleration compensator, power node, R2 unit computer, electromag signal receiver, battle computer interface and power charge collector.

Artoo then took the diagnostic meter and inspected the pilot console and everything connected to it, from steerage to weapons to comm, life-support and ejection system. Reepek busied himself on double-checking the R2 computers and the compensator’s stability.

G-Nine 1 and 2 completed the rear end of the ship in twenty minutes and went to haul the hyperdrive generator and the fuel tank and started installing it in the underbelly of the N2. After that they went on to the delicate power wiring and sensor wire distribution, although this should be the easiest part, this is also the longest to complete.

Artoo and Reepek carried the asternium plates into position as they waited for the two tech-droids to finish the wiring.

After fifty minutes, Artoo, Reepek, G-Nine 1 and 2 teamed up in putting the asternium plates, bolting and welding them on the skeletal frame of the N2 and started polishing the installed plating. Following that they applied the chromium finish, the standard yellow and chrome colors of the Naboo Space Fighter Corps.

In the first three hours, fifty brand new and gleaming Naboo N2-Starfighters have been completed and were now being towed by maintenance droids on the next hangar for a more thorough systems check.

Artoo Detoo, Reepek, G-Nine 1 and his team now went to begin on the second batch.

“Will Bravo be flying these babies?” Hoff asked.

“I bet you’re itching to take them on a ride. Yes, eventually, but for now they will be on reserved status. At least while we wait for another year for our new batch of pilot graduates.” Ric explained.

“How about the N1s, what would happen to them?” Rinn asked.

“We have at least two squadrons of N1s in every city, three on Theed, one on each of the new colonies and ten more squadrons are to be assembled in two years for our Gungan counterparts. They will stay where they are. These N2s will just be replacements, except for Bravo who will start using them during the coronation of the next monarch.” Ric answered.

“I didn’t know we have so many starfighter squadrons.” Rinn mused.

“We don’t, well at least before the blockade. Since then the Council and the Queen decided that despite our people being peaceful, others outside our system are not so we must have a large standing defense force should the need arise again. We may be a peace loving civilization but we are not pacifists, we’ve learned from the Trade Federation debacle that we can never let such thing happen to us again. It’s time we start looking out on our own instead of depending on offworld help.” Ric said to his son.

Rinn’s comlink beeped, “Rinn here.”

“Master Olié, the first batch is complete. You may now facilitate the diagnosis.” Reepek’s voice reported.

“Thank you Reepek, I’ll be down there shortly.” Rinn stood up, “Well, duty calls.”

“Rinn’s a great lad.” Hoff commented as the young tech left.

“That he is.” Ric nodded proudly.

“So the election for the next monarch is really taking place?” Hoff asked.

“The Legislative Committee is pushing for Queen Amidala’s second term, but some of them are also encouraging her to run for the Galactic Senate.” Ric nodded.

“I thought the monarch’s reign is limited only to a single term to avoid what happened under the rule of Veruna.” Hoff frowned.

“True, but many of the high ups believed that Queen Amidala can do more for Naboo if she can be granted another term.” Ric reviews a series of reports streaming on his datapad.

“I heard the new candidates are exceptionally capable as well.” Hoff commented.

“Gellene Zapalo, Danielle Nashira and… Senna Marrie,” Ric enumerated.

“You don’t like Senna.” Hoff caught the senior pilot’s tone when he said her name.

“Politics is just not a thing for people like us.” Ric dodged the subject.

 Chapter 6: Three Years Ago

The festivities are over, the cleaning droids move about the plaza as the people of Theed sleeps in the renewed sense of safety of their homes, a peaceful slumber that has not been felt by the Naboo since the Trade Federation blockade has began.

The Gungans and their wondrous beasts and equipment have returned to Mistra Shodru, their temporary refuge deep in the Umoko Donga forest.

The Supreme Chancellor and the Jedi Council have left, along with Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his first padawan learner Anakin Skywalker.

Queen Amidala, her Royal Handmaidens and the rest of the Palace officers and staff has retired for the night.

Except for one.

Max Entarrie has been given a Junior Technician position by the Naboo Royal Engineering Division under the recommendation of Captain Panaka himself. The newly promoted NRE Director Riggs Fenn gave him his first task; to secure the Plasma Complex and check it for damages.

Max had spent the entire day inside the Plasma Complex. The hypnotic thrumming of plasma energies streaming on the containment pillars drew him into a trance of reflective state.

He had seen the holes cut by the Jedi Kenobi during their duel against the n alleged Sith. The two holes have been welded shut by maintenance droids but the job was somehow sloppy and the uneven edges showed a visible circle where the lightsaber blade had cut through.

Max went to the access shaft parallel to the exhaust port and took the service ladder down to the generators. He found more evidence of battle in there and somehow he could feel an unseen residue of malevolence that sends shivers up his spine. This is where the explosion was a few months back when the Handmaiden Sabé was rescued by Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas.

Max Entarrie felt weird the moment his boots touched the pavement. It was as if an evil presence has lingered there long enough to leave a trace of stale and cold ambiance, a nagging sense of dread.

The Sith was reported to have fallen here but there was no sign of the Zabrak’s corpse, much to the confusion of Max. The clean-up droids have not recovered a body.

Captain Panaka assumed the Sith has been disintegrated by the release of plasma surge. Max nodded to himself, yes, that’s more likely.

He went back up to the main chamber when he felt himself being drawn on another service ladder on the other side that leads downward five partitions away from where the Sith has fallen.

He went to it and climbed down again, this time he reached a vast brightly lit chamber of multiple containment pillars and crisscrossing walkways. He walked towards the safety platform that serves as the maintenance corridor leading deeper.

Max stopped at a pot where he felt he should be and felt a cold chill penetrating the marrow of his bones. Before him at the ground lies a pair of plain golden metal cylinders with no markings at all.

Take it.

The voice told him, it was alluring and very compelling, he felt his muscles obey as if programmed to follow that sound to the ends of the world.

Max Entarrie picked up the two golden tubes and was startled when it felt cold to the touch and was actually heavier than it looks. He knew then and there without even knowing why that those were lightsabers and that those belong to no other than the Lady Sarc Crimos who fell on the Virdugo Plunge after her battle with the Jedi Kenobi.

Max felt suddenly sleepy and his vision blurred into gray and then went totally black.

* * *

She felt elated as if swirling in a whirlpool of virulent Force energy. The contagious exhilaration spreads out like uncontrollable spasms of madness within her. Then it shattered like pristine crystals at the tangible yet invisible wall of darkness.

The Lady Sarc Crimos was told to wait and so she did. Why she did so and who told him to she could not fathom. She was supposed to be free but here she was waiting as commanded by an unseen new master who won’t even talk or introduce himself to her.

She could feel the Force echo of the deaths of Darth Maul and Qui-Gon Jinn. She has also felt their revival, one in the planar universe that was the Unifying Force and the other to the dark raging hatred swimming alongside the tide of the Living Force.

Don’t do this. It is over for us now. We must stay here and let things unfold for the Living. This is no longer our world.

Crimos cringe at the voice, it was Jinn’s.

Fool! I will not suffer your fate old man! Crimos retorted without moving her nonexistent lips, the sound of her voice implied in her consciousness.

I suffer nothing. It is you who are in a state of perpetual torment. Qui-Gon’s voice countered.

Let go of your emotions, be at peace. We are now one with the Force. The fallen Jedi Master continued.

Pertinent Jedi! Peace is a LIE! Crimos snarled.

The folly of the destitute soul, ceaselessly imprisoned by their own delirious sufferance from the false promise of retribution and immortality, that is your curse, my child. Surrender your rage for serenity. Shed your vengeance for contentment. There is hope for you yet even in this final stage of our being. Qui-Gon intoned.

Even here you attempt to preach me with your sanctimonious lies! The Sith can see through your pretentious  Jedi! We are unbound by the shackles of your dogmatic illusion about the principles of the Force. I will not be swayed, I will not be daunted and I will definitely not be hindered! Be gone! Crimos shouted.

Take this path and you shall be devoured by the darkness of your own choosing. Come with me and be at peace. Qui-Gon asked of her one last time.

Be gone, I say! Crimos growled with vehemence.

Then you are truly lost.

Crimos cried out but Qui-Gon never spoke again, she reached out and grasped nothingness. The old Jedi was gone.

Crimos felt her awareness shifting like a transition of one dream to another, reorienting until the darkness cleared revealing the familiar Plasma Complex of Theed. The place where she was slain by the very man she has loved all her life.

Before her stood a young boy, held in his hands were her lightsabers.

The Master speaks the truth. The boy has come and I shall be reborn at last! Crimos hissed and engulfed the senses of the boy, luring him on a hypnotic trance until his own awareness began to slip, his consciousness starts to drift.

* * *

Max Entarrie woke up on a soft bed on a room he wasn’t familiar at.

“Good, you’re awake. What happened to you?” a melodious voice chimed in his ears. It rang of warmth, familiarity and a touch of concern.

Max blinked as the glare of the glow panels assaulted his eyes. His groan was accompanied by a wet and cold towel being caressed on his face.

“ You’ve been delusional for days,” another voice spoke, a pitch higher than the first.

“Days?” Max’ voice croaked, his lips and throat were dry and he was unconsciously rejecting water since his semi-consciousness started to return.

“Three days here. Four including the entire day NRE staff spent on searching for you until one of them found you at the lower levels of the Plasma Complex and brought you here,” came the answer.

“Who are you? Where am I?” Max panicked.

“Really now Max, your head must have hit harder than we thought. It’s me, Cousin Selle Marrie!” the first voice chuckled.

“Selle?” I thought you were on Prystine?” Max shook his head and tried to focus his blurry eyesight on her silhouette.

“I came back last year remember, during the election of the replacement of King Veruna. Come on Max, what’s wrong with you?” Selle punched him on the shoulder, her outline began to focus a little but Max still couldn’t see her face clearly.

“Is he drugged?” the second voice asked.

“Who’s that?” Max flinched as if someone screamed on his ears.

“It’s me Senna Marrie! You’re acting pretty weird!” the younger girl scowled.

“Rancors! Large bulls, run!” Max shouted out of nowhere and fainted.

“There he goes again, oh well, the med droids said he’ll be coming in and out of his semi-comatose state for a few more days and might suffer certain delusional episodes. Let’s go Senna, let Max rest, he’ll be fine now.” Selle stood up and mildly pulled her sister out of the room.

* * *

Sabila Marrie sat on the corner of her bed holding out a palm-sized holo-receiver with a relay from their Hypercom satellite disk.

“I have finally found vital information about your twin siblings. Starting from the lead you gave me years ago, I backtracked the records of your mother to Cathar, an Outer Rim world, where she married a rich Catharian businessman working on Damask Holdings. I am now transmitting to you the complete report. I trust you will simultaneously send my payment at the account I specified,” a voice hissed.

“You have done well bounty hunter. The final half of your payment is being sent to your account as we speak.” Sabila assured him.

“Until next time,” the bounty hunter bowed and his holo winked out.

“At last, you have found your sisters,” Sol Marrie grinned as he comes out from the shower drying his hair with a towel.

“I am not putting much hope of them still being alive. It has been a very long time.” Sabila admitted.

“Cathar… sounds like an awful place to live in.” Sol mused as he sat beside his wife.

“Catharians are said to be fierce beings, their harshness or loyalty are mostly attributed to their years of surviving the insulting pool of nonsense discrimination from offworlders.” Sabila explained.

“Alright, but since when did you sounded like our daughter Selle?” Sol teased.

“Selle is the blunt one while Senna on the other hand is rather clever and manipulative.” Sabila smiled.

“That just makes us very proud parents, right?” Sol picked up the holoframe of their daughters.

“Yes, of course. Senna is the top of her class, she openly expresses that the moment she became Princess of Theed she’ll aim for the monarch title.” Sabila said.

“She does? Then that would be great, with our eldest becoming a relentless activist, denouncing the Hutts and black Sun and also the Raltosan from ever gaining a foothold on Naboo, she might as well paved the way for her little sister’s ascension.” Sol stated.

“That’s enough politics for now. Look at here, record says after mother and her Catharian husband died from a questionable accident in their business trip to the Heremen Sector, my sisters left Cathar. Scarlett and Sethera found a job on Lethe Merchandising but got mixed into a billion credit heist of the Del-Vor Brothers.” Sabila reads on.

“Del-Vor Brothers?” Sol frowned.

“Here’s a separate dossier about them,” Sabila opened the file and started reading it aloud, “Del-Vor Brothers, number 125 of Republic’s Most Wanted.”

Sol whistled.

“Shush, I’m reading.” Sabila snapped, “Del-Vor Brothers aren’t actually brothers by blood but merely partners in crime. Del is Deltrone Rhomb, a…”

“What?” Sol straightened up and leaned closer to read the datapad in her hands, “Deltrone Rhomb is a Hapan Dark Jedi. What have your nieces gotten into?”

“Vor is Vor Naghryne, the rogue son of Lord Voldt Naghryne the Duke of Abrynoose III, owner of the largest pharmaceutical company in the Inner Rim Territories. He was a third generation Chiss, what’s a Chiss?” Sabila looked at him.

“Chiss? I’ve never heard of that species. I once studied Galactic Star Charts and I don’t think I’ve ever encountered that name in the list.” Sol scratched his head.

Sabila nodded and closed the file and returned reading on the dossier of her nieces, “After the heist, investigative reports became sketchy at best. The last clear and confirmed data was the Scarlett and Deltrone disappeared somewhere in the Queli Sector while Vor and Sethera went to Kardara and started working for the Plasma Mines of Damask Holdings. When Vor, who became Sethera’s husband, died on duty, she took their daughter away and moved to Naboo in Spinnaker City.”

“Look at the name of Sethera’s daughter,” Sol pointed.

“Sithspawn! Sheeana Fley is our niece?” Sabila took an involuntary step back in shock.

Sol went for her and wrapped his arms around her, “No one must know. Not a soul, most especially our daughters.”

Outside their room Selle Marrie slid down the wall and sat on the floor hugging her knees biting back sobs of shock, disbelief and anger.

 Chapter 7: Return to Nubia

The Outer Rim Territory Convention is being hosted by Nubia and sponsored by Industrial Automaton and the Chommell Sector is one of the top clients in the invited list. The Naboo Royal Engineering has sent Rinn Olié as their representative since Riggs Fenn is too busy and Max Entarrie still hasn’t returned from his self induced isolation and where Rinn Olié goes, Reepek and Artoo Detoo follows.

“Welcome to your birthplace Artoo, or so to speak.” Reepek said cheerfully as their ship emerged from hyperspace and the blue gray dot that was Nubia became visible on the transparisteel viewport before them.

Captain Hoff Siege eased the Theed-X1 Shuttle and hailed Nubian Space Traffic Control.

Artoo whirled his dome and chirped a retort at Reepek.

Rinn grinned, “So you don’t have any recollection when you were still here?”

Artoo beeped an affirmative and told him that Riggs Fenn was the first human he saw the moment he was first activated the day before the coronation of Queen Amidala.

“Much has happened since then.” Hoff mused from the pilot’s chair.

Rinn took a seat on the co-pilot’s chair and switched control to manual as the comm hissed with static followed by the voice of a Space Traffic Control Officer.

“Theed X-1 Shuttle Otoh Pollas you are cleared. Entry and landing coordinates are being transmitted, do you require escorts?” came a soothing female voice.

“Thanks but no thanks Control. Your escorts will be needed to more important guests.” Hoff answered as he allowed Rinn to take over and follow the indicated coordinates.

“Very well Otoh Pollas, welcome to Nubia,” the female officer said warmly.

* * *

“What do you know about the Confederacy of Independent Systems?” Gallo Panaczek, Vice CEO of Devaron Electronics asked between bites of raw sabroskan treecat meat, blood smearing his lips and chin.

“Is it true that a former and highly prominent Jedi is leading that political faction?” Mieth Mikshull, Director of Hyperwave Limited asked. Their company was the second largest producer and distributor or Stand Class-3 comlinks in the Republic.

“Yes, but as you have said it yourself, he is a former Jedi. He has openly renounced any ties he had with the Jedi Order and has announced that he no longer believes in the Republic. He has a way with words and a certain charm with people. His petty rebellion is going to rip the Republic apart if the Senate continues to refuse to take any action against him.” Jad Yannel, president of Centroza Prime Distribution Company operating in Duros commented.

“Rebellion?” Rinn frowned as he stared hesitantly on the stew before him. Reepek leaned close to whisper in his ear.

“Sir, would you mind if Artoo and I look around for a while? We’d love to see the expo exhibits.” Reepek requested.

“I don’t mind, sure, go ahead, just make sure your comlink’s always on and don’t wander off too far.” Rinn nodded as Reepek bowed and led Artoo out of the large fine dining restaurant in the Outer Compound of Industrial Automaton.

“Yes, a rebellion, clearly Count Dooku’s political talks are nothing short of open rebellion, perhaps not on a violent means but equally destructive nonetheless. Three years and already a steady number of systems are leaving the Republic. They either threw their lot on the CIS or declare themselves neutral or independent.” Jad continued after Rinn’s droids left.

“Young lad, you are a representative of Naboo, right?” Mieth asked Rinn.

“Yes sir.” Rinn nodded.

“Our Supreme Chancellor came from your world if my memory serves me right, my question to you boy is what do you think our beloved Chancellor would do to quell this growing dissension caused by that activist Count?” Mieth asked him and everyone on the table stopped their small talks to wait for Rinn’s answer.

Rinn hesitated, feeling uneasy with all those alien eyes staring at him, “Uhm, I still haven’t had the honor of meeting His Excellency and I was but a child when he was still a Senator of Naboo. But if I am to base my answer from what I’ve learned about him during my days in the NRE Academy, I would say that he would always finds a way to do things right.” Rinn replied.

“Well said young lad.” Mieth patted Rinn’s shoulder and raised his goblet, “To the Republic!”

“To the Republic!” everyone in the table chorused then everyone else in the other tables did the same.

* * *

Reepek and Artoo Detoo enjoyed strolling on the displays of technological inventions, innovations and theoretical designs and prototypes brought by hundreds of companies all over the galaxy.

People of all ages and species practically filled the vast warehouse sharing the same fascination that the two overly curious and smart droids that was Reepek and Artoo.

The two paused and was surprised to spot the logo of the Trade Federation, “Come on Artoo, and let’s see what our old friends have developed lately.” Reepek said and strode to the Trade Federation kiosk.

One Neimoidian and two odd looking battle droids stood on the booth guarding another droid being displayed on a higher platform.

Artoo Detoo moved closer to read the Aurebesh inscription on the plaque before the exhibit. Reepek leaned over the astromech to look as well.

“B2 Battle Droid prototype,” Reepek read aloud then looked up to stare at the B2 that seemed to have no difference with the old B1, at least from the outside.

Artoo chirped a question at the Neimoidian who only stared blankly at him. Reepek stepped forward and translated for him, “My companion here is curious as to what is the difference between this B2 from a B1?”

“For one, B2s are no longer connected to a central control computer like the old and cheaper B1s. No more droid control ships required,” the Neimoidian beamed with pride.

Artoo beeped and Reepek chuckled, the Neimoidian glared at them feeling mocked, “What’s funny? What did your astromech said?”

“Oh nothing, he was just saying that he was glad you have learned from your mistake during your blotched planetary blockade on Naboo.” Reepek explained.

“I do not know what you are talking about!” the host feigned innocence.

“Keep it up.” Reepek playfully saluted him and pulled Artoo to the next exhibit.

They have gone over ten more prototypes from sleek wedge shaped starfighters to state-of-the-art vac suits until they came across another truly interesting display.

The banner reads Lethe Merchandising and the prototype is labeled as Force-sniffer. The device looks like an ordinary helmet with a T-shape visor similar to Mandalorian design.

A representative saw the two droids and came to regard them, “Welcome to the latest technology being perfected by Lethe Merchandising, the Force-sniffer. I am quite sure you two are wondering what it could possibly do. Let me tell you the basics. It allows its wearer to distinguish any known species in the galaxy if they are Force sensitive.”

“They sniff Jedi.” Reepek intoned flatly.

“In a sense, yes, but not just the Jedi but other Force users or adepts as well,” the representative explained.

“In a sense, yes, but not just the Jedi but other Force users or adepts as well,” the representative continued.

“Like the Sith, for example.” Reepek commented.

The representative hesitated a bit then nodded animatedly, “Yes.”

“How was that possible?” Reepek inquired.

“It’s very technical…”

“Try me.” Reepek insisted.

“It’s still in the developing stage, but you can place an order just fill up this form and a pay a twenty percent advance…”

“In short, it doesn’t work.” Reepek grunted and left him. Artoo beeped at the Neimoidian and trailed after his counterpart.

Their next stop was holographic partial schematic of a massive cylindrical ship. Artoo asked what it is to the insectoid host.

The alien gave a series of clicking sound from its mandibles and the blue green protocol droid beside him translated it for them, “This is a design for asteroid mining. The cylindrical shape houses a superlaser that can be charged and fired on a tight-beam and blast a planetoid or overly large asteroids into smaller ones where ore mining droids can easily strip them of minerals.”

Artoo and Reepek somehow felt uneasy at the concept. They took a step back to read the banner, “Geo Tech Galactica. Hmmm, never heard of it,” Reepek commented.

“Our company is fairly new we’ve just started a few months ago. We have bought this initial design from the Magrody Institute of Science and we are currently trying to complete it…” the protocol droid translated but the two nosy droids were already leaving.

“Whatever, come on Artoo, let’s get back to Master Olié.” Reepek said and Artoo agreed.

* * *

“Ladies and gentle beings, I present to you Naboo Royal Engineering Representative Rinn Olié and his modified Recon-PK Droid, Reepek!” the Nubian host announced and the crowd gave a respectful and eager applause.

Rinn went to the center of the stage followed by Reepek while Artoo Detoo rolled on the floor between the seated audiences by the center isle to start holorecording Rinn’s presentation.

“This is Reepek, originally he was an old standard recon droid,” Rinn nodded at Artoo who while still recording took the cue and projected an old image of the former body structure of Reepek.

The crowd made a collective intake of breaths and murmured at their respective companions with awe, disbelief and curiosity.

“I used quantum allow for his new bipedal shell so he wouldn’t have to be encumbered with additional installments of compressed shield generators. I redesigned him to serve two purposes, first to better perform his original programming which is a reconnaissance droid and second, as an efficient, reliable and deadly bodyguard.” Rinn continued.

“I have expanded his memory capacity by almost 200% and added as many combat and weapons usage programming as I can in his back up hard drive. His sensors have broader and longer range, a technology derived from those used by capital warships, in a scaled down version of course.” Rinn smiled, some of the audiences chuckled.

“Miniature gravitational projectors and repulsors were installed in his powerful legs so he could practically operate normally through any known gravitational levels in the known worlds of our galaxy. His multi-jointed arms and legs and fingers allow him to move fluidly in executing any or combinations of his pre-programmed fighting capabilities. He is also meticulously designed to be able to wield any form of weapons from melee to blasters to portable cannons.” Rinn uses his laser pointer on the projected features of Reepek by Artoo.

“Further modifications are being considered such as installing forms of communications and biological vital reader/sensors to detect emotions, body temperature or health status for first aide and interaction purposes.” Rinn finished as the Nubian host steps in and addressed the crowd.

“That was a very impressive creation Mr. Olié, thank you,” the host shook Rinn’s hand then turned to face the crowd, “You may now raise your hands for questions and our representative from Naboo will do his best to answer.”

Rinn gave the first question to an Ithorian, his protocol droid translated his query for him, “My master asks if Reepek is the only prototype or there are more of him in NRE.”

“He’s the only one as of now.” Rinn answered.

“Who designed and created his modifications?” a Devaronian asked.

“I sir,” Rinn replied and the audience gasped, some cheered and the other clapped but there were some who gave a doubtful look at him.

“How old are you?” a woman shouted from the back.

“Thirteen,” Rinn said.

“So, you created Reepek alone including the programming, the molding of the quantum alloys, the wiring and everything else, is that true?” a squat thick man grunted.

“Not exactly sir, I had assistance from Artoo Detoo, my friend’s astromech droid.” Rinn pointed at Artoo.

“Your modifications are not cheap, most specially the quantum alloy. How and where did you get the funding for that project?” a Pantorian asked.

“The official funds are only sufficient for a simple modification project but I am allowed to procure additional funding from outside the NRE as long as it is clean credits. The owner of Reepek is our Queen’s personal head guard and a Class A citizen of Emberlene, she provided the quantum alloys.” Rinn explained.

The questioning went on for another half hour before the host called the next representative to showcase his company’s latest product.

“Well done Rinn, now we got the whole afternoon to explore the droid foundry before the gala starts tonight.” Hoff smiled at the boy.

The two humans and their two droids left the hall and went to a diner for lunch before studying the tourist brochure of Nubia.

Chapter 8: The Allied Worlds

“Who will be attending?” Queen Amidala asked Governor Sio Bibble while they are dining inside the Theed Palace.

General Jar Jar Binks, currently the Gungan Relations Liaison and member of the Royal Advisory Council turns to hear the answer of the veteran politician who had seen the early beginnings of the now Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic who was also present in the room, via holo.

“Unfortunately barely a third of the Allied Worlds of the Chommell Sector will be able to attend and half of them can only be present through holo conference  It appears that a tension between Kardara and Gelgacia is starting to get out of hand that even Chommell Major and Minor are beginning to take sides,” the old governor said apologetically, the prominent scar in his forehead that he got from his captivity by the Trade Federation contorting as he talk.

“Her Majesty, may I suggest that you postpone this meeting for the time being until the Kardara-Gelgacia crisis is over.” Palpatine voiced out.

“The meeting will continue even if I have to discuss it with only one other leader. We will also include in our agenda a deliberation for a possible course of action that would help solve and end this new crisis our sector is facing internally.” Queen Amidala insisted.

“It’s your call, Your Majesty. Please forgive me if I will not be able to participate directly, the delegates from the Huks has just arrived seeking our help against the Kaleesh. Allow me to send for Interim Senators Doriana and Pestage.” Palpatine bowed and faded before the queen could protest the intervention of the two Outsiders, a term they used when referring to the Interim Senators.

“Messa no like this,” General Binks narrowed his stalked eyes.

“I couldn’t agree with you more, General.” Hugo Eckener nodded.

“Allied World representatives Hamna Fyglocxa of Centrex, Mnerthana Haij-Un of Palease Prime, Tibvroff Eln of Yaegon IV and Eros Naegel of Sanctuaria Prime has arrived,” Graf Zapalo announced and as the delegates regally enters and took their seats. At a nod from Captain Panaka, the pair of Palace Guards locked the blastdoors and secured the windows. Two more Palace Guards casually walks around the walls of the Throne Room making a bug sweep for the hundredth times.

“Perimeter secured,” reported Lieutenant Gregar Typho to his uncle Captain Panaka from the blastdoor entrance outside.

The bug sweeper guards nodded at Captain Aluva and stood guard behind the Queen, “Conference Room secured,” she said to Captain Panaka.

Queen Amidala gave an imperceptible acknowledgement at her Security Head before directing her attention to the gathered leaders of the Allied Worlds, “I am grateful and pleased that you have taken the time to attend at my personal request despite the fact that there are more pressing matters that concerns you…”

“If Her Majesty is referring to the Kardara-Gelgacia crisis then you must rest your worries. All of us here although indirectly involved in that debacle could not possibly ignore the purpose of this meeting. The economic state of the entire Chommell Sector is steadily plunging down at a rate that our Allied Worlds has never suffered before in our recorded history.” Count Naegel stated, his gray shoulder-length hair gently rustling on his chest as he talk.

“When we were discreetly informed of the nature of this meeting we never hesitated to send our compliance. I for one was deeply disturbed by the decline in our commerce chart, despite the opening of droid parts foundry, shield technology manufacturing and other newly established production enterprises that our contractors have brought to our worlds. The promised increase in profit ratio hasn’t taken place for three years now.” Baroness Fyglocxa added animatedly, her jewels glinting in the soft stream of filtered sunlight slanting at her side of the table.

“The most curious part of this strange downfall of our sectoral economy is that trading ships from all of our new contractors have been ceaselessly coming in and out of our systems taking out products and bringing in supplies. The way I see it, we should be basking in a golden age of commerce by now.” Duchess Haij-Un slammed her first on the table almost spilling her wine on her expensive ceremonial off-world gown.

“I noticed one thing about our contractors the InterGalactic Banking Clan, Lethe Merchandising, Commerce Guild, Corporate Alliance and Techno Union, all of them are either active members or strong supporters of the ever alarmingly growing Confederacy of Independent Systems.” Lord Eln stated and the others nodded in agreement.

“Had the Trade Federation retained their trade franchise in our sector I would have surmised that this is some kind of a subtle means of invasion, with them cunningly securing their hold on us through the establishment of multi-billion credit foundries. My paranoid nature dictates that this might as well be a clever ploy to strategically build their toehold here, making the entire Chommell Sector the commercial core for the so called Separatist Movement of Count Dooku.”

“Now that you’ve mentioned it, yes, I do agree with your assumptions,” the Duchess Haij-Un commented.

“The Council have also noticed that pattern and it is indeed alarming and at the same time cleverly timed, that is, unless my guestimate had gone awfully wrong.” Eckener said to them.

“What does our esteemed Interim Senators is doing about this?” Lord Eln asked.

“We can’t rely on them. The contracts of those companies are legal, we can’t do anything to touch or snoop in any of them unless we have something tangible to start with.” Zapalo shrugged.

“How about the Jedi, could we ask for their intervention or something?” Duchess Haij-Un suggested.

“I am considering that option. Our choices were pretty much narrowed down from either hiring help under the table or presenting our suspicions to the Jedi Order for them to look into.” Queen Amidala replied.

“Your Highness, the Senators are ready.” Aluva leaned down and whispered at Padme.

“My fellow leaders, our friends from the senate are now ready to join us.” Queen Amidala informed them and Captain Panaka opened the holo-projectors.

Two flamboyantly garbed humans appeared on the projection platform at the center of the room facing the Queen.

“Your Excellencies Queen Amidala, Duchess Haij-Un, Baroness Fyglocxa, Count Naegel and Lord Eln, we apologize for our delay.” Sate Pestage and Kinman Doriana addressed them.

“Proceed with your findings, what is really going on in Kardara and Gelgacia?” Queen Amidala ignored their opening remarks.

“I have sent my inquiry to the Banking Clan and Techno Union. They assured me that the shipments from Kardara and Gelgacia were properly being delivered to their respective distributors and clients. Unfortunately the revised Taxation Laws of former Supreme Chancellor Valorum is taking a big bite out of their profit margin resulting to the low rate of their …” Kinman Doriana began.

“We’ve already received that excuse Interim Senator Doriana. We find that poorly composed alibi absurd.” Count Naegel glared at him.

“Wat Tambor, San Hill and Shu Mai had scheduled to meet me at the Corporate Sector to address my inquiry in person.” Sate Pestage added.

“Why that far off?” Baroness Fyglocxa frowned.

“They wanted a neutral ground…” Pestage replied.

“The Corporate Sector is not a neutral ground. Passel Argente and his Lethe Merchandising are based there.” Queen Amidala raised her eyebrow.

“I could request for a change in venue.” Doriana offered.

“Irrelevant. Tell them all to meet us in person on Chommell Major next week.” Duchess Haij-Un commanded.

“That may not be possible.” Sate Pestage said slowly.

“And why is that?” Count Naegel glowered at the bureaucrat.

“The Chommell Major is on a planetary lockdown.” Sate stated.

“And Chommell Minor is at the verge of civil war because of the lockdown.” Kinman added abruptly.

“To Emberlene then,” Queen Amidala said, the two Interim Senators gave a quick nervous glance at the woman behind the ruler of Naboo.

“Three days.” Governor Sio Bibble said to the two.

“If you’ll excuse us Interim Senators, my guests are tired from their trip, this meeting is adjourned.” Queen Amidala said in finality and stood up, ignoring the protesting two. Captain Panaka ended the transmission.

“My fellow leaders please follow me on the Grand Hall. A feast was prepared in your honor. There we can discuss our respective local issues and help each other settle it the best we can.” Queen Amidala smiled as the Royal Handmaidens moved in unison to escort their esteemed visitors.

* * *

Governor Sio Bibble and the other Governors engaged the Chommell Sector leaders on jovial matters while Captain Panaka and Captain Aluva accompanied the Queen to one of the vacant and secured anteroom within the palace.

Inside was the Lady Crystaé and Emberlene’s Honorary Citizen Aenon Jade, also known as the Gray Jedi of Jaguada.

“Lady Crystaé, Master Jade, thank you for coming on such short notice.” Padme greeted as Sabé, Rabé and Eirtaé provided them with seats.

“Your Highness, are you sure you want the meeting to take place in Emberlene?” the head of the Order of the Sanctuary asked.

“Jaguada is much safer, but farther,” the Gray Jedi suggested.

“Crimos ruled there as Countess Feena, how can it be safe?” Panaka glowered.

“It is safe because I will make it safe.” Aenon held the captain’s glare.

“Her Highness, we only have little time to prepare, you must decide.” Aluva pressed.

“The Queen has decided on Jaguada, she just doesn’t know it yet.” Aenon grinned.

“And why is that?” Padme regarded the Gray Jedi. None of them knows why he came here yesterday only that he insists that the Force led him here.

“Emberlene is outside the Outer Rim Territories, the Expansion Region is mostly controlled by the Expansionist Oligarchy which currently based on Bacrana…” Aenon explained.

“What does that got to do with Emberlene and how could that be a danger to Her Majesty?” Panaka frowned.

“Bacrana my friend is where the parents of Kinman Doriana came from before they married and moved to Naboo and given birth to him. Alaxu Doriana is the son of Kinxu Doriana, Grand Primero of the Oligarchy.” Aenon revealed.

“Still doesn’t explain why they would be a threat.” Aluva crossed her arms.

Aenon regarded her and the others, rolled his eyes and gave a deep sigh, “The Grand Primero is a Dark Jedi and was known to be a Sith aficionado. He was a once a close friend of Jedi Master Thame Cerulian, Count Dooku’s master.”

“Is he the Master of that Zabrak Sith that the Trade Federation was in league?” the Lady Crystaé asked with dread.

“Master Piel and Master Rancisis suspects him, they couldn’t send a Jedi out there for reasons they won’t divulge so they sent out word for the all the Gray Jedi who would care to respond. I am one of the only two that took the time to investigate.” Aenon replied.

“Who was the other Jedi?” Aluva queried.

“Master Perri Duneglider.” Aenon said.

“Never heard of him,” the Lady Crystaé shrugged.

“He left the Order when Master Windu was still a Knight.” Aenon supplied.

“So Kinman wants the Queen dead, is that it?” Panaka asked.

“I don’t know. But there’s a connection between him and the Oligarchy. Did you know that the Oligarchy gave Exclusive Trade Franchise to the Trade Federation during the day the blockade here began?” Aenon clasped his hands.

“Could be, could also be just a coincidence.” Panaka grunted.

“Captain, we’re both a man of the law, we are not allowed to believe in coincidence.” Aenon grinned.

“How can you protect the Queen on Jaguada? You’re just one man.” The Lady Crystaé met his eyes.

“Master Duneglider is on Jaguada as well as his Gray Knights.” Aenon said matter-of-factly.

“The Gray Knights are a myth.” Aluva shook her head.

“Really now, and how is that so?” Aenon smirked.

“Nobody has ever seen them and those who spreads word about their so called heroic exploits always only heard the stories from someone who knows someone who knows someone.” Aluva countered.

“Can you see the Force?” Aenon asked.

“I don’t see the relevance…” Aluva frowned.

“Can you?” the Gray Jedi moved closer to her.

“No of course, I’m not Force-sensitive.” Aluva grunted.

“But you believe it exists?” He moves his face even closer to hers.

“Yes. I’ve seen Jedi use it,” she answered awkwardly.

“Then the Gray Knights is no different.” Aenon grinned and stepped back and bowed at the Queen, “Your Highness, I shall depart now to begin the security arrangements for your visit to Jaguada,” with that the Gray Jedi started to leave.

“I haven’t said yes yet.” Amidala called out.

“Yes you did.” Aenon said as he left.

Queen Amidala gave a bemused look at her companions.

“He is rather rambunctious and arrogant.” Aluva growled.

The Lady Crystaé laughed, much to the confusion of Captain Panaka, “What’s funny?”

Queen Amidala laughed as well, a mirth they hadn’t heard from her since before Veruna’s death.

“She likes him.” Padme blurted.

Panaka didn’t know what to say and turns to look at Aluva but the warrior from Emberlene has already walked out of the room.

Chapter 9: The Hutt Connection

Max Entarrie has been spending most of his time in seclusion at the old basement of his parent’s house since his mother told him about the vault. Senna reluctantly gave her cousin the combination code for the vault and they never heard from him since.

“Aunt Xella, Max won’t answer us, we’re worried.” Selle said to the bedridden mother of her cousin.

“He’ll be fine. He’s just fulfilling the dream of his father, to build the perfect droid.” Xella said distractedly.

“He’s not eating and he hasn’t gone out of that basement…” Senna added but Xella weakly shook her head.

“I said he’ll be fine. There is a couple of month’s worth of food down there. He’ll come out once the design is finished.” Xella assured the Marrie sisters.

“I have to go. I’ll be the guest speaker on Spinnaker in a few hours. Will be alright here?” Senna checked her datapad.

“Go ahead. I’ll call Hoff to give me a hand.” Selle nodded at her younger sister.

Senna leaned over to kiss Xella on the cheeks and gave her a quick embrace, “See you later Aunt Xella. Don’t forget your meds.”

Selle read a book to her aunt and then gave her medication. When Xella was soundly asleep, Selle went to the door to the basement and called Max.

To her surprise, the door slid open and a shabby and a little stinky Max Entarrie came out weakly. Ignoring the stench, Selle went to help her cousin out of the room and into the bathroom. She carefully placed Max on the tub and took his clothes off and run the water to fill up. Then she took the scrubs and the soap and started cleaning him in silence.

* * *

She’s beautiful isn’t she came the voice of his father.

Of course she is. She’s my cousin. Max thought.

See how she looks at you, how she takes care of you. She loves you, my son. His father said to him.

We all love each other. Max pointed out.

She loves you more than that Max. You’re a man, she’s a woman. You are both on the right age. You two deserve each other. His father goaded him.

This is insane father! She’s my first cousin! Max cried out in his head.

So what? The royalties of old marries their kin to preserve the bloodline pure. It makes no difference with us.

She’s in-love with Hoff Siege. Max countered.

She has no future with that trash. Selle is destined to be with you Max. Together you will bring about the perfection of the Entarrie Legacy. Your revolutionary achievement will bring you at the top of the galaxy. Only when she is with you as a wife will her future be secured. If you allow her to be with Hoff, the doom of that filth of a pilot shall bring her down as well.

What are you talking about? You’re not making any sense! Max growled angrily.

Selle belongs to no other man but you Max. Trust me. Max thought of lashing at his father but the voice ceased in his head. When his eyes focused she saw the angelic face of his cousin silently running the sponge on his bare skin under the bubbly water.

She is beautiful, far more beautiful now than I realize. Max admitted but exhaustion overtook his consciousness and he obediently surrendered to the engulfing darkness.

* * *

Max woke up in his room, cleaned and dressed. He got up and looked out his window and saw it was high noon already. He saw tea and breakfast at the side table so he sat and ate in contemplation, trying to recall what has just happened to him.

He was finished when someone knocked at his door, Max opened it and Selle came in carrying a tray of fruits, her eyes looking at him like a doctor would on a stubborn patient.

“Eat these then drink your meds, it’ll help revitalize your muscles and sharpen your thick head,” she scorned.

“Yes mam!” Max bowed but Selle simply collected his breakfast and left.

Max changed his clothes after taking the meds and went to check on his mother. She was awake and was on a holoconference with several NRE programmers. Xella glanced at him and smiled then resumed her conversation with her colleagues.

Max went down to the kitchen and found Selle standing by the basement door, her arms crossed and her face was in a frown.

“Now Max, you must show me what this is all about.” Selle slightly jerk her head indicating the basement.

Max hesitated, but Selle’s determined look won, “Fine,”

The two went down the basement and Max opened the lights. Selle saw the entire room was converted into a holographic platform. All of the computers were compressed by the stairs leaving the rest of the basement bare.

What made her gasp was the chaotic swirl of holographic technical data in the room.

“What is this for?” Selle asked.

“The future, our legacy,” Max beamed with pride.

“In Basic?” Selle glowered at him.

“My dad’s unfinished design for the perfect droid, the Entarrie Legacy,” Max intoned.

“Tell me more about it,” Selle smiled.

Max grinned and rubbed his palms together, “Let’s start with the concept…”

* * *

“So all you need now to get this started are offworld components and materials, right?” Selle asked after Max detailed his grand scheme to finish the project.

“That sums it up, yes.” Max nodded.

“How will you obtain those? I doubt the NRE or any division of Naboo would help you out on this.” Selle shrugged.

“Simple, the black market,” Max said matter-of-factly.

“Black Sun?”

“Oh no, by the Force, not them, I was thinking more along the line of The Tundra.” Max revealed.

“That would be equally worse. You can’t trust Borvo the Hutt on this one!” Selle exclaimed.

“He doesn’t need to know about this, but I can barter my technical expertise to him.” Max said to her.

“I don’t know Max, I don’t trust that big glop. The Raltosan maybe but even them I can’t back you up with. You know my stand against these criminals.” Selle bit her nails, thinking.

“We have no choice. There is no one else in this planet that can help us.” Max told her.

“It’s your call Max. Just leave me out of it. All I can do is to help you keep this project of yours secret.” Selle stated.

“One more thing I needed to do.” Max added.

“What is it?”

“I need you to give me your R2 unit.” Max placed a hand on her shoulder.

“What for?” Selle’s brows creased.

“I need to modify it and use it to track the astromech that got the Entarrie-1.” Max explained.

“I thought that it didn’t get installed through the units?” Selle frowned.

“Me too, but apparently one of those two hundred astromechs did get the programming.” Max grunted.

“And how can my R2 find it?”

“Leave that to me.” Max smiled.

* * *

That week, Selle and Senna helped Max get the word out to Borvo about his business proposal through the underground community. At the end of the week, he received an encrypted message from the Hutt’s majordomo scheduling him to meet with Borvo at the Southern Tundra.

“Be careful Max, we have a bad feeling about this.” Senna told him as he climb up his landspeeder.

“Don’t worry, nothing will go wrong.” Max assured his cousins. The two waved goodbye as Max sped up the main road and out of Theed City.

Traveling on a landspeeder from Theed to the foot of the Southern Tundra turns out to be a stupid idea. Max repeatedly encounter dead ends and often have to take either a very rough and dangerous path through the jungles or an arduous and exhausting crossing of shallow rivers, swamps, ponds, marshlands and rocky ravines.

It was nighttime when he finally reached the southern region and spotted the distant tundra about a couple of dozen kilometers beyond another hostile land.

Max secured his landspeeder and set up his tent and started cooking. The nocturnal noise was loudest in this part of the region, Max doubt if he would get sleep tonight.

Rummaging through his backpack he found a box and felt a sense of dread crawl within his flesh, it took him several minutes to finally overcome the unease and open it.

He held the pair of golden cylinders to the light of the campfire. It was the lightsaber of the Lady Sarc Crimos. He knew he was supposed to turn it over to Theed Security but he felt a certain attachment to it. As if something is nagging at the edge of his conscious thoughts compelling him to keep the weapon to himself.

A narglatch howled somewhere in the east and another answered from the north and another from the west. Max instinctively took his blaster from his holster and checked its charges, setting it to KILL.

Hours passed and nothing came for him despite the constant growls and screeches of predators and their prey around him. A couple more hours came by and he finally fell asleep close to the dying fire.

Max Entarrie bolted up as water was splashed into his face, he reached out for his blaster but it was gone. Standing around him were several men of different species, most of which he has no clue.

He only recognized a Twi’lek, a Devaronian and two humans and a Gungan.

“Who are you?” one of the humans prompted him at gunpoint.

“Max Entarrie, NRE Engineer. I’m just here to seek the audience of Lord Borvo,” he answered raising his hands.

“You’re a spy!” the Devaronian growled.

“Let’s just kill him and be done with it!” the Twi’lek snorted with contempt.

“Hissa must be taken to Lord Borvo…” the Gungan insisted.

“No, I say I just eat him raw!” the one with the wolf face bared his sharp pointy yellow fangs.

“Shut up all of you! We’re taking him to Borvo and let him decide. Monok, Teascel tie him up!” the blue alien with no nose barked at the Twi’lek and Devaron who grudgingly complied.

“The rest of you, scavenge his belongings and bring that landspeeder to our garage. Max Entarrie, huh? Do you know what a gundark is?” the blue hued off-worlder asked him.

“Yes, of course.” Max nodded.

“Lord Borvo just bought two fully grown gundarks and he hasn’t fed them yet since it was delivered last week,” the leader grinned.

* * *

Adela Tyché rummaged through the contents of Max’s backpack while the Duros stood guard behind him.

“I know you. You’re supposed to be on Nal Hutta…” Max growled.

“After your meddlesome Gavyn Sykes and Captain Kael destroyed our operation here and forced my master to turn against me and aid your pathetic resistance against our real employers, how I could I resist the opportunity to retaliate at the Naboo?” Adela purred.

A badly dented and rusted protocol droid half limped half drag its clunky body towards her and whispered. Adela nodded and cleared her throat, “His Almighty Borvo the Hutt will see you now, Max Entarrie of NRE. Bane, take him inside.”

Cad Bane shoved Max forward as the protocol droid push the hinged door open. Max was not surprised at all as the wretched odor of rotten food, dead meat and foul excretions slammed his face like a physical blow.

Reclining on the central dais up in the platform before him was the blue and gray blob that was Borvo the Hutt. He was puffing smoke from his hooka and his massive dreamy eyes regarded him with mild annoyance.

“Chespo kutata kreesta krenko, nyakoska!” Borvo boomed in Huttese.

Max blinked, “You were expecting me? How…” he gasped before the protocol droid manage to translate its master’s words.

Borvo chuckled and said a series of words that Max no longer understood for his Huttese were quite rudimentary.

“His Esteemed Massiveness Borvo the Hutt says that your father worked for him back in his days with the Nal Raka Criminal Empire. My master assumes that you’ve already opened your father’s vault and are here to retrieve the missing program.” TC-02 said.

“My father works for you? That’s impossible!” Max blurted out.

Borvo laughed, and TC-02 went on, “My master said what is surprising, your father is no different than any other low life of Naboo, willing to sell even their own soul for a few credits.”

Max clenched his fist but the voice of his father spoke in his head again.

Behave yourself! This loathsome excuse for a creature holds the remaining piece of my initial program for the Entarrie Legacy. Play well my son and make me proud. Once you have the program, you can get rid of him. You have the lightsabers of the Lady Sarc Crimos you could easily strike him down with it.

Max tried to be calm but was still confused, how in the Seven Hells of Corellia he would be able to use those lightsabers? There weren’t even an ignition button on both cylinders.

“Lord Borvo will give you your father’s program under one condition,” TC-02 intoned.

“I have a feeling that I have no choice at all.” Max grunted.

“Silence!” Cad Bane jabbed the muzzle of his blaster at Max’ shoulder, Max whirled and took a swing at the Duros but the other was quick and caught his fist and twisted his arm then pushed him hard to the floor.

“Either you’re very brave or incredibly foolish.” Adela laughed.

“What is the condition?” Max stood and glowered at Cad Bane but held his temper in check.

“Lord Borvo wants you to sabotage all of the new N2 Starfighters of the Naboo Space Corps.” TC-02 said.

“That’s too much of a price for a simple program.” Max muttered.

Borvo dismissed TC-02 and beckon Max to approach him. Bracing himself, Max went to stand face to face with the Hutt.

“Max my boy. I am set to leave this wretched planet soon. My business here is no longer profitable as before and I doubt the Queen will grant me my demands for the legal trade.” Borvo whispered to him in Basic which startled Max.

“I have spoken to a Vigo of Black Sun and he has offered me a sweet deal that will bring great profits to my organization and at the same time exact revenge to those who used and betrayed us.” Borvo grinned.

“I don’t see why you would think my father’s program is worth that much. It’s just an incomplete set of codes.” Max sighed.

“Creating the perfect droid? Come on, Max. I’ve been involved with your father’s dream since before you were born. I was the one supplying him materials that was beyond his paycheck since day one. I’ve invested so much and thought it has gone down the drain when your father failed to test it on the R2 units and got himself killed. Your perfect droid already have an interested buyer.” Borvo informed him.

“A buyer? I haven’t even began constructing it,” Max stood back.

“Ho ho ho Max my boy, I am a businessman. The Falleen Vigo is very interested to acquire the very best and your father’s dream is the best. I do not doubt the ability of your father to fulfill it, fate just happens to be cruel to him. The Falleen has already made an investment, the materials you will need is already waiting on one of Black Sun’s space station. We are counting on you to do your part.” Borvo spreads out his arms.

“Everything is ready? I can’t believe it!” Max looked around him as if searching for something to steady himself.

See, the Force is with us Max. Everything that is great is coming to your life. Selle, the Entarrie Legacy, your career. Having the Black Sun in good terms with you will be very profitable for you and your mother. They know and can afford people that could help Xella. The voice of his father spoke in his head once again.

“Alright Borvo, I’ll do it. I will sabotage the N2 Starfighters, every single one of them but I have another request, just a small one, nothing your vast organization can’t handle.” Max steadied himself and glances behind at Cad Bane.

“Name it.” Borvo nodded.

“I need a full report about the death of my father. Names, details, everything and everyone involved. The Entarrie-1 got through on one of those astromechs. I need to find it and the men who brought about the demise of my father.” Max demanded.

“Very well,” Borvo grinned and beckoned the Duros to come closer.

“What is your bidding, Lord Borvo?” Cad Bane inclined his head.

“You heard his request. See to it that it is collected and sent to him as soon as possible.” Borvo ordered.

Adela already took Max out of the room and TC-02 closed the door leaving him, the Hutt and the bounty hunter alone inside.

“Anything else?” Cad Bane asked.

“Make sure Max Entarrie completes his end of the bargain and I want no one outside our circle to discover this secret project of his. Once he’s done and the perfect droid is completed and operational, get rid of Max for good.” Borvo ordered.

“With pleasure,” Cad Bane grinned deviously.

* * *

“I’m heading to Spinnaker City. I’ll give you a lift.” Adela said to Max.

“Thank you,” Max said distractedly.

“Can you really do it?” she asked as they went to the hangar.

“Do what? Sabotage the starfighters? Of course,” Max snorted.

“Build the perfect droid. I mean what do you mean by perfect actually?” she inquired, they were now passing through several snubfighters and Headhunters. A male Twi’lek in greasy coveralls approached them and pocketed the hydrospanner he was holding. He eyed Max with casual interest.

“Who’s the kid?” he asked Adela.

“Just some slicer working for Borvo, we’re dropping him off on Spinnaker. Max Entarrie, I’d like you to meet my partner Vanya. Vanya, Max.” Adela said.

“Hop in then Max. Meet my baby, the Outrider.” Vanya proudly cocked his head at the gleaming Corellian YT-2400.

 Chapter 10: One Barriss Offee

 Darra Thel-Tanis giggled as she and her friend watches a young Padawan smiled and waved at their general direction before returning to his lightsaber sparring with the great sword master Sora Bulq.

“He’s cute.” Darra said.

“For a male human, I think so, the definition does fit his physical appearance,” the Mirialan nodded at her.

“What are you, a droid? Can’t you just talk like everybody else does?” Darra nudged her friend.

“I see nothing wrong with my speech Darra. By the way, shouldn’t you be more concerned about us getting picked for apprenticeship than admire a random trainee?” the Mirialan countered.

“Oh come on Barriss Offee, we’re both great in all of our classes. I’m pretty sure the two of us will be selected tonight. And for the record, Anakin Skywalker is not just a random trainee as you so eloquently put it. He’s the Chosen One.” Darra waved back at Anakin who was far too busy blocking the Jedi Master’s attacks to notice anything else.

“You’re right Darra. We’ve done everything Master Yoda made us do, we’ve perfected all written and practical exams and our lightsaber skills are more than average. Why should I doubt my abilities?” Barriss admitted.

“See, that’s the spirit girl. Besides, we’re too awesome to be thrown to the Agricultural Corps.” Darra grinned.

“There is nothing wrong in being assigned at the Agricultural Corps. It is the system and the system works.” Barriss snapped.

“I’m sorry Barriss. You know I never meant anything about that. I just talk like this when I’m nervous.” Darra finally conceded.

“Apology not needed. Are you done admiring the Chosen One? We still have one more chore to do before we get the day off for ourselves.” Barriss looked at Anakin who was now bowing at Sora Bulq. Master Kenobi went to his apprentice and the two spoke and made their way to the turbolift, the one that exclusively leads to the Jedi Council Chamber.

“Can’t we just skip the news report?” Darra skulked.

“No. Let’s go,” Barriss stood and walked out of the antechamber and passed through the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Darra caught up with her as she was taking the corridor to the Reassignment Council Tower.

“Hello girls, today will be a bore to you, there’s not much big in the news yet,” a Jedi technician greeted them as they enter the Public News Monitoring Station.

“Be that as it may, we still need to do our job and file our report.” Barriss stated.

“Alright, the consoles are yours. Just don’t mess my files understand? I’ll take my break now and be back in an hour,” the tech got up and left.

Barriss took out her datapad as Darra sat and scrolled at the current streaming news archives.

“Nothing much… hmmm… a fire engulfing five blocks in the Rodian District, an inauguration of a new wing in 500 Republica, a Hutt arrested at the Musky Mate Tavern…” Darra droned while Barriss took notes.

“The Republic Group purchasing the Stellar Envoy, the Velvet Vanquishers won their fifth Galactic Shockball Tournament…” Darra was now reading fast and Barriss had to use shorthand just to catch up with her.

“Darra, you’re rushing…” Barriss started to say but Darra stood up excitedly.

“Done! Now can we go? We could still catch the last airbus to the Manarai for the concert of Diva LaFaece!” Darra took Barriss’ hand.

“You go on. I’ll wrap up our report and submit it to Master Yoda.” Barriss nodded at her.

“You’ll miss out the fun Barriss, see you later!” Darra left.

Barriss went back to the Public News Monitoring Station and went to prepare their report for the day. She doesn’t particularly like writing Darra’s report but she also doesn’t want her friend to fare badly in the eyes of the masters.

* * *

She finished her report in only a few minutes but still couldn’t leave because the tech hasn’t returned yet. Fearing the tech would really consume the full hour of his break, Barriss fidgeted and paced back and forth in the news room.

Fifteen minutes before the hour is up the Jedi tech returned, “Where’s the other one?”

“She went to see the concert at the Manarai District.” Barriss said and made her way to Master Yoda’s office but it was empty. She spotted Master Eeth Koth and asked him of Yoda, he told her they have a meeting at the Jedi Council Chamber.

The Iridonian Jedi Master offered Barriss to accompany him to the tower and she gladly complied. When they reached the lobby she found Master Kenobi and his apprentice by the veranda talking, Master Koth told her to wait outside as he went in.

Barriss stared at the massive holomap of the known galaxy and tried to identify star clusters. A tall old Jedi Master stomps out of the Council Chamber and went to speak with a military type man directly across her, her view was blocked by the transparent swirling projection of the galaxy but his deep voice was loud enough for her to hear it clearly, albeit unintentionally.

“The Council was reluctant to approve our project but they all gave in eventually…” the old Jedi was saying.

“…Doriana said he’ll get the Senate Appropriations Committee to deliver us the six brand new Dreadnaughts, but where should those be delivered…” answered the other.

“…to Yaga Minor. I will ensure that the proper contractors are selected, now let’s get moving,” the Jedi barked rather rudely.

“Yes Master C’baoth!” the man bowed and left. Barriss was momentarily stunned then she found herself meeting the eyes of the Jedi Master from Bortras.

Barriss politely bowed then pretended to be busy studying the charts, at the corner of her eyes she saw the old man snorted and left.

Barriss let out a sigh of relief then she caught the words Blood Carver from behind her so she turns to look at Master Kenobi and Padawan Skywalker.

The two were now walking towards the Council Chamber and the Sentinel admitted them inside. Barriss was now left alone so she went to the balcony and marveled at the cityscape of the capital of the galaxy.

Turning around she saw Master Thracia Cho Leem coming out of the turbolift in a hurry towards the Council Chamber. Barriss felt suddenly sad remembering Vergere, Master Leem’s apprentice who was rumored to have disappeared somewhere in the Outer Rim.

Barriss sighed if she is to be selected tonight to be an apprentice, she promised herself never to disappear like that to her own master. She will make sure that her location will always be known to her future master and that she would follow orders to the detail. She will be a great Jedi Knight one day.

“Barriss Offee?” the voice startled her reverie and she saw it was Master Leem.

“Yes Master Leem?” Barriss bowed.

“Master Yoda will see you now,” she told her and went to talk to Master Koth and Adi Gallia as the rest of the masters leaves the chamber and took the turbolift down.

“Thank you,” Barriss said but the other was already out of earshot. She hurriedly went to the blastdoor, checked her robe and hair and calms herself using the Force before nodding at the Sentinel and step inside.

Masters Windu and Ki-Adi-Mundi was there with Yoda at the center, the small green Jedi smiled and asked her to step closer to him.

“Tonight’s apprentice picking, ready are you?” Yoda eyed him.

“I am… apprehensive.” Barriss stated.

“Afraid?” Ki-Adi-Mundi asked.

“A little,” she nodded.

“And if you are not selected?” Mace Windu’s fingertips touched each other as he awaits her answer.

“I shall accept my destiny within the Service Corps,” Barriss lowered her eyes.

“Is that a textbook answer or one coming from your heart?” Ki-Adi-Mundi asked, giving a knowing look at Yoda and Windu.

Barriss froze and was momentarily confused, she looked at the Cerean and for a second she couldn’t think of a proper reply. The Jedi Master took a deep breath and slowly nodded at her, “You are an exceptional Padawan, Barriss Offee.” Ki-Adi-Mundi started to say.

“But you must learn to think for yourself and follow your instinct and your heart.” Mace Windu continued.

“But to the expense of the Jedi Code, it must not.” Yoda finished and handed her back the datachip containing her report.

“I will keep that in mind, Masters.” Barriss took her datachip and did not move.

“The Choosing will start in an hour, you may go now and get prepared,” Mace Windu said softly.

Barriss breathed with relief and said her goodbye to the three Jedi Masters before calmly striding out of the Jedi Council Chamber. Master Kenobi and his sandy haired apprentice was no longer where she last saw them.

* * *

Over half an hour later she checked herself on the mirror and was pleased that she looks presentable enough. She was about to leave when Darra came in her room blabbering about her experience at the Manarai.

“Tell me about it while you’re getting dressed.” Barriss told her and glanced at the chronometer. They still have twenty minutes to get there.

She told her about the concert and some young men she met but Barriss was more concerned about the time so when Darra was done Alida went out and did not wait for her friend. Darra came rushing behind her and resume her stories.

The other aspiring Padawans were already lined-up inside one of the Youngling’s classroom. Jedi Knight Tassida Judrelle waved at them to hurry as she checks and re-checks the arrangements of the students.

Jedi Master Soara Antana strode purposely inside the room and engaged Tassida on a hushed conversation.

The aspiring Padawans looked at each other excitedly. Master Antana was one of their best lightsaber instructors, she has mentioned to them during their sessions on several occasions that she would soon pick her next apprentice among their batch.

Barriss Offee felt her heart pounding hard. She knows that Master Antana had her eye on Darra since the beginning, but she steeled herself, thinking that the Jedi Master would not play by favoritism and will base her choice from their impeccable performances… which Barriss confidently knows she excels.

Darra was five students to her left and their eyes met. Barriss smiled encouragingly at her friend but the other merely winced. Why? Barriss thought.

She was about to mouth her question when Master Antana addressed them.

“I am sure that you were all expecting me to pick my padawan tonight among you. Unfortunately, I just received a very important task from the Council that I could not possibly ignore.” Master Antana announced and the group of students murmured.

“Silence everyone!” Tassida snapped.

“I have been temporarily assigned as Jedi Watchman for the Esstran Sector…” Master Antana continued, there was a collective gasps among the students. They all know that the Sith Worlds are within that sector.

“Don’t worry. I will keep in touch with the Gray Jedi stationed there. I will only be there for a year until a replacement has been assigned. After that I shall come back here and began training my Padawan learner.” Master Antana informed them.

“You mean select, not train,” one of the students corrected.

Tassida scowled but Master Antana raised her hand and smiled, “Train. I have already selected one of you. You will know which upon my return. Another Master will come here in a few minutes. She will choose her own padawan and will spare the one I picked for I already informed her about it. May the Force be with you,” and with that Jedi Master Soara Antana clicked her heels and strode out with her robe billowing in her wake.

The students erupted in grouped conversations and Tassida went out for a while to answer her comlink.

Darra switched places to the student standing beside Barriss and squeeze her hand. Barriss smiled and squeezed back.

“I was expecting Master Antana to pick me,” Darra said biting back tears.

“She said she has already chosen among us. Have faith Darra, it could be you right?” Barriss said.

“I hope so, but none of us would know until next year.” Darra shook her head.

“Patience Darra,” Barriss looked at her.

“Who do you think would be that next master?” Darra mused.

“We’ll soon  find out,” Barriss inclined her head at the entrance as Tassida returns followed by a lithe robe female human Jedi with tattoo on her chin, her strikingly sharp blue eyes swept around the room in one fluid motion.

To their surprise, Master Yoda came as well and stood between Tassida and the blue eyed Jedi Master.

* * *

This is it; the most awaited moment of her life has finally come. Since she was a youngling she expected this day to be full of excitement and pride. She excelled in her academic as well as practical studies and her capabilities on the Force are commendable if not exceptional as Master Shaak Ti had once praised her.

But she never thought it will also be this heart-pounding and tense. Her fellow students were equally and more, for some, gifted and disciplined as she is. She also realized that this is somehow also a competition, a battle as to who would catch the fancy of the Jedi Master.

Master Yoda cleared his throat and they all stood in attention. A robed Jedi strode in the room, she couldn’t see her face because she was at the third line and the young Ithorian Dulok Ginon’s head in front of her was making her view even difficult.

Master Yoda did not introduce her. She went on asking personal and random questions at those in front. It took a while before the Jedi Master finally asked her.

“You, Mirialan, what will you do if your master is teaching you contradictory things?” her voice was calm but authoritative enough and it somehow prompt her to answer at once without thinking it through.

“I will point it out to my master. As a Padawan learner it is in my best interest to know, learn and understand and the best way to achieve all three is to ask. But not so as to offend or disrespect but merely to clarify and comprehend.” she said in reflex.

Without a word the Jedi Master moved on asking the next student. She still couldn’t see her face but her clothing seemed familiar. Yes, she had seen it several times on the Temple.

As her mind wanders off she realized a moment later that the students have all parted away from her and the tall robed female human Jedi with face tattoos was staring at her with her bright blue eyes.

“I am Jedi Master Luminara Unduli, you will be my Padawan. What is your name Mirialan?” she asked her.

“I… I am Barriss Offee.” she felt elated, at last, I’m an apprentice!

Master Yoda gave a solemn nod and smiled, “A promising pair, you are.”

* * *

Barriss Offee only has one satchel to pack with her handful of clothes and undergarments. Darra sat by her bed watching her in silence.

“Cheer up Darra. At least you know it wasn’t me that Master Antana had picked.” Barriss tried to lighten her friend’s sadness.

“That doesn’t prove that it was me she has chosen either. Anyways, don’t worry about me. You’re a Jedi Apprentice now. I am so proud and happy for you.” Darra leaned forward to embrace her friend.

“Take good care of yourself Darra, don’t give Master Yoda any headaches and please stop going out in the city alone too much.” Barriss said to her with all seriousness.

“I promise no more carefree jaunts outside the temple. By the way, I want you to have this,” Darra took out something wrapped in a piece of cloth and placed it on Barriss’ hands.

“What is this?” Barriss asked.

“Open it.” Darra grinned.

Barriss’ eyes went wide. It was a piece of a blue Adegan crystal. Barriss felt tears streaming down her cheeks, “Darra you can’t! This was your mother’s!” she shook her head.

“My mother wielded two lightsabers, I’m sharing you half of it so we will always be together no matter what. Master Yoda told me that I should not give all three pieces to you. He said that when the time comes you will get the missing pieces on your own. Most likely it’ll be on Illum.” Darra sniffed.

“Thank you. With or without this crystal, you are already in my heart wherever I go. We’re practically sisters.” Barriss blinked back tears.

“Will you see me off?” Barriss asked.

“No, I don’t think so. It’ll only break my heart to actually see you go. Please Barriss don’t let me wake up tomorrow seeing you leave.” Darra said to her.

“Alright,” Barriss nodded.

* * *

“The longing will pass Barriss. And one day you will finally be able to use that crystal to construct your very own lightsaber. Do not let your emotion get too much hold on you. Such degree of attachment would be the first step to your undoing.” Luminara Unduli said to her.

“Yes Master,” Barriss nodded.

“We should be entering real space in a few minutes. Would you like to join me on the bridge with Captain Desnocres?” Luminara offered.

“Yes Master,” Barriss returned the Adegan crystal on her pouch hidden inside her robes and stood up, “Master?”

“Yes Barriss?”

“Kardara is said to be a harsh and desolate desert world much like Tatooine and its government had long crumbled from within and are now run by local criminal organizations that pretends to be a legitimate order. Do you really think it’s wise to start our investigation there?” Barriss voiced out her concern.

“Kardara is the center of the conflict that stirs the Chommell Sector of late. This is where the late Jedi Masters Qui-Gon Jinn and Sifo-Dyas encountered the Chommell Patriots and the Lady Sarc Crimos, I have a strong feeling that all of those were connected to the current crisis that sector is facing.” Luminara explained then smiled, “Tell me why is it otherwise, my young Padawan.”

“It’s just a thought really… nothing concrete…” Barriss hesitated.

“Barriss Offee, if there is one thing you must need to understand if you want to continue to be my apprentice is that I value the insight of my learner whether he or she may be wrong or right in the end that remains to be seen.” Luminara’s tone went hard.

“Yes Master, I was just thinking that since most of the disappearances take place at the borders of the each planetary star systems maybe we should use a small unmarked trading craft and bait ourselves to those massive freight haulers in question.” Barriss suggested.

“Disguise ourselves as small time traders and allow them to capture us?” Luminara raised an eyebrow.

“Yes Master, I’m sorry, I know it sounds ridiculous.” Barriss blushed.

“Barriss, listen to me, it is in most cases that what everyone deemed ridiculous ends up being the right thing all along. I shall speak to Captain Desnocres if he could spare us one of his G9-Rigger freighters we saw on the hangar bay earlier.” Luminara nodded and the two went to the command bridge of the Moviana Dreadnaught Savory Spice.

 Chapter 11: Around Naboo in Eighty Hours

“We got orders from Captain Panaka!” Director Riggs Fenn announced and the NRE Head Office staff halted on what they were doing and gathered around him to listen.

Rinn Olié, Reepek and Artoo Detoo squeezed their way through the employees to get a better spot to hear what their director has to say.

“Bongo Squadron will be taking the N2 Starfighters to a planetary patrol sweep for several reasons that will be either made public and top secret. They are to fly over the major cities and vital installations around the planet and be on the lookout for any unregistered sites or activities beyond the city radius. They cleared to engage or act what they deem necessary should they encounter irregularities during the time of their sweep.” Riggs read aloud on his datapad.

“Rinn any word from Max?” Riggs asked.

“No sir. Last time we spoke he said he’ll be going out of town for a couple of weeks.” Rinn shook his head.

“I don’t care what he does and where he goes as long as it doesn’t impede his work here. If he doesn’t file the leave extension within twenty four hours he’s out of our team.” Riggs grunted.

“I’ll let him know sir.” Rinn nodded.

“So, prep up a dozen N2s and give me a call when it’s ready.” Riggs stated and the staff dispersed to begin the preparation.

Artoo whistled and Reepek laughed, “I bet you would Artoo, I bet you would.”

* * *

“You sure you want me take Artoo with me?” Captain Jerna Kin asked for the hundredth times as she climbs up on the single seat cockpit of her brand new N2 Starfighter.

“Affirmative, Captain. He’s the best we got.” Captain Hoff Siege assured her and he handed her the modified helmet that fits well with the Gungan’s head.

“Artoo, I have fed the computer with the charted route that the Bongo Squadron must follow, any deviation from the designated course must be documented as well alright? If you guys ran into trouble just hail us and we’ll send back up. Do be careful Artoo and bring the squadron in one piece while you’re at it.” Reepek said to his droid counterpart.

Artoo tootled and chirped a series of reply and inquiry at the former Recon-PK droid.

“But of course, Master Siege, Master Rinn and I would be monitoring your progress through the satellite holo tracker. We’ve also notified the Order of the Sanctuary that your team would have a flyby on their airspace.” Reepek answered as Rinn came and check the ship, the pilot and Artoo.

“All clear!” Rinn barked at his comlink and the hangar doors slid open allowing a stream of sunlight in.

“See you guys in three days!” Hoff shouted as the engines of twelve glinting yellow and silver chrome Naboo N2 Starfighters roared, their thrusters and repulsors powering and kicking, easing out of their perch and rotating to orient themselves for takeoff.

“Bongo Squadron, let’s paint the sky!” Captain Kin cheered and the dozen starfighters shot out like projectiles from the Northern Paleasé Hangar.

Artoo sent his signal and coordinated with the other astromech of the squadron as they flew up in the bright sunny sky of the northern region. The others acknowledged him while Captain Kin and her pilots made their roll call.

Artoo then distributed the designated route assigned by Captain Ric Olié before returning his attention to the monitoring of the starfighter’s engine and systems performance.

“ETA to the first town is twenty minutes. Enjoy the view!” Captain Jerna Kin hissed on the squadron frequency before turning it off then regarded her astromech, “How’s the diagnostics Artoo?”

Artoo beeped and chirped and his reply streamed in futhark at the small monitor in the cockpit.

“I must admit these N2s are one sweet ride, I still miss the wind in my body while riding the aiwha.” Jerna mused.

Artoo hooted a question and the Gungan grinned, her complete set of flat white teeth flashing, “The Gungans are pretty much divided on their stance about this merger with the Naboo. Those who were as adventurous and open minded as I am were the one who’s up there now on Rori, helping the humans to establish a favorable colony for everyone to co-exist. Those we were more traditional had skulked deep in the waters and rebuild Oto Gunga. As for the neutrals they elected to build landhuts in the forests and some even took residences among the human towns and cities.”

Artoo moaned at her, “Yes Artoo, despite the losses during the Great Battle of Naboo, our population has definitely boomed almost two hundred percent in the past three years. That’s why the Queen approved the colonization of Rori and was also considering the development of the other moons. It’s amazing how much change has taken place in both civilizations in only three years, a thousand year of animosity was broken by a common enemy.” Kin nodded at him.

The Gungan fell silent so Artoo took the chance to pull out her profile on his databank and study it more closely.

Captain Jerna Kin was found by a human fisherman named Jerod Kin in the Eastern Region when she was still an infant. He and his wife Nadelé has been married for thirty years and was never blessed by a child of their own so the couple took her in.

Jerod tried to learn what happened to Jerna’s parents but there were no Gungans in their area and he could not risk going beyond their land to meet or find one. When Jerna was thirteen, the Gungan terrorist Gantu Onu Raltos and his right hand Jar Jar Binks and their men came to their village.

The fishermen fought to drive them away but they were all gunned down, the women forced to serve them food and give them what little they have of value. It was Jar Jar Binks who discovered Jerna and was shocked that she lives among humans and speaks straight like the Naboo.

Binks hid her under the floating docks so that Gantu won’t know about her and kill her on the spot, that simple act of kindness was never forgotten by Jerna. When she heard that the ship of the terrorists has departed, she got out of hiding and buried her parents. The rest of the village saw her as the cause of their loss and cast her out.

Jerna wandered in the jungles, lived alone and learned to adopt in the wild and for two years she went about like that until she met Fonu Mil, a Gungan scout who took her down in the waters and showed her Oto Gunga.

Boss Rugor Nass and his Council cross-examined her thoroughly before allowing her to live among them. Fonu took her in his house and treated her like his own daughter. In the following years she has reconnected with her roots and learned the ways of her own people. But she remained the only Gungan that speaks Naboo.

She joined the Militiagung and served under Major Fassa and later on became a flock leader of aiwha riders. She participated in the Great Battle of Naboo and fought with ferocity, she hated the maccaneks not only because they destroyed Oto Gunga and killed many Gungans but they also killed Fonu Mil.

After the battle, when the merger began, she was the first to move in on Theed and made her way to join the Naboo Royal Space Corps. She was the first Gungan pilot of NRSC and her fame encouraged other Gungans to pursue their dream to become starfighter pilots.

Artoo felt a sense of admiration and respect for her after he finished reading her file.

“Entering Dalna Domm airspace,” Jerna announced, “Artoo, begin the sweep.”

Artoo complied and activated the mapping scanner. The holographic map of Dalna Domm was slowly constructed above the monitor of Captain Kin, “Enhance details, activate biological scan.”

Artoo switch to bioscan and began the population count. Captain Kin ordered her squadron to scatter as they made their respective scanning duties that would later compile to create a well detailed survey and tactical map that will be overwrite the outdated records in the Royal Hall of Archives.

The bioscan beeped once and Artoo whistled his report to Captain Kin, “Biological count is two million five hundred thousand three hundred and twenty seven. Artoo, begin the segregation of entities to Gungan and Human subjects only. Store the non-sentient count for later examination for the Royal Wildlife Institute.”

Artoo beeped and it only took a few seconds to get the result, “Gungan count is seventy five and human count is nine hundred forty six. Artoo run facial recognition to these subjects and separate the locals from visitors.”

Artoo laser tagged the holographic subjects and began sorting them out. After a minute he sent his findings to her, “Locals; sixty four Gungans and eight hundred ninety one humans. Artoo, laser tag and identify the visitors. Bongo Squadron, we’re done here, regroup at the Kalakainon Mountains.” Captain Kin ordered and banked her ship to the left towards the mountains.

* * *

The Gungan pilots made camp at the plateau at the eastern face of the Kalakainon. Below them by the cliff wall’s tunnel falls was a nesting ground of thousands of aiwhas.

“ I’ve never seen the Kalakainon Nests in person, Artoo do you want to come with me? We can document the nest, I’m sure the Royal Wildlife Institute would be very interested about our findings.” Captain Kin said to Artoo Detoo.

Artoo rocked on his heels in excitement and rolled after the female Gungan.

The ledge leading down the tunnel falls were broken, the lithe Gungan had no hard time making her way down but Artoo had to constantly use his thrusters to fly from one narrow ledge to another. Below them was a two thousand foot drop to a rocky gorge.

When the two reached the tunnel, the thunderous roar of the water and an overpowering stench greeted Captain Kin and Artoo Detoo.

Artoo flashed his searchlight and took the initiative to do a sonar scan. The map took form and in a few seconds Artoo got the general map of the first kilometer of the tunnel.

As the two made their way deeper, the Gungan pilot’s excitement grew and Artoo became more and more cautious. He chirped in alarm when his sensors detected heavy metal content at the left branching tunnel.

Kin nodded and they took that direction to investigate. She spotted several dozen nests and sleeping aiwhas but in this area, the reek of aiwha droppings are a little less compare to the other tunnel.

Artoo rocked on his legs and hooted a warning at Captain Kin. Artoo told her that he has detected a power source nearby.

Jerna took out her blaster and moved slowly to the next bend while Artoo tries to lit her path with his searchlight.

They walked for about several minutes before they halted on a metal wall that was blocking the dry tunnel, “Wow. This is definitely not natural.” Jerna commented.

Artoo beep in agreement and rolled closer to examine the bare rusted metal wall. Jerna went to the other side running her hand on the edges trying to find something that might open it.

“There’s nothing here but plain wall.” Jerna shook her head.

Artoo extended his radar and came out with only little to report, he told her that there are power cables running behind the wall but there is no machinery or life form within the first hundred meters behind the wall.

“There has to be an entrance somewhere in this labyrinth. Artoo, make a full scan of the entire mountain if you can and add it on our report. We have to get moving, we’ll dig into this later.” Jerna told him and took her comlink.

“Captain?” the voice of her wingman answered.

“Get everyone ready, we’re moving on to the next town.” Jerna ordered.

“Yes Captain.”

Artoo chirped informing her that he’s done with the scanning. The two traced their steps back and out until they have rejoined the rest of the squadron who were now packed and gunning the engines of their N2 Starfighters.

“Next stop Mono Madaeo!” Captain Jerna Kin said aloud.

Bongo Squadron flied low, their hulls almost touching the tallest trees. The bright moons of Naboo shone from above illuminating the dark sleeping forest the spreads out around them like a vast carpet of greenery.

Artoo busied himself in studying his mapping of the entire cave and tunnel ways of the mountain. It was a base alright. He suspects it was one of those secret hideouts of the Chommell Patriots years ago. One of those the Naboo Security Corps did not found in their previous sweep.

* * *

They reached Mono Madaeo by sunrise and made a quick flyover. They left the provincial town after a couple of pass and move in to the next and the next and so on.

At their second night they have covered more than half of the listed inhabited areas of Naboo. They made camp at the Lanki Teedo grass plains. Hundreds of thousands of kaadu and several thousand fambaas grazed and milled around the twelve Gungan pilots, some of the beasts threw a disinterest glance at them and sniffs their starfighters. Once they realize it’s not grass, their nose would wrinkle and they’ll move on.

Artoo commented how beautiful Naboo is especially at nighttime. The Gungan captain smiled and nodded, “That’s true Artoo. This is why the Advisory Council favored the colonization of Rori. Both humans and Gungans agreed that they could not risk destroying the wildlife just to make room for new rural and urban development.”

Artoo commented that this assignment is quite a bore and the only excitement he could call that happened was when they found that mysterious metal wall.

“We could install a satellite network to do the job but that idea was far too expensive. Which reminds me, have you heard about Selle Marrie’s speech the other day? She promised to install that satellite network and begin the modernization of Naboo.” Jerna said.

Artoo groaned.

“I know. She’s quite a talker and more often than hot her words are harsh and accusatory but you must agree that her complaints are true and her arguments have merit.” Jerna nodded.

Artoo swiveled his dome and blinked his lights, “You are an extraordinary one Artoo. You’re the only droid I encountered in my whole life that actually has an opinion about politics, or in general.” Jerna laughed.

Artoo bleeped and gave a string of hoots, beeps and whistles.

“That’s right. In two days the election for the next ruling monarch will begin and before this week end a new queen will be declared and shortly after that be crowned.” Jerna bobbed her head.

They pushed on to complete the last leg of their planetary sweep. Throughout the flight Artoo and Jerna became more acquainted with each other, sharing stories of their adventures during the Great Battle of Naboo and their career after that. Artoo learned that Jerna was a believer of Selle Marrie’s capability to rule Naboo but she doesn’t share the stand and accusations against Queen Amidala.

“Last stop Spinnaker City!” Captain Kin announced on the squadron channel. Moments later the bustling city came to view. Artoo whistled.

The panoramic view was spectacular. It was even enhanced with as they came closer, the sun started to rise from behind the city and the streaming sunlight pierced through the multifaceted and colorful glass display at the City Arc.

“Looky like wessa came on a special day,” Bongo Five commented.

“Let’s get on with the sweep so we can land and see what’s going on down there.” Captain Kin told them.

* * *

Gungans and humans milled at the central plaza and they were all facing a simple stage that was temporarily built by the statue of the late King Ars Veruna.

Captain Kin, Artoo Detoo and the rest of the Bongo Squadron pilots made their way to the front.

Up on the stage was two of the most beautiful young human woman Artoo Detoo has ever seen. That impression puzzled the astromech for a microsecond, why did he consider those pair that way? Artoo moaned and assumed that perhaps he just based his notion from the way the male humans he’d been with describe woman’s beauty.

His electronic musings was interrupted by Major Nool Anta, the wingman of Captain Kin, “Looky looky Artoo, it’s the Marrie sisters!”

Artoo adjusted his photoreceptor and refocused it, up there on the small stage was a pair of teenagers that his face recognition module easily identified as Selle Marrie, leader of the Anti-Moviana Movement and her younger and stunning sister Senna Marrie, the Princess of Theed and a promising candidate for the throne of Naboo.

The Princess was in the middle of her speech, appealing to the people of Spinnaker City to take into serious consideration everything that her older sister had said since a few minutes earlier.

The crowd cheered and clapped and several scattered groups booed and threw rotten fruits at the stage. Several Ankuran Gungans positioned themselves below the stage using their size to intimidate hecklers and keep the crowd at a safe distance from the Marrie sisters.

“The people of Naboo have been cheated of progress first by the late King Ars Veruna and now by Queen Amidala. The corrupt power monger Advisory Council led by the traitor Governor Sio Bibble has been keeping the truth from all of us all these years.” Selle paused for effect before resuming.

“During the time of the late great Consinga Palpatine and Senator Vidar Kim, they openly opposed the plan of King Bon Tapalo to open Naboo to the galaxy. Tapalo and his lackey Bibble has struck a deal with Damask Holdings to create the Plasma Mining Complex. Although it did brought trade to our planet, it was only a pinprick of what we should be profiting by now.” Selle revealed.

“This just got more interesting.” Jerna muttered. Artoo bleeped expressing his doubt of Selle’s accusation.

“A bigger offer was supposed to be approved by Alaxu Doriana but he lost his bid to the throne. Senator Kim and Consinga tried to convince King Tapalo about that deal but he chose to scheme with Sio Bibble and Hego Damask and consume our resources to make them rich.” Selle continued.

“Lies!” shouted one old man from behind.

“I tell only the plain truth, hidden to all of you for more than three decades now. Naboo was supposed to win the contract with Kuat Drive Yards and the Republic Seinar Systems. It would have brought us billions of credits yearly instead we ended up with Damask Holdings who only left us in debt to the Banking Clan and the Trade Federation a debt that resulted to the invasion of their dreadful droid army three years ago that cost hundreds if not thousands of lives, deaths that should have been averted.” Selle waved her datapad in the air.

“The entire documented reports about what we are telling you are now being uploaded in the public information system by our cousin Max Entarrie. The time of ignorance must end now, the people of Naboo; humans and Gungans alike have the right to know!” Senna Marrie shouted, raising the hand of her sister.

The people of Spinnaker City raised their fists and cheered.

Artoo muttered at Captain Jerna Kin, and the female Gungan nodded, “You do have a point Artoo. If such allegation was real, why did they choose to tell the public during the campaign period?”

Artoo bleeped in agreement but what was really nagging at his computer brain was the fact that Max Entarrie is here with his cousins when his official statement for his leave of absence was that he was out sick and recuperating.

Artoo spotted Max Entarrie at the left corner of the stage. He stood there looking very healthy, his eyes in a constant sweeping motion at the gathered throng of people. Beside him was a strange looking astromech droid with gleaming black and gold paint job. A faint blue light glowed from its interior making its three wheeled legs look blue.

 Chapter 12: The Jaguada Convention

The hologram of Governor Sio Bibble, Lady Crystaé and Thea Olié bowed at Queen Amidala and the transmission ended.

Captains Aluva D’asima, Panaka, Ric Olié and Aenon Jade took their seats and waited for the Queen to speak.

“Their fear has merit but I can’t neglect my duty to represent Naboo on this convention. My bid to remain in the throne is not as important as the consequences this tension in our sector is causing.” Amidala said.

“We do not question your decision, milady.” Aluva bowed.

“I am sure Governor Bibble and the Lady Crystaé can take care of your campaign back home. You need not to worry about it.” Captain Panaka added.

“You will stay in power. I saw it. But everything depends on the outcome of this meeting. I just received word from Master Duneglider that your security arrangement has been set.” Aenon Jade nodded.

“The delegates from the Allied Worlds are already on their way there. If nothing untoward happens, this will be over in less than three days and we’ll be home in time for the vote counting.” Captain Ric Olié grinned.

“Captain Olié, we’re almost there.” Captain Teros called out from the cockpit.

Ric got up and bowed to the Queen before rejoining his co-pilot. Captain Teros who were added in their group at the last minute to replace the co-pilot who called in sick addressed the PA system, “Reverting to real space in five minutes.”

When the chronometer counted down to zero, the streamlines shrank into a sea of dotted lights like a wallpaper, the grim planet of Jaguada loomed before them, and the Queen’s Royal Starship eased its way towards it.

“Captain we’re being hailed,” Teros announced.

“Patch them through speakers,” Ric nodded and spoke at the cue of Teros, “This is the Naboo Royal Starship of Her Highness Queen Amidala of Naboo, please identify yourself.”

“Greetings Captain Ric Olié, I am Master Perri Duneglider. We are expecting you. Please follow the coordinates I’m sending you now. See you on the ground,” the voice was a little hoarse indicating old age but it was firm denoting strength and authority.

“Scanner’s picking up several other ships. They are registering as convoys from our Allied Worlds.” Teros said glancing at the readouts.

“That’s good news.” Ric smiled.

* * *

The infamous Gray Jedi Master Perri Duneglider was nothing like any of them expected.

He was tall and lean; he sports a long graying hair and beard that both reaches down his chest like a furry ornament. He wore casual white shirt and dark brown trousers with worn out military grade boots caked with slimy looking mud.

His arms were tattooed with various runes and not of them were familiar with. There was no lightsaber visible in his person which slightly confused Queen Amidala.

“Welcome to Jaguada, Her Majesty.” Master Duneglider bowed slightly.

“Thank you Master Jedi,” Queen Amidala smiled.

“Please, Master Duneglider would suffice. I left the order a very long time ago,” the old man shook his head.

“Very well, Master Duneglider, I wish to retire at our suite before the convention begins. Shall we?” Queen Amidala nodded.

“But of course. Follow me please, this way.” Duneglider beckoned them.

“Master Duneglider, forgive me for asking, but why are there no security personnel around here?” Aluva inquired.

“My acolytes are simply doing their job. We are here to protect you from harm and not strut in public like a marching band. I assure you they are everywhere, unseen.” Duneglider explained.

“If you say so Master Duneglider,” Aluva acknowledged.

They were escorted by the old Jedi to an airbus waiting for them and the Dug driver took them west where the Great Spire stood.

At the landing bay of the Great Spire, several of the Allied Worlds’ delegates arrived at the same time as Queen Amidala’s envoy. Each of them was accompanied by plain clothed men who act like they own the entire planet.

Aluva and Panaka glanced at each other in silence. Those must be the other Gray Jedi.

Master Duneglider made them stop and fall in line on the way to the main entrance of the largest tower in the city, there was no grand welcoming ceremony and no escort guards at all, and there wasn’t even a welcoming committee. In all appearances, they just look like everybody else.

“Nice trick.” Aluva muttered but kept her eyes sharp, eyeing and profiling every individual who looks or glances at them, noting those who stare longer.

Captain Panaka was equally alert, taking casual sweeps on the premises, pretending to gawk at the gloomy towers scattered in the metropolis like stalagmites.

Aenon Jade on the other hand took up the rear of their envoy and was starring at the hood of the handmaiden in front of him. But his senses are at full extent. Aenon maximizes his awareness in the Force, feeling every heartbeat and breathing of all life forms with half a mile radius. He felt tension, fear, nervousness and some tinge of anger, resentment or even rage but none of them were directed to them.

At the entrance, security droids performs a painstakingly long time in scanning individuals for concealed weapons and poisons or deadly viruses. Those who carry blasters and all sorts of firepower or melee weapons are ordered to surrender the items and may get them back once they leave the building.

Aluva and Panaka shook their head but Master Duneglider whispered at them, “I’ll have them sent to your quarters later.”

At a nod from Queen Amidala, her security team removed their weapons and handed it to the droids for safekeeping.

In the lobby they recognized Baron Vael Mansa, a friend of the late Senator Vidar Kim and once a professor at the Legislative Youth Program. He was one of Queen Amidala’s best mentors.

“Welcome to our forsaken world Your Highness. I will be your guide throughout your stay here,” and leaning forward to the Queen he whispered, “I terribly missed you Padme.”

“As do I, Baron Mansa. Thank you for taking the time to join us.” Queen Amidala replied formally but winked at him.

“This way please.” Baron Mansa said cheerfully and gave a quick nod at the old Gray Jedi.

Aluva and Panaka turn to look at what Master Duneglider will do but he was nowhere in the lobby anymore.

“I told you we can be invisible.” Aenon grinned at Aluva.

“Whatever.” the warrior from Emberlene smirked.

* * *

Out of the thirty six members of the Allied Worlds of the Chommell Sector, only fifteen manage to attend. Queen Amidala spent their first day in Jaguada sending out Aluva, Panaka and the handmaidens back and forth to meet with the aides of the other leaders.

The plan laid out to them by Master Duneglider was unorthodox and eats up a lot of time and energy between delegates. At first Queen Amidala and the others were outraged at the old Gray Jedi’s suggestion but as the early stages of clandestine interaction, they finally realized the point of his idea.

Using their respective envoys as messengers, the meeting was passed on by word of mouth. No comlink, no holos and not even datapads were used.

Concerns, suggestions, deliberations and debates traveled within the suites of the leaders through the memory of their aides. It was strange and tiring, especially when a debate is occurring. Never had any of them experience to debate like that, waiting for the messenger to arrive and relay a retort or agreement and send them back and out again for replies.

The hardest part was making sure all fifteen of them hear what everyone else says. That makes each aides do fifteen runs per message. By the end of the first day, the aides were too tired to attend dinner.

Queen Amidala and the other leaders were told by their respective Gray Jedi guards to dine inside their suite, only their envoys are allowed to go out.

“I must admit, Master Duneglider, that despite the oddity… even absurdity, of your idea of doing this meeting in this manner produced more promising results faster than we can ever accomplish on a normal method of conference.” Queen Amidala said to him.

“Having to patiently wait for a reply on a simple rebuke or disagreement makes one not do rebuke or disagree. Hence each of you is forced to focus on the matter at hand and pay more attention to what others have to say.” Master Duneglider explained.

“Not to mention it keeps all leaders in a safe place and protected by the Gray Jedi guards, mere aides are easily overlooked by lurking assassins. The lack of communication materials, even as simple as a flimsy sheet, also reduces the risk of a leak. With two hundred ten aides running about the corridors, hallways, stairs and turbolifts in the Great Spire, any assassin or spy will find it almost impossible to keep track of which to follow and which carries a vital message.” Baron Mansa added between bites of kaemuun steak.

“Since such method was not expected at all, whoever is out there sent to spy or attack us lacks the resources or manpower to exploit the few weak points of your idea.” Captain Panaka surmised.

“Exactly,” Master Duneglider nodded.

“The minor issues have been settled today, tomorrow we can at last focus on the Kardara-Gelgacia crisis.” Amidala said.

“Tomorrow, I feel we will have to make a different approach.” Master Duneglider ran his hand on his long graying beard in contemplation.

“Master Duneglider, I have an idea.” Aenon Jade spoke for the first time since they started dinner.

“By all means, let us hear of it.” Master Duneglider bowed slightly.

* * *

Padme was once again wearing her old blue and gray handmaiden’s tunic and robe. Accompanying her was Eirtaé and the two went out of the Queen’s suite and went straight to the turbolift.

Standing guard on the suite’s door was Aluva, behind the door inside stood Captain Panaka. By the suite’s window paced Master Duneglider. Sabé sat on a couch flanked by Rabé and Saché. She was once again wearing the full regalia of Queen Amidala and is now engaged in a holoconference with the rest of the leaders but all of them were decoys as well.

Padme and the rest of the real leaders had gone out of the Great Spire and took public transports each headed on different directions. The plan was to travel about two kilometers away from the Great Spire then walk left for ten minutes, enter the nearest building and make random strolls inside for the next thirty minutes. Then each of them would take another transport and go west of them and find a diner and have breakfast.

Padme and Eirtaé found a simple but neat diner called Seven Nebulas. It was mostly staffed by a mixture of reptilian species. The place was clean and the customers seems to belong on the Class B. The two handmaidens took a seat at the back and ordered a simple meal.

They ate in silence but their fingers made quick signs, they were using the sign language of the Order of the Sanctuary.

“So far I didn’t see anyone following us.” Eirtaé signaled.

“I agree. This plan of Aenon seems to be working so far.” Padme replied with subtle motions.

“Next stop is shopping.” Eirtaé smiled, the excitement was evident in her eyes.

“Time for a change in costume,” Padme nodded.

The two finished their breakfast in silence, got up, paid the waitress and went to Callun Mall where a throng of young humans and aliens milled around, shop and hangout.

“The planet may be desolate but this mall feels like we’re in Coruscant again.” Eirtaé commented as they enter the building.

They were passing on a bookstore when Padme spotted something and went back. Eirtaé followed and casually looked around them to check for any sign of them being followed.

“Rulers of Naboo, revised edition,” Eirtaé read the title.

“Wait here.” Padme said and went inside. When she rejoined her friend she was holding a copy of the book.

Padme read it as they walk, “Janus Greejatus took over the Senatorial seat of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and he represented the Chommell Sector for two years until he was replaced by the Interim Senators Kinman Doriana and Sate Pestage. The truth is he was ousted in his first five months, but he remained to appear in public as Senator while the real decisions and manipulations were done by Doriana and Pestage…”

“The writer knew his stuff.” Eirtaé muttered.

Padme nodded absently and went on reading, “Queen Amidala succeeded King Ars Veruna after his untimely death. Queen Amidala was well known for uniting the human citizens of Naboo and the Gungan natives against the Droid Army of the Trade Federation.  Details of the Great Battle of Naboo were greatly censored by the Senate and words are that the Jedi Council was also involved on a cover up about something that was also never mentioned in any of the official and unofficial reports.”

“Sounds intriguing,” Eirtaé said.

“By the end of this year, Queen Amidala is scheduled to depart her throne and make way for a successor. Currently there seems to be three leading Princesses of Theed that showed great interest in taking a shot at the throne. Their names are yet to be announced by the Legislative Committee. Meanwhile the Office of the Queen has recently provided a list of possible choices to replace the alleged inefficiency of the Interim duo. So far they have named Graf Zapalo, Horace Vancil and Rugor Nass as possible candidates for the Senatorial position…” Padme stopped reading and placed the book on her satchel.

“Graf has backed down right? So that leaves Horace and Boss Nass.” Eirtaé shrugged.

“Indeed. With the dissension being stirred by the Marrie sisters, I don’t think Boss Nass will have a fighting chance. His affiliation to the Raltosan Enterprise has greatly affected his public image among our human population. That leaves Horace as our only choice for the Senate.” Padme sighed.

“Why don’t you go for it?” Eirtaé asked.

“I would have but with Senna leading the opposition for the throne, I can’t risk leaving the governance of Naboo to her and her activist sister.” Padme checked the map.

“I guess we’re here.” Padme smiled indicating a clothing store.

Eirtaé’s eyes went wide when she saw the displayed gowns and skirts, “Oh no Your Highness…”

“Oh yes,” Padme giggled and pulled Eirtaé inside the shop.

* * *

A housekeeping droid came out from the turbolift at the far end of the corridor to Captain Panaka’s left. It pulled its trolley and opened the door of the suite it was closest to and went inside.

A drunken Abyssin came out from the room three doors right and staggered towards the next and pounded on it, shouting something in his native tongue.

Panaka shrugged but kept watch nonetheless. Then the door directly from him opened and a young human boy came out but did not close it for he was listening to his parents shouting at each other inside.

The Captain averted his eyes trying to shut his eyes from hearing their argument about women and gambling. Then from the turbolift where the droid came out comes a pair of scantily dressed Twi’lek girls laughing and giggling at something they were viewing at the datapad the other was holding out. They were heading toward his direction so Panaka tried not look interested at them.

As the two walk past him, he caught the scent of their strong perfume and almost coughed. The blue colored one lost her balance and fell backward, Panaka moved instinctively and caught her.

That’s when all hell broke loose.

The second Twi’lek landed a solid chop at the back of his neck while the kid swung around and took his blaster from him. Panaka dropped the first woman to fight back but he felt something sharp stung his nape.

Everything spun around him and as he was falling he saw the housekeeping droid and the Abyssin looming over him before darkness took over.

The Abyssin ripped the door open but he was greeted a point blank blaster fire set to kill from Aluva. The Twi’leks rolled away as the warrior from Emberlene rained fire on the hallway, but it was also too late for Aluva to notice the boy crouching low and fired a stun blast at her.

While Aluva was firing at the Twi’leks, Aenon Jade leaped out from the room and deflected the stun bolt sending it back to the kid, he went out and slashed the droid diagonally.

One of the Twi’lek slipped inside and knocked Aluva down while the second fired at the back of Aenon who fell dazed on the carpeted floor.

The first Twi’lek rolled and fired at where Sabé was but before her bolt reached its target, the humming green blade of Master Duneglider’s lightsaber severed the head of the startled assassin.

The old Gray Jedi was out in the hallway checking for more attackers before Aluva and Aenon got to their feet.

Panaka groaned and saw the carnage around him and croaked a warning, “The parents!”

Master Duneglider whirled around with his lightsaber as a rain of blaster fire hammered them from the room across them.

Aenon and Duneglider swat their blades and advanced inside while Aluva and Panaka stood back to back keeping an eye on each end of the corridor.

Seconds later the two Gray Jedi came out of the room, a pair of cauterized carcass lay inside.

Yané came piloting an airbus from outside the suite’s window and the other handmaiden’s fired their blasters at the thin transparisteel. Aenon pulled Aluva and Panaka as the handmaidens assisted Sabé into the airbus.

Master Duneglider was the last to leap out of the window before Yané pulled away and a series of laser fire lanced out of the window hitting the space where the airbus was seconds earlier.

“Our job is done here. My men will take care of the rest of the hit squad. Let’s fly back to the spaceport.” Duneglider ordered.

Behind them several airbuses flew away from the Great Spire each taking their decoys back to their own ships.

* * *

“Thank you everyone, I believe we should all be going now to get our plan started.” Padme said shaking hands with the other fourteen leaders of the Allied Worlds.

The group left in pairs out of the Barm’s Shanty and took their own exit routes. Eirtaé hailed a taxi and she and Padme made their way back to their ship. Captain Panaka filled them in about the attack and when they arrived at the landing bay, Aenon raised an eyebrow at the two women wearing a very revealing leather outfit.

“Don’t ask.” Padme growled and Aenon raised his hands in mock surrender.

Master Duneglider bade them farewell as Aenon climb up the Royal Starship to check the interior for safety.

Padme embraced Baron Mansa and bowed respectfully at Duneglider, “Thank you for everything. Our meeting is a success and we can now take action to settle the Kardara-Gelgacian conflict. May the Force be with you always.”

“It has been an honor, Your Majesty.” Master Duneglider waved goodbye. The Naboo Royal Starship roared its engines and smoothly lifted and flew away until it faded in the grayish afternoon skyline of Jaguada.

Chapter 13: The Kympoole Virus

Riggs Fenn sat in his office reviewing the latest reports from NRE’s various division throughout Naboo. His intercom buzzed and his droid secretary S-31 spoke, “Director, Max Entarrie is here to see you.”

“Let him in.” Riggs replied and took a deep breath and braced himself.

Max came in and took a seat, “Sir, I’m sorry for my extended leave, I just had to fix some things…”

“Look Max, what you do outside your field of work does not concern me… professionally, as long as you do not suffer your duty to my department. A lot of issues and events are unfolding this past few months and we are required to be at full readiness. You saw the N2s, Rinn and his droids have taken care of that in your absence but I still need you to make your own inspection on the starfighters. Go.” Riggs dismissed him.

Max went down to the hangar where his cousin’s astromech was waiting for him, “Backlight, we have a lot of work to do, are you ready?”

Backlight flashed his lights instead of emitting sounds to communicate. Max deliberately modified the R2 unit with it to keep their conversation private at all times. The blinking lights were derived from the ancient Predatrine code talk. Max could never have known such existed if not for the voice of his father.

Max and Backlight were busy on the fiftieth starfighter when Bongo Squadron arrived. Riggs Fenn and Hoff Siege came out as the twelve starfighters smoothly landed inside the hangar.

Captain Jerna Kin trailed by Artoo Detoo approached the two and went back up the director’s office while the rest of the squadron pilots made their way to the mess hall.

“We’re ready to update our holographic mapping system and population statistics. Artoo and I also discovered another secret hideout this time under the Kalakainon. We suspects it once belongs to the Chommell Patriots.” Captain Kin said as she pours Corellian brandy on her glass inside Rigg’s office.

Artoo Detoo projected the mapped tunneling system of Kalakainon and Riggs and Hoff studied it closely.

“It’s a secret base alright, are those power cables?” Hoff asked.

Artoo beeped an affirmative.

“The place seems empty but the power is still running.” Riggs frowned.

“I’d like to suggest we go back there and investigate more closely.” Captain Kin offered.

“Is Rinn there already?” Riggs called S-31 on the intercom.

“He just arrived, sir.” S-31 replied.

“Send him to my office.” Riggs said, “By the way, Max is back, he’s working on the N2s right now,” he told Hoff and Kin.

Kin and Artoo exchanged looks but did not say anything. The door slid open and Rinn Olié came in.

“Take a seat Rinn. Look at this map,” Riggs said.

Rinn took his laser pointer and started placing lines grid by grid. Then he took his datapad and punched some commands. A thin blue light flashed scanning Artoo’s holo. “Thank you Artoo, you can close it now.”

Artoo complied and the others leaned back to see what Rinn intends to do. The boy took another gadget and attached it on his datapad, after some more commands it projected a copy of Artoo’s map but with more details.

Rinn took a pair of gloves in his pockets and put it on. Then he move closer to the holo and use his hands to break down the map. Using his laser pointer, he began explaining to them what his findings.

“This is the entrance. It leads to a turbolift going all the way down here…” Rinn said.

“We would never have found it on our own, it’s hidden from all angles…” Kin mused.

“The power cable converges on that area so I surmised it was the only operational part of the base except for the glowrods.” Rinn nodded at the Gungan pilot.

“Where did you get those gloves?” Riggs frowned.

“Max and I developed it a month back, it makes studying holos and schematics easier and faster.” Rinn smiled.

“Interesting,” Riggs said but he seems not too interested at all.

“This is the hangar, or at least it’s big enough to house one squadron of starfighters.” Hoff pointed.

“But where is the entrance/exit of those ships? It’s surrounded by metal walls.” Riggs observed.

“Perhaps it isn’t a hangar after all.” Rinn mused.

“We should take the swamp entrance to the turbolift.” Captain Kin said.

“I agree.” Hoff nodded.

“Artoo didn’t get to map that part. But we can pull out the most recent map of Kalakainon to study the swamp area.” Kin stated.

“I’ll contact Hugo Eckener and tell him about this. I’ll let you guys know if we get the go signal to send a team to investigate. Hoff, Kin, I believe you two are needed to Theed as soon as possible so I won’t be holding you here for long, you may both go.” Riggs nodded at the two ace pilots.

“Thanks,” Hoff shook Riggs hand and patted Rinn’s shoulder, “Artoo are you coming?”

Artoo beeped an affirmative and said goodbye to Rinn.

“Rinn work on the reports of the Bongo Squadron and have them sent to me as soon as you’re done.” Riggs said to Rinn.

“Yes sir.” Rinn took the pile of datachips and left.

* * *

Max saw Hoff Siege leaving with his astromech unit and felt his rage once again.

Look at that, such arrogance. You see my son, if you don’t act soon that man will take everything from you. You must get rid of him. Events are about to unfold very soon and we’re running out of time.

“What can I do?” Max muttered.

“Sir?” G-Nine 1 asked.

“Nothing, go to the next ship and start the systems check,” Max said and the droid complied. Backlight regarded him but said nothing and busied itself on the ship’s computer.

What can you do? Get rid of Hoff Siege. Hit him where it will hurt him the most. Turn everyone against him. Selle must be yours.

“How?” Max frowned.

The Siege and the Olié family are the ones responsible for my downfall. Hit them in one stone. Get rid of Thea as well, she is the biggest threat to the bid for power of Senna and Selle. Kill her and make Hoff take the fall.

“Kill? I… can’t! Rinn is my friend. I can’t kill his mother…” Max shook his head.

I’m your father! Did you ever learn the identity of the guard that killed me? His name is Pax Naberrie, the bastard brother of Queen Amidala! I told you to dig deeper about the cover up of my death. All of them must pay! ALL OF THEM!

Max felt numb. The revelation was too much for him.

Get things moving Max. The sooner you get to the Count, the sooner you can exact your revenge!

Max felt a wave of determination and urgency within him. “Backlight, I want you to hack Theed Security Records, dig as deep as you can and find out the truth about the death of my father. Go!”

Backlight flashed his lights in affirmative and rolled out.

Max went to his locker and took his bag containing his virus datachips. He skimmed on them and chose one and went back to the starfighter he was working on. He went to its cockpit and powered the computer and began feeding the virus. “This should do the trick.”

* * *

Riggs Fenn and Max Entarrie were the last to leave the Northern Paleasé Hangar that night and took their personal Skyhoppers to get home.

Backlight was waiting in the basement when Max arrived, he first checked on his mother and found Senna giving Xella her medications. He kissed his mother and thanked Senna before going down the basement.

“Backlight, any progress on what I asked you to do?” Max said.

Backlight told him he encountered layers of firewalls but he finally got around and extracted the real Lienn Entarrie file.

Max felt elated and he sat on the ground to take the file and read it on his datapad.

Case File Number 2R-Y83005-B

Subject: Lienn Entarrie

Case Report:

Lien Entarrie, former Programming Department Director of Naboo Royal Engineering was found by NRE Security Guard Pax Naberrie tampering with the computers assigned to reprogram the 200 astromech units delivered by Industrial Automaton for Theed Palace.

Witnesses testified that they found the guard beating the former employee and by the time they pulled him away Lienn Entarrie was already dead.

The court sentenced Pax Naberrie to life imprisonment and had him sent to the Naboo Prison Compound. Official report stated that Pax Naberrie died of heart attack at the first year of his incarceration.

Pax Naberrie was extracted from prison under the orders of Queen Amidala and was carried out by Captain Panaka. The prisoner was taken to Hugo Eckener and Graf Zapalo wherein he was provided with a new identity and sent back to the Lake Country after a laser surgery that changed his face.

Lieutenant Gregar Typho personally escorted Pax Naberrie to the Lake Country where he now lives by the name Dann Vaggel.

Report Filed by: Lt. Gregar Typho, NRS

Max stared at the screen of his datapad unable to move, think and react.

Now that you know the truth, true justice must be served.

Max cried, he wept all night until he fell asleep. Backlight stayed by his side, thinking what he could do to help his new master.

* * *

Max was early at work that morning and he and Backlight immediately went on doing the diagnostics of the remaining N2s and at the same time installing the virus in each of the starfighters’ computer.

Riggs came an hour later and was both surprised and pleased to see Max back to his old hardworking self.

Rinn arrived shortly after the director and went to his cubicle to resume analyzing and filing the reports of Bongo Squadron.

Max watched the other technicians and staffs arrive and busied themselves on their respective tasks, one of the techs came to him.

“Hey Max, we’re going to watch Proxy Boxing tonight, want to come?”

“What’s Proxy Boxing? I’ve never heard of it,” Max frowned.

“You know, Holo Droids beating each other until one is left standing. One of our offworld technicians introduced that game in the underworld of Naboo. He said it was the latest craze in the Outer Rim,” the tech explained.

“So it’s a form of gambling?” Max said.

“Yes, the battle tonight is Captain Panaka versus Sio Bibble,” the tech laughed.

“You’re kidding? The Holo Droids will take their appearance and beat each other?” Max can’t help but smile.

“It’s true. That’s the fun of it actually. You’d imagine those persons are really punching each other. It’s very entertaining… and profitable. So, are you coming with us tonight?”

“Count me in.” Max nodded and watches the tech return to his station.

What are you thinking Max?

“I now know what to do.” Max grinned.

* * *

Max and his co-worker Zoan has tripled their money after the third fight, two more wins and he would have enough credits to purchase one of the defeated Holo Droid. Backlight wandered around the warehouse pretending to roam innocently but the modified astromech was selecting the best Holo Droid among the losers that would serve perfectly to his master.

Backlight spotted one dull gray droid with a burnt internal servo coils. The reason why it caught the R2 unit’s attention was that its skeletal frame was made of quantum alloy, one of the toughest and most expensive metals in the galaxy.

The owner was a dark Ortolan who seemed resigned to his fate as tonight’s biggest loser. Backlight checked his droid’s number and rolled to the game master’s assistant to request a copy of datasheet about the Ortolan and his Holo Droid. Carrying the datasheet, he wriggled his way through the crowd and back to where Max Entarrie was watching another fight.

Backlight gently bumped Max’ legs and when his master looked down, he flashed a series of blinking lights at him.

Max nodded and took the datasheet and moved out of the crowd to get a good read on it, “Stay with Zoan, Backlight. Make sure our winnings are collected.”

Max studied the specifications and modifications of the Ortolan’s Holo Droid. The capabilities and toughness of the droid was top of the line but its computer brain is junk. Max shook his head. Most likely the Ortolan either stole and found his Holo Droid instead of built or bought it. Its original brain must have been severely damaged and he tried to fix it using cheap next to useless computer brain. If that was the only problem, then this is what he needed.

Max rejoined Zoan and Backlight and asked his astromech where he found the Ortolan. Backlight swiveled his dome and flashed him the direction. Max whispered to Zoan to handle his bet and went off to speak with his prospect.

Nooga Ivo stared at him with a glazed look, his beady black eyes turning gray with a tinge of orange at the edges. A pack of deathsticks lay scattered on his feet.

“Just great,” Max sighed, “Nooga, my name is Max, I wanted to ask if you’re selling your Holo Droid.”

“Noogie?” Nooga groggily looked up at him.

Max glanced at his datapad then nodded at him, “Yes, Noogie. How much are you selling him?”

“Noogie loser. Nobody buys loser.” Nooga shook his head and regretted the action for his skull suddenly felt like cracking and the entire room seems to spin before him.

“I am. I’m buying Noogie, how about a hundred credits?” Max offered.

“No buy replacement.” Nooga drawled.

“Two hundred,” Max said.

“Five.” Nooga said his voice dropping low.

“Three.” Max grunted but the Ortolan countered with four.

“Two fifty!” Max grinned and nodded at him enthusiastically.

“Two!” Nooga barked quickly.

“Done!” Max tried hard not to laugh and shook Nooga’s hand and gave him a hundred.

Max took the repulsor box and put Noogie in it and left, “Stupid,” he muttered under his breath. The Ortolan pocketed the money but he doesn’t have one so the credits dropped and rolled on the dirty pavement. Several kids fought to get the money and ran off.

* * *

The next day Max and Backlight worked on the last batch of N2 Starfighters while Riggs and Rinn left to attend a meeting in Harte Secur.

Captain Jerna Kin and her Bongo Squadron took their ships off to a raid to the Kalakainon Mountain leaving the entire Northern Paleasé Hangar all to Max and Backlight’s care.

The rest of their staff and crew were sent earlier to Theed to help with the renovation of the Theed Hangar.

“Are you sure the ships of Bongo Squadron had been tampered already?” Max asked Backlight and the astromech replied an affirmative.

“Good, tell G-Nine 1 and the rest of them to install this new programming on this list of N2 I.D.s and once they’re done they can close the hangar and power down for the day.” Max said.

Backlight blinked his light and rolled to where G-Nine 1 was. Max went to his locker and took out the repulsor box containing Noogie and took it to his Headhunter’s compartment.

Backlight came a little later and the two boarded the sleek starfighter and flew back to Theed.

Upon arriving home, Max told Backlight to bring the repulsor box down to the basement while he went up the stairs to check on his mother.

“Did you get the vault from the NRE’s basement?” Xella asked him.

“Yes mother, a couple of weeks ago already.” Max said.

“Is your dad home? Why are you early from school?” Xella frowned.

“Dad’s on an overtime. Professor Mansa dismissed us early.” Max gave her the medication then left the room and down to the kitchen to eat.

Her condition is worsening. Max thought bitterly.

It’s because you are too slow Max. You’re wasting time. His father’s voice scoffed at him.

“I already have a plan alright? It’ll all be over soon enough.” Max growled.

Max spent the rest of the afternoon and the entire evening fixing the proxy robot and recalibrating its entire systems and programming. He also took out one of the computer brain from his Brain Box to replace the useless old one.

The new computer brain contains the fully modified Entarrie-2 similar to what he used when he rebuilt Backlight. His astromech helped him in every step of Noogie’s transformation. The last of which they did was put the Holo Droid in a thorough memory wipe.

When Max and Backlight was done, he plugged the Holo Droid on a power source for an hour before activating it.

“Identify yourself.” Max commanded.

“I am Noogie, Arakyd Industries’ Holo Droid.” Noogie answered.

“Who is your master?” Max asked.

“Max Entarrie and Xella Entarrie,”

“What is your function?”

“Project a detailed and realistic holographic skin of any preprogrammed individual of bipedal species. Imitate specific vocal tone, movements and mannerisms, behavioral and mental state of assigned subject.” Noogie replied.

“What is your designated response upon discovery by potential threats?” Max continued.

“I will self-destruct within five seconds.”

“Very good,” Max nodded.

Backlight flashed a long set of blinks and beams at Max.

“Tomorrow the Kympoole virus shall go active. I’m afraid the Bongo Squadron would be the first set of casualties.” Max assured Backlight.

The droid flashed another inquiry at him.

“Yes, both of you has a very important job to do for me tomorrow.” Max Entarrie grinned.

Chapter 14: The New Senator from Naboo

Security is at full alert at the palace. Queen Amidala has just arrived from a successful convention with her Allied Worlds counterparts from Jaguada when she was notified by Governor Bibble that three Republic Senators has just arrived and was waiting for her at the Royal Conference Chamber.

Flanked by Panaka, Aluva and her retinue of Royal Handmaidens, Queen Amidala entered the room and was greeted warmly by her guests.

Aenon Jade stayed outside the blastdoor as Captain Panaka nodded at him and closed it.

“I see everyone is here as well, Governor what is this all about?” Queen Amidala asked without preamble.

“Our guests are here to witness our selection for our new representative for the Galactic Senate. The Advisory Council and the other governors had taken the initiative to contact the rest of Allied Worlds to make the nominations and take votes.” Governor Bibble waved a hand to the holos of several Chommell Sector leaders. Most of them were the ones who did not attend the meeting at Jaguada. Each bowed and greeted her.

“Any nominations made already?” Queen Amidala taps her side keypad and a thin glass monitor slid out from the right side of her table.

“Three at the moment, I believe four more are to be nominated by the others.” Governor Bibble answered and handed Yané a datachip. The handmaiden gave it to Aluva who inserted it on her datapad and reviewed it before nodding at the rest of them and put it on the Queen’s computer.

“Baroness Hamna Fyglocxa of Centrex,” Amidala glanced at the group of holos and saw the Baroness smiled at her, she acknowledged her presence with a nod and went on reading.

“Prime Minister San Hill of Kardara… Wait a minute, the San Hill of InterGalactic Banking Clan?” Queen Amidala frowned.

“I believe so.” Lord Tibvroff Eln of Yaegon IV nodded.

“San Hill is not from the Chommell Sector, he does not qualify to represent your Sector.” Senator Garm Bel Iblis grunted.

“How did San Hill manage to be Kardara’s Prime Minister in the first place?” Queen Amidala asked no one in particular.

“Kardara is in a bad habit of breaking Sectoral laws quite recently.” Tomika Dae of Gelgacia stated.

“IGBC, Lethe Merchandising and the Commerce Guild are monopolizing the mining industry of Kardara. They were practically taking over the entire planet. It is no surprising San Hill got control of their government as well,” a young man seated between Senators Garm Bel Iblis and Bail Organa spoke.

“Excuse me, who are you?” Queen Amidala raised an eyebrow at him.

“I am Rush Clovis, temporal viceroy of Scipio.” Clovis bowed at her theatrically.

“Isn’t Scipio an affiliate of the IGBC?” Count Eros Naegel of Sanctuaria Prime mused.

“Indeed we are. It is no secret at all. I am here to represent Kardara. I was the one who nominated San Hill.” Clovis smirked at Count Naegel.

“I doubt if he’ll get any substantial vote from us anyways, let him play his game.” Mnerthana Haij-Un of Palease Prime grunted.

“Third nominee is our very own Councilor Horace Vancil, Director of Commerce,” Queen Amidala regarded her old friend with a nod.

“Governor Bibble mentioned that there are four more nominations to be made, are the Allied Worlds Leaders all here now?” Queen Amidala asked.

“We are all here Your Highness. There will be no more additional nominations, we may now proceed on the cross inquiry.” Magistrate Prass Denlore of Lofquar told her.

* * *

Padme sat at her bed as Sabé fixes her hair. The cross inquiry took longer than she expected, mostly because of San Hill who cleverly dodged all of the Allied World’s questions about the true agenda of the three giant corporations in Kardara.

Senators Garm Bel Iblis, Bail Organa and Mon Mothma watched the proceedings with great interest and kept their reactions and opinions between themselves. Mon Mothma whispered to her before she left the room that the three of them wishes to speak to her alone after the voting.

The meeting took a recess and Padme elected to take a rest on her room while the others were escorted to the main dining hall to eat. Those who attended via holo signed off and assured the Advisory Council they would return in an hour.

“Any report from the Kalakainon mission?” Padme asked.

Sabé clicked on her comlink and spoke in Sanctuarian, the secret code talk of the members of the Order of the Sanctuary. Padme heard the familiar but faint voice of Aluva but the mild static prevented her from completely understanding the reply of her friend.

“Your Majesty, Bongo Squadron has left this morning. Last transmission from Captain Kin was during their take off. They’re due to report again upon arrival on Kalakainon.” Sabé relayed.

“Thank you.” Padme sighed and dismissed Sabé and lay in her bed to take a short nap.

She was awakened by Aluva, “Your Highness, you left word to wake you up after half an hour. I’ve send the Senators on the isolation room as you commanded.”

“Thank you, is Sabé ready?” Padme asked.

“She has already joined the guests at the main dining hall to cover for you.” Aluva assured her.

“Very well,” Padme got out of her bed and Aluva took off her clothes as Rabé assisted in putting Padme her handmaiden robe.

Padme and Rabé went out of the room carrying the tray of half eaten food and took the left hallway while Aluva rejoined Aenon at the opposite end and went down the stairs.

The Lady Crystaé herself stood guard outside the isolation room and she punched in the code to open the blastdoor as the Padme and Rabé came. Once inside, the Lady Crystaé closed the blastdoor once more.

“Your Highness, forgive us for taking you away from your immediate duties but we really have to speak with you about this Kardara-Gelgacia crisis.” Mon Mothma said.

“What of it? And please, call me Padme. We’re alone here and this place is secured.” Padme took the senator’s hand and they walk to the chairs where the others are seated.

“The Jedi Council has dispatched one of them to investigate a series of questionable disappearances of small time trade ships and Republic probe droids with the Enarc Run and the other minor trade routes within your sector.” Corellian Senator Garm Bel Iblis explained.

“I’ve seen the reports, why are you concern about this?” Padme frowned.

“The Corellian Engineering Corporation has been building ship frames and sending them here in the Chommell Sector in the past two years. The Coalition isn’t convinced that the deliveries are for Kardara, the documents they presented to us are too good to be true.” Bel Iblis showed her a copy of the CEC’s report.

“Did you know that the CEC is under the Techno Union?” the Chandrilan senator added.

“Alright, and what of Chandrila and Alderaan, how do your worlds fit in on this?” Padme regarded Mon Mothma and Bail Organa.

“ChandrilTech recently opened branch in Drall. It was in partnership with CEC and the two divisions began manufacturing large scale tractor beams and ion cannon compressors. Those too were traced to Kardara.” Mon Mothma informed her.

“That’s too much coincidence already. What about Alderaan? You have no weapons industry. How are you involved in this?” Padme took a glass of water and drank.

“Slavery, although we have no evidence but we have unofficial reports and unconfirmed sightings, I know it’s not enough but we’re going by hunch and instinct here. According to our agents several Hutt crime lords and the Black Sun has a clandestine operation going on under our nose kidnapping families of our allies; the Caamasi. One of the Hutt was identified, officially of course, as one Borvo who we all know is stationed here on Naboo. I have sent agents to infiltrate them but none manage to report back.” Bail Organa replied.

“So Borvo may be involved but what made you think he’s connected to Kardara?” Padme inquired.

“Like I said, we’re going on our hunches here. A local of Kardara that works for the company that supplies Caamas with power cells got too drunk on a tavern there and mentioned he saw a Hutt and a number of Caamasi coming down the ramp of a cargo vessel near the old Kardaran capital.” Bail said.

“Has the Jedi made contact with you?” Padme asked them.

“No. But I had my men snoop around and they got confirmed reports from Moviana that a Jedi and her apprentice came and spoke to Resnon.” Bel Iblis said.

“Then we must speak with Resnon.” Padme took out her comlink but Mon Mothma calmly placed a hand to stop her.

“We can do this after the voting.” Mon Mothma smiled.

The blastdoor opened and Aluva came in, “The voting is about to start.”

Rabé and the Lady Crystaé stormed in carrying one of the Queen’s gowns as Aluva ushered the Senators out of the room.

A couple of minutes later, Queen Amidala, sat on her throne addressing the leaders of the Allied Worlds of Chommell Sector, “My equals, let us now begin our voting.”

* * *

Queen Amidala, the three Senators, the Advisory Council, Boss Nass, Governor Bibble, the Governors of Naboo and the other officials from the palace to the heads of each division gathered on a long table at the Main Dining Hall. Servant droids moved to and fro on their table and at the other guests serving food and pouring drinks.

Seated at the Queen’s right side was the reason of the celebration. Councilor Horace Vancil, the new official representative of the Chommell Sector to the Republic Senate.

“Speech!” Hugo Eckener teased and the rest of the room followed his lead, the cheering and clapping grew more loudly when the newly elected Senator stood up.

“Thank you! Thank you so much for entrusting me this highly important and stressful duty not only to Naboo but to the entire Chommell Sector, all thirty six systems of it,” Horace coughed and cleared his throat and flexed his hands to fight off his nervousness and a little vertigo.

Horace was never really much of a speaker but his knack with people made him the perfect choice to be Naboo’s commerce liaison officer to the Allied Worlds. He was appointed in office by Queen Amidala after her coronation and since then he travelled from one world to another within the Chommell Sector interacting with various business and trade companies. He became a familiar face and a trusted agent by every planetary government he visits.

His efforts during the Naboo crisis kept the sector’s economy away from the brink of collapsed and because of that he had won the respect and trust of the Allied Words leaders and brought him to his victory today.

“I’m really not good with speeches so please bear with me,” Horace smiled, “In my three years in office I have come to familiarize myself with every economical and monetary problems of each worlds of our sector. Much of what I have accomplished and established during the course of my term I will not bother to enumerate for I did it to help you all and not to use it for personal gain. As most of you already know, I am a man of law and I understand the various security and social issues each of you are currently having in your respective planets. I am deeply honored and moved by the trust you’ve expressed towards me and I will do what I can to keep that trust.”

“Next week I will leave the Chommell Sector, for the first time in my life, and live on Coruscant to represent all of you. The very first thing I will do in the Senate is to take action and settle the Kardara-Gelgacian crisis and then I will fix all the mess our former Interim Senators have done all these years.” Horace paused.

“I will do everything I can to finally put Viceroy Nute Gunray and his lackeys to justice.” Horace said with determination.

Senators Mon Mothma, Garm Bel Iblis and Bail Organa stood up and applauded. Their lead quickly spreads out like wildfire as everyone cheers their new Senator.

* * *

“Clovis, you assured us that you’ll get San Hill the Senatorial seat. That didn’t happen.” Count Dooku growled.

“I got three fourths of the leaders to agree, they assured me!” Rush Clovis protested.

“We should think of an alternative. We can’t let our real operations here leak in public. It’s too early.” San Hill said.

“This Horace Vancil, can he be bought?” Dooku asked.

“He’s been nosing around on our operations since the beginning. He’s too loyal to his job to be turned.” Passel Argente shook his head.

“He must be removed from the equation.” San Hill suggested.

“Have that Mandalorian bounty hunter do the job.” Dooku ordered.

“But milord, you just sent him out to take care of the Jedi snooping around on the Chommell Sector.” Viceroy Nute Gunray rasped.

“Pull him out. I don’t want Vancil to step into the Senate Building alive.” Dooku snapped.

“As you wish Count Dooku,” the Neimoidian bowed.

“As for you Rush Clovis, what am I to do with your worthless hide.” Dooku hissed menacingly.

“Queen Amidala is running for her second term. The election will take place in a day or two. She mustn’t retain her title.” San Hill reminded them.

“I agree. Her little stint three years ago set our timeframe back. My Master would be very pleased if you can get rid of her as well.” Dooku nodded.

“I think this is a golden opportunity for Clovis to compensate for all his failures.” San Hill grinned.

“Me?” Clovis gasped.

“Use your charm, get closer and make her trust you. Let her loose her guard in your presence. Get in to her bed and slit her throat in the middle of the night.” San Hill waved his arms animatedly as he speaks.

“This is insane. I am not a lowlife assassin!” Clovis protested.

“Perhaps you wanted to end your service from us?” Dooku’s hand hovered at his lightsaber.

“Alright, I’ll do it. But I may have to do things against us to make her trust me.” Clovis said.

“That can be arranged,” Dooku said then turn to San Hill, “Have your best assassin take care of the Jedi interloper. I want her head and lightsaber at my desk as soon as possible.”

“As you command, Count Dooku,” San Hill bowed, “I know exactly the perfect man for the job.”

* * *

Mas Amedda, Sly Moore, Sate Pestage and Kinman Doriana all sat before the table of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, the six inch hologram of Queen Amidala stood at the center of the desk facing the former Senator of Naboo.

“Your Highness, please extend our congratulations to Councilor Horace Vancil. I know him and his family, I am confident that he will do his duties to the best of his abilities.” Palpatine smiled.

“He will attend the Senate after our election.” Queen Amidala added then severed the connection.

“Vancil will have a hell of a problem in his hands with all the mess we left for him to inherit.” Kinman Doriana chuckled.

“And will take him a full term to get things all straight up, that’ll be enough time for the Trade Federation to prepare and counter his inevitable move to appeal to the Republic Court to reopen Viceroy Gunray’s case.” Sate Pestage grinned.

“That may be so, but we can’t match Vancil’s momentum, already the news of his inauguration is spreading fast in the HoloNet across the Republic.” Mas Amedda crossed his arms.

“Horace Vancil, what’s so threatening about him? I don’t see anything special about him on his file.” Sly Moore intoned.

“My dear Moore, Vancil alone is nothing to us. But he has the support of the majority of the Chommell Sector leaders. With enough urging and with his new resources as a Senator, they will have the power to thwart the operations of Lethe Merchandising on Kardara.” Palpatine explained.

“I thought Lethe has broken out from our side and joined Dooku’s pathetic rebellion.” Sly Moore frowned.

“Lethe is merely looking after their profits. I assure you that Passel Argente is still on our side. He told me that he could gather more information about Dooku’s activities if he joins his band of malcontents.” Palpatine said to her.

“What are your plans for us now, Chancellor?” Kinman asked.

“You may retain your duties as my aid, both of you.” Palpatine regarded him and Pestage in turn.

“What about our project on Jaguada?” Mas Amedda reminded him.

“Yes, that would be perfect for these two. Kinman, Sate, I want you to go to Jaguada and take over our secret project there. I will send word to Commander Tarkin to expect your arrival and brief you about the project.” Palpatine said.

“The election of Vancil to the Senate is a minor setback. We have grander agendas to worry about.” Palpatine nodded at them dismissal.

The four got up, bowed to him and left.

After his office blastdoor slid shut, Palpatine took out his black robe and opened connection at the holonet.

* * *

“Lord Tyranus,” the rasping voice of the Sith Lord came out clear from the speakers.

“Lord Sidious,” Dooku knelt.

“Queen Amidala must not win the election tomorrow. Senator Vancil must also not reach Coruscant alive. This is imperative.” Sidious hissed.

“Arrangements have already been made, my Master.” Dooku answered.

“Very well, now, what about the progress of your tasks?” Sidious inquired.

“Everything is running smoothly and on schedule.”

“And what of the Jedi sent to investigate?” Sidious’ eyes peered through the shadow of his dark hood.

“Master Luminara Unduli and her new padawan learner Barriss Offee, they have eluded our bounty hunter but with the events recently we pulled out the Mandalorian and San Hill dispatched his best warrior to take care of the meddlesome Jedi.” Dooku replied.

“And the contact on NRE?” Sidious added.

“Our local agent on Naboo has just informed me that he finally found the perfect spy for NRE and the first phase of our plans there are about to take place tomorrow.” Dooku reported.

“Are there any development in Jaguada?”

“We found the ship milord. Our best slicers and engineers are now working on opening the hatch.” Dooku said.

“Good, good, most impressive, Lord Tyranus. Once we have the ship operational we can accelerate our plan and move out and unite the other factions to further rip the Republic apart.” Sidious nodded.

“One more thing, who is this warrior San Hill unleashed to our Jedi visitors?”

“His name is Qymaen jai Sheelal, a Kaleesh Warlord.” Dooku supplied.

Chapter 15: The Kalakainon Deep

Artoo Detoo steadied the repulsors as Captain Kin eases the N2 Starfighter on the ridge where they previously camped the first time they found the cave and the abandoned base.

Once settled, the team gathered for a final rundown of what they were going to do. Artoo projected the map modified by Rinn Olié and Captain Kin began detailing their tasks and pointing the trail they would use to get down to the swamp area where the entrance to the turbolift was supposed to be.

“Wessa gonna climb oursa way down or wessa gonna rappel?” Major Dink Peena asked.

“How long are our ropes are?” Captain Kin inquired.

“About a hundred meters,” Lieutenant Darlep Otnol said.

“How many do we have?” Kin took one of the ropes from Otnol.

“About thirty,” Otnol answered.

“That’ll do. Tie ten each, well rappel in three groups, Artoo can you manage on your own? Captain Kin regarded the astromech.

Artoo beeped an affirmative.

“Major, how many astromechs do we need?” Kin handed the rope to the other pilots and they began tying them together.

“Five will do, the rest should stay here.” Otnol surmised.

“Artoo, take your pick for your team. Let’s get started,” Captain Kin ordered.

Artoo rolled towards the other R2 units and selected four base on performance rating and left explicit instructions to the remaining seven to stand by and keep their comlinks open.

Major Otnol chose the part of the cliff where there are less aiwha nests and they began trying the ropes to the strongest tree trunks they could find closest to the edge.

Captain Kin, Majors Nool Anta and Otnol took the lead on each rope and the others followed. Artoo and his team of astromechs fired their thrusters and flew down ahead. Artoo in the lead scanned the area for wildlife threat and found only the scattered aiwhas and smaller avian and critters.

The aiwhas regarded the astromechs with mild confusion and protectively folded their wings over their eggs and hatchlings. Artoo marveled at the beauty of what he was seeing and wonder if the other astromechs shares his sentiments.

He asked one of the R2 units what he thinks about the aiwhas, he got the expected response. The droid told him they were the largest avian species on the planet and that their kind can also be found on other worlds across the galaxy.

Artoo moaned and gave up trying to engage them on conversations outside their mission parameters. These were the times when he misses Captain Hoff Siege, Rinn Olié and even his sarcastic but loyal counterpart Reepek.

Reepek should see this Artoo thought and began recording the cliff face as he descends. Barely half an hour later the five astromechs landed on the moist surface, their weight pressing softly on the thick moss at the edge of the swamp.

Artoo looked up and saw the ropes’ edges dangling a couple of meters too high. He called Captain Kin and checked on their progress.

“Just got past the two hundredth meter mark, we’ll be there shortly.” Kin grunted.

Artoo told her that they have about a five meter drop at the end of the ropes, “How’s the surface?” she asked.

Artoo informed her about the soft moss, “I think that’s enough to absorb our fall, we’ll just jump down. Go find the turbolift entrance Artoo and try to open it.” Kin said.

Artoo chirped and closed the comlink, he swiveled his dome and assigned two to stand guard for predators and told the other two to wait for the Captain and her pilots while he work on the entrance.

By the time Captain Kin and her team reached the surface, Artoo had the turbolift opened and waiting for them.

“Undarr, Ranko, stay here on guard.” Captain Kin barked and led the rest including Artoo’s team in the spacious turbolift and made their way up on the abandoned base.

Taking no chances, Majors Anta and Otnol went ahead, blasters drawn upon reaching the base. Artoo made another bioscan just to make sure and only got the Gungan’s signatures and several insects and critters.

Captain Kin and the others followed closely, the two other astromechs putting up the rear.

“Alright, you all have your assignments, get on it.” Kin ordered and motioned for Artoo to follow her.

Major Anta led his team on searching and dusting for prints while Major Otnol and his men went to check on trace materials and the power cable to find out what machines were used in the base, the four astromechs splitting to assist both groups.

Captain Kin and Artoo found the void in their holo map, it was a separate room and none of Artoo’s sensors could penetrate past its walls.

“No visible ports, there has to be one…” Kin muttered, running her hand on the side of the blastdoor.

Artoo moved closer on the wall using his sensor to track the line of power but couldn’t find one. Confused, he went to the far side of the room and got a reading of the power cables behind the walls. Artoo groaned, so his scanners are working just fine but the isolated room seems to be protected by anti-sensors.

“Artoo I think I found a slight indentation here,” Captain Kin called.

Artoo hurried to her side and she asked him to use his laser cutter. Kin outlined the area to cut through and after Artoo was done, she removed the covering and found an access port.

“See, they must have sealed this before abandoning the base.” Kin grinned.

Artoo beeped in excitement and inserted his scomp link and work his way in opening it. He was met by a brick wall of security systems and threatens to infect him with tons of viruses should he attempt to break in.

Artoo backed away and chirped at the Gungan captain about the situation.

“We should have brought Rinn or at least Reepek with us.” Kin said in deep thought, “Any ideas Artoo? I don’t want to risk losing you in the process.”

Artoo told him he’ll think of something. Then he remembered his comlink and tried to contact Reepek.

“Artoo! Are you guys done there? Are you heading back?” Reepek’s mechanical voice answered.

Artoo told him his problem, “I see. Very well, can you identify all the types of firewalls and viruses? Send them to me at once.” Reepek instructed.

Artoo returned to the port and was met once again by the layers security systems. Using Rinn’s upgrade, he identified the firewalls one by one and dug deeper to find out which viruses are listed in its trap.

Captain Kin left Artoo to his work and went to check on the others. Artoo sent the data to Reepek who had moved to Rinn’s office and access his master’s computer.

“First I need to get you the codes to disable the firewalls and then the anti-virus to protect you.” Reepek said.

Artoo received the transmitted codes and downloaded the anti-virus sent to him by Reepek then he returned to the port.

The firewalls resisted Artoo’s intrusion on their system but the droid was confident that Reepek’s disabling codes will get him through eventually. Five seconds passed and Artoo was beginning to think it won’t work when the first firewall shattered. Artoo pushed and battled his way until the last one broke down. That same moment the flood of virus began their attempt to infiltrate Artoo’s computer brain but his anti-virus stood its ground, at least long enough for Artoo to slice his way and open the blastdoor.

Majors Anta and Otnol went in first, Otnol declared the room clear and Captain Kin and Artoo followed.

A single computer console stood at the center of the room.

“Artoo?” Kin cocked her head and the droid rolled forward and jacked in on the access port.

Artoo was ready this time, he was expecting another set of firewalls and he was right. Repeating the same process he did with the blastdoor, Artoo managed to power up the computer and access the files without mishap.

Artoo beeped and swiveled his dome at Captain Kin telling her it’s all hers.

Captain Kim nodded at Major Otnol who went to the console, he began typing commands, his long stubby fingers flying all over the keyboard cracking passwords and revealing hidden files.

Major Anta connected his datapad and started copying all the files he could manage while Captain Kin looked over his shoulder trying to make sense on the unfamiliar language.

“Artoo are you familiar with these symbols?” Captain Kin asked.

Artoo copied some of the runes and patched it on his comlink then called Reepek and sent the file to him. Moments later, he got an answer and Artoo relayed it to Captain Kin.

“Mando’a huh? So that’s what it looks like.” Kin mused.

It took about two boxes of datachips before they copied all of the files left in the computer. Artoo double checked and when he confirmed that they got everything, Major Otnol poured fuel on the console and lit it on fire.

“Captain, the charges are set.” Sergeant Filon Neeba said from the door.

“Good. Let’s get out of here. Detonate once we’ve taken off.” Kin nodded.

The group took the turbolift down and once out the Gungans climb the cliff wall to reach the ropes and made their way up, Artoo and his astromech team flew up ahead.

Artoo and the four astromechs reached the top of the cliff when they all heard a beeping sound coming out from all twelve N2 Starfighters.

The other astromechs scrambled to their ships to figure out what was wrong. Artoo on the other hand felt something was deeply wrong. N2’s aren’t supposed to emit such sound. To most sentient beings, the differences of the various beeps were indiscernible but to him it was like hearing the various Coruscanti and Corellian accents.

Artoo squealed an alarm and told the astromechs to back away from the starfighters. Wasting no time, Artoo activated his thrusters and flew down the cliff. Two of the astromechs quickly followed his lead when an EMP blast came out from each N2s rendering the nine other R2 units dead.

After the EMP emission, sparks danced from the starfighters’ computers and smoke began to rise.

Artoo and his fellow survivors returned and checked on the others. Then they went to inspect the starfighters. The N2 computers had melted beyond repair. Artoo called Reepek his comlink only got static.

Captain Kin and her men reached the top and were shocked when Artoo told them what just happened.

“This is most unfortunate indeed.” Kin sat on the ground shaking her head.

The other pilots went to their ships and expressed their rage at what happened by cursing and kicking dirt and stones.

“Captain, all comlinks are down. We’re stranded here.” one of the pilots informed her.

Artoo moaned and went to stand beside the captain. Anta and Otnol took the dead astromechs and piled them together before helping the other pilots in a vain attempt to save their starfighters.

“Artoo check the map, where is the nearest outpost?” Kin asked.

Artoo projected the region’s map and sadly moaned an answer. Captain Kin closed her eyes and sighed, “Mono Madaeo, a hundred clicks.”

The pilots groaned and slumped on the grasses around her.

“No choice, pack your gears and leave the rest on the N2s. We’ll start the trek first light in the morning. Right now we’ll set camp here and make a tall bonfire to keep the predators away.” Captain Kin ordered.

That night the group ate in silence and went to their cots early. Major Otnol took the first watch.

Artoo Detoo on the other hand busied himself on trying to raise Reepek on the comlink in every frequency and it still didn’t work, he just kept himself occupied by studying the files they extracted from the abandoned base.

Although could not read Mando’a, he knows schematic charts perfectly and he was staring at one now.

He had seen that ship before.

It was the Jaguada Void!

* * *

Artoo was now restless. The appearance of the Jaguada Void here and on the NRE office is too much of a coincidence. But he couldn’t do any digging unless he manages to get a signal to Reepek which seems unlikely at the moment.

Should he risk asking the Captain about it, maybe she knows, but she had seen the files and did not react to any of it except for that time when she asked what language it was. No, the captain couldn’t help him on this.

Contacting Reepek is the only way and the only way he could do it is if they reach Mono Madaeo, and with a hundred kilometer of lush rainforests and swamps between here and there on foot it’ll take them days to get there.

All Artoo can do now is study the ship’s schematic closely. Perhaps by familiarizing himself with its layout he’ll have more clue as to what is so special about it.

As he skims into the datapad, he encountered another ship. The schematic is half finished but it has similar design as the Jaguada Void but the general styling indicates it’s from another alien culture.

The unfinished ship has a signature at the bottom left of the page and it wasn’t Mando’a but Aurebesh. It was an initial; R.S.

Artoo moaned and check his record for a person of that initial and got a hit of 3,286. He highlighted those whose line of work or studies is connected to ship design or building and the number went down to 1,410.

Artoo groaned and narrowed it down to only those who had offworld dealings and the result gave him a 905 count. Then it hit him and filtered it to those who had worked on Jaguada and at last got only one name.

Raith Sienar.

Artoo Detoo whistled and surprise. The man is practically a business icon, a bastion in shipbuilding industry throughout the Republic. There wasn’t much to go in Artoo’s copy of his records only that Raith Sienar had gone to Jaguada at the request of the Countess Kree Feena four years ago about commissioning a new design for a revolutionary mining ship.

The camp fire was now a pile of dying embers, Artoo was about to let it die when he heard some rustlings in the bushes nearby. Artoo rocked on his legs and moaned, he was afraid to get more firewood but he also fears that the predators might come to their camp once the fire was completely gone.

Hooting, Artoo flashed his high beam at the general direction of the noise and rolled slowly forward until he reached the edge of the woods. He heard a growl and the unseen creature seemed to run off.

Artoo then began picking more sticks and fallen branches with his retractable claws and pincher. Then he returned to the center of the camp and began feeding the fire.

* * *

At sunrise, they rappelled down again and run deeper in the jungle before detonating the abandoned base.

They were about to set off for a long trek across the Magatauan forest when they all heard the familiar and relieving roars of several N1 Starfighters. The pilot cheered and Captain Kin threw two smoke grenades to mark their position.

A few minutes later, a Corellian YT-1300 freighter landed on a clearing four hundred meters east from them.

Clynt Resnon came down the ramp followed by two humans.

“Clynt Resnon, boy I’m glad to see you!” Captain Kin shook his hand.

“There was a problem at the NRE, all N2s emitted an EMP blast and then their computers self-destructed. NRE is down and Director Fenn and his officers are having one hell of a morning.” Resnon began explaining as he accompanied Captain Kin and Artoo back up the ramp. The two other humans also led the Gungan pilots inside the YT-1300.

“What’s going on? Are we being attacked?” Kin asked.

“No directly. All N2s has been compromised, we suspect sabotage. Captains Olié, Panaka and Aluva are already investigating the incident. Max Entarrie is missing, the Security Officers have checked on his residence and on his cousins but no one knows where he is. There were signs of struggle in his basement so we suspect he’s been abducted.” Resnon answered.

“Why Max? I mean, what’s so important about him and what does that got to do with the sabotage?” Kin frowned.

“We don’t know yet. Right now, we’re here to pick you up and bring you all back to Theed for your report. Do you have any casualties?” Resnon looked behind her at the pilots who were now being handed food by the two humans.

“Only our ships and nine astromechs,” Kin stated.

Artoo tried his comlink and he finally got an answer from Reepek, “Thank the Maker you’re alright Artoo! We’ve been having some problems here you know…”

Artoo told Reepek about the Mando’a files and the Jaguada Void but Reepek seemed preoccupied, “We’ll analyze that later, try to get here as fast as you can alright? We’ve got much to do!”

Artoo moaned and closed the transmission and went to an electrical port and charged himself.

“Captain Jerna Kin, this is Captain Tobb Jadak and his co-pilot Reeze Duurmun. They work for the Republic Group, they happen to be here to give Senators Fang Zar, Mon Mothma, Garm Bel Iblis and Bail Organa a ride to watch the election and attend the inauguration of the next monarch. They we’re kind enough to volunteer to help me fetch you.” Resnon said.

“Bongo Squadron is indebted to you.” Captain Kin shook their hands.

“Don’t mention it. We’ll do anything for our allies, Captain. The Stellar Envoy is at your service.” Captain Jadak bowed.

* * *

Reepek slipped out of the bustling Northern Paleasé Hangar and into Rinn’s office, he locked the door and pulled down the shutters as he access his master’s computer and made a detailed inquiry about the Jaguada Void. It took him some complex slicing methods to crack open the password and access the file.

File: NRE Report Number R-73004-0681

Subject: Jaguada Void

Report by: Lienn Entarrie

Status: Confidential

Report:

The Jaguada Void is a commissioned Expeditionary Battleship by Damask Holdings to the Republic Seinar Systems, the Jaguada Shipyards and the Chommell Sector Representative Vidar Kim.

The primary function of the item is to be used for asteroid mining in tandem with the development of the Plasma Mines of Kardara and Naboo for exclusive distribution to the Trade Federation.

The project was cancelled before it was even started by Senator Palpatine in his first term. Naboo Royal Engineering was tasked to dispose of all existing data about the Jaguada Void and Chief Programmer Lien Entarrie was assigned to handle it.

The subject’s data were destroyed by Lien Entarrie, witnessed by Senator Palpatine and Director Hego Damask.

Reepek found a piece of flimsy inserted at the file and read it, “The Jaguada Void was completed before the data was officially destroyed. It was sold to…” the last words were lost in the torn flimsy.

“Oh dear, I have a bad feeling about this.” Reepek groaned.