Chapter 1.4: Rescue

(Theed Capital, Palace.)

Padme walked out of the palace with her head down. Thoughts raced through her mind as her eyes scanned the courtyard and street around. Battle droids and tanks were everywhere taking her people into their houses and other buildings.

A feeling of dread welled up in her as she walked behind Rabe, a close handmaiden of hers that doubled as the queen in such situations. Dressed as a handmaiden and walking with the rest, the viceroy had fallen for the long time ruse.

Positioned just behind Rabe and the governor Sio Bibble, with her trusted handmaidens around her and 6 of the royal guards, including her guard captain Panaka, following behind, she was in the safest position should a fight break out.

Her eyes roamed over the beautiful buildings she had grown used to over the years as her eyes stopped on something out of place. On one of the high rise buildings only 50 meters away from them she caught sight of the sun reflecting off something.

It had only been there for a second but she had seen a flash. Looking at the spot harder, she found nothing out of place and though it was just her imagination. Looking back down in front of her, her mind raced with ideas on how to escape, how to help her people. She just had to wait for an opportunity and she would take it.

Moving of the main street she didn't notice the 2 men and a Gungan that looked down at them. Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan looked at the small contingent of droids that were escorting the queen past them and started to follow silently.

Walking into a closed off area and the perfect place for an ambush, they sped up and hid behind an overpass that went directly over their path. Watching the group moving closer Jinn looked at Obi-Wan. "Ready?" *Clack* *Clack* Obi-Wan gave a nod getting ready to pull his Lightsaber. The Gungan Jar Jar Binks also nodded his head ready to help and got ready.

Just as they were about to drop down, Jinn stopped for a second as he felt something in the force. *Bang* *Puff* *Bang* Puff* 2 explosions of white gas exploded out covering the area obstructing everyone's views.

Both Jedi stood up and watched the scene with wary eyes. The queens group stopped in surprise as the droids weapons pointed out looking for an enemy. *Shing* *Slash* *Clang* *Shing* *Pew* *Rattle* *Clank* Nobody saw anything in the white smoke as the droids dropped around them.

Only 1 shot was fired off before the gas started to clear up. Standing before the dumbfounded group was a woman completely decked out in white and black high tech gear. The bodies of droids littered the ground, all missing either their head or had huge cuts right through their chest.

Captain Panaka quickly spoke out going into battle mode, keeping his eyes peeled on the person before them. "Grab their weapons." The other 5 men spread out and grabbed the weapons on the floor as Panaka moved in front of Rabe who was pretending to be the queen.

Padme stood behind him and had been distracted looking at the destroyed droids that were surrounding them. Hearing what he just said though her mind returned to her as she began to analyze her. 'Was she a friend or foe?'

The fact that the person before them was a woman and highly dangerous, was the only thing her mind could come up with after looking at her for a few seconds. She had a sniper rifle strapped to her back that made Padme wonder how she moved so fast with it weighing her down. It had only taken her seconds to take out the 8 droids.

Other than that weapon, which she obviously hadn't just used, she had multiple pieces of gear and knifes on her person. Padme had just caught her sheaving one of them as the smoke cleared. 'What is it made of to cut through the droids armour?'

With her hood up, nothing could be seen of her face other than the menacing mask that was looking right at their group. As Padme was studying her, Ayillh was doing the same. Mace wanted her to find the queen and protect her at all costs, except if her life was in danger.

Grabbing a hacked map of the city from Vette, she had easily made it to the palace courtyard and had been scoping the area for a way in when the group had left the building. There was only a low res picture that she had been able to go off on, it was the best Vette could grab with such little time, to identify that the group was the queen, her handmaidens and those close to the government.

Stalking the group in stealth she had been waiting for the perfect opportunity, when the group had veered off into this secluded section. *Clack* A blaster was thrown to Panaka as he raised it in her direction.

"Who are you?" Deciding to keep up a bit of mystery and assertiveness for the situation she tilted her head to the side and talked decisively. "We don't have time for this. I'm a bounty hunter sent to protect the Queen, by my employer." Saying that she raised her hand and pointed right at Rabe, her voice had been synthesized by the mask she wore so it came off in an intimidating manner.

Panaka stood in front of the out stretched hand still not trusting the person before him, even though she had helped them get free. Padme herself was thinking over what had just been said, a small frown on her face. 'Who would send a bounty hunter to protect her? For what reason?' Not caring about the obvious hostility Ayillh Jerked her hand back to motion at the overpass.

"Stop wasting time, get down here we need to leave the street." Jinn's eyebrows raised in surprise as Obi-Wan reflexively laid his hand on his Lightsaber. Something about the bounty Hunter down there set him on edge.

Jinn also had that feeling, but shook his head as he caught the look from his Padawan. Standing up they made their presence know as they jumped down to ground level. 6 Blaster pointed at the new entrants as Ayillh turned around to look at them.

She had noticed the two before she had started her ambush, but was sure that they were on the side of the queen, not having got a good look before she started, she now noticed that 2 men in robes had Lightsabers clipped to the belts.

Her hand wanted to twitch down to one of her knives but she stopped herself, though she did speak her thoughts. "Jedi." The queens group lowered their weapons at the words and a happy smile came to one or two of the handmaidens.

Jedi were renowned peace keepers of the galaxy and would mean no threat to them. This reaction didn't go unnoticed by Ayillh; a frown came to her face for a second at the respect and trust that was shown, even though they were clearly strangers.

Jinn looked at the bounty Hunter as he moved closer and still felt that faint presence of danger that he felt before. Looking at her for a few more seconds he talked to the Queens group. "I would have to agree with her your highness, we should leave the street."

Rabe looked at the Jedi, the destroyed droids and finally the Bounty hunter that had appeared from nowhere, but was somehow being paid to guard her safety, before nodding.

The group moved off to the street and into an alley as Ayillh followed from the back. Jinn spoke as they left the scene. "We're Ambassadors for the supreme chancellor." Sio Bibble stood forwards with a frown. "Your negotiations seemed to have failed." Jinn just shook his head. "The negotiations never took place. It's urgent that we make contact with the Republic."

This time Panaka spoke up standing next to Rabe. "They've knocked out all our communications." Jinn thought for a few seconds. "Do you have transports?" Panaka nodded as he motioned towards a building in the distance. "In the main Hanger this way."

Obi-Wan stopped them before they moved off however. "Master what about her." Nodding towards Ayillh, everyone else turned towards her. She rolled her eyes as she heard the Jedi speak. 'Why did they always have to make things difficult for her?'

Her synthesized voice spoke with irritation as her head turned towards the young Padawan. "I'm being paid to make sure the Queen is safe. My ship is too far away and from what I can see, you need all the help you can get."

Rabe thought about it for a few seconds as it was ultimately her decision; she couldn't have Padme make it right then and there. "We thank you for your assistance." Obi-Wan looked like he wanted to say something but Jinn shot him a look that shut him up. With all those problems out of the way the group moved on.

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(Hanger bay)

It took them a few minutes, but they didn't run into any patrols and arrived at the entrance to the hanger. Crowding around the hanger they peered in to see a group of battle droids guarding a few captives.

Assessing the situation Panaka spoke first. "There are too many of them." Jinn had a look at the group before shaking his head in confidence. "They won't be a problem. Your highness under the circumstances I suggest you come to Coruscant with us." Rabe just looked at the Jedi master as she responded instantly. "Thank you ambassador but my place is with my people."

A frown came to his face. "They will kill you if you stay." Bibble couldn't stand for such words from the master. "They wouldn't dare!" Panaka explained in his place. "They need her to sign a treaty; they can't afford to kill her." Jinn shook his head again, a concerned tone to his voice. "There's something else behind this your highness, there's no logic in the federations move here. My feelings tell me they will destroy you."

Ayillh herself knew how stupid it would be for the Queen to stay on the planet, it would cause a lot more troubles than fix, if she were to stay. They might start killing the population to draw her out or bomb areas until something happened.

Not wanting to stay on the planet herself and waste more time there, she spoke up. "He's right your Majesty. You staying will only cause more problems." Jinn turned to look at the unexpected back up but said nothing. He would rather take the help than shunning it.

The final straw that broke the deadlock was when the governor himself spoke. "Our only hope is for the senate to side with us. Senator Palpatine will need your help." Siding with the Jedi and Bounty Hunter, Rabe looked at the 3 people who wanted her to leave.

The problem was she couldn't make such an important decision when she was not really the queen, she knew Padme for a long time but even then she couldn't make this decision for her. Turning to face her handmaidens she spoke in contemplation. "Either choice presents great danger…" Sabe's eyes shifted to look at Padme beside her. "…To us all." It was almost an imperceptible sight but Ayillh caught the communication that passed between the two.

Looking between them a small idea of what was going on formed in her mind and she stared intently at the handmaiden. Padme not noticing the gaze on her spoke to the rest. "We are brave your highness." 'It was a verbal confirmation to leave. So she is the real queen.' Ayillh thought to herself as her eyes sharpened, her priority changed from the safety of the fake queen to now her handmaiden.

Of course she didn't show any sign of this and would have to pretend to go along with their ruse. But the extra information was something to keep on hand. 'So they aren't that stupid.'

Ayillh thought it was stupid that the monarch and ruler of a whole planet would get captured so easily, but the fact she was a double showed they had thought about the risks of an invading army. The worst case scenario was the fake being killed instantly if they were vicious invaders, and the benefits of the fake being a priority target if a fight were to break out was another incentive.

While they focused on the decoy the real Queen could escape to safety. Sorting her thoughts out as they decided to waltz right into the hanger, Ayillh didn't pay the droids any thoughts. They were poorly made and if they Jedi couldn't even take out this rabble the order really had degraded over the years.

She did however position herself accordingly to react, should the real Queen come under threat. Following behind the Group and making sure her rifle wasn't very obvious she watched the show before her.

Captain Panaka motioned towards the captives as they got closer. "We'll need to free those pilots." Obi-Wan gave a nod as he moved from the group. "I'll deal with that." Ayillh watched him leave as she assessed his personality. He was rash and headstrong; she could tell that already from their conversations. Something to exploit should they come to blows.

Turning back to the droids they were walking to, the one at the front was the command droid of the hanger. "Halt." Its robotic voice came out strictly as Jinn stopped. "I am the ambassador to the supreme chancellor and I will be taking these people to Coruscant."

The command droid and the ones behind it looked confused at the words. "Where are you taking them?" Jinn spoke firmly. "To Coruscant." Ayillh who was watching had an almost dumbfounded expression on her face.

'Why the hell are these droids so stupid? Their processors should designate instantly that there was no plans for a ship to leave, hell any random sith commander, sergeant, or soldier would be able to instantly figure out something was wrong.

"Coruscant, urgh...that doesn't compute...urgh, wait...uhh...You're under arrest!" The droids raised their weapons as Jinn activated his lightsabre,*Snap* *Hiss*, and sliced them in half. *Pew Pew* Blaster fire went everywhere as the fight began.

The queens group hurriedly boarded a ship that had certain similarities to Ayillh own phantom, but she took her eyes off the design fast, she had a mission to complete. Making sure they all got aboard. She turned to look at the fighting. Seeing a group of droids coming in from the left, she dug into a pouch and pulled out a grenade.

*Beep* *Click Click Click* Holding it for a few seconds she expertly lobbed it into the group and watched them get blown to pieces. By that time both Obi-Wan and Jinn had taken out the other droids and were making their way to the ramp.

Moving inside the ship first, Ayillh followed one of the captured pilots as he entered the cockpit. The engine rumbled to life as the systems were fired up and the ship was in the air in seconds. Ayillh looked around the room as she took in the ships technology.

After finding out that 4 millennia had passed she had expected that the technology had advanced by leaps and bounds, but the droids they had taken down, the weapons that had been used, even this ship, nothing seemed highly advanced.

It caused a frown to come to her face, but she pushed the thoughts out as the Pilot spoke, they had just passed the atmosphere. "There's the blockade." The large capital ship came into view as cannon fire started to target the ship.

Ayillh braced herself to the door as the ship rocked. "Shield Generators been hit." The annoying buzz of an alarm sounded out when the shields went down and the ship started to shake even more. In the back of the ship, 4 droids activated themselves to deal with the damage.

As they began to do their work, Obi-Wan moved over to one of the monitors and sat down. "We're losing droids fast." Hearing him Panaka grew worried. "If we don't get the shield generator fixed, we will be sitting ducks."

Ayillh rolled her eyes thinking to herself. 'Thanks for stating the obvious.' Before she could actually say it out loud the Pilot grimaced as he dodged more fire. "The shields are gone." Jinn stood next to Ayillh as the situation was reported.

Feeling the force around him, it whispered in his ear, calming his worries, they would be fine. Just as he got that thought the Pilot shouted in surprise. "The powers back! That little droid did it! Bypassed the main power drives! Deflector shields up at maximum!"

Excited at the narrow escape from the jaws of death he gunned it past all the blaster fire and made it past the blockade. Getting into clear space he went into hyperspace as quickly as possible. Everyone let out a breath of air except Ayillh who stood stock still.

They had only been in hyper space for 1 minute though before the pilot turned to them. "There's not enough power to get us to Coruscant, the hyper drive is leaking." Everyone turned to Jinn as he had become the de facto leader of the group once they entered the hanger.

"We'll have to land somewhere to refuel the ship." Deciding the best cause of action Obi-Wan spoke up from his monitor. "Here master Tatooine. It's out of the way and they will not think to look for us there."

Ayillh cringed hearing the words; she like Mace, also didn't like the shit hole of a planet. One too many Hutts in her opinion. Thinking of his Queens safety on such a planet Panaka interrupted their conversation. "Can you be sure?"

As if to reassure him, Ayillh wasn't sure, Jinn commented. "It's controlled by the Hutts." Ayillh rolled her eyes. "No shit it's controlled by the Hutts." The 4 men gave her a look as she shook her head. Letting out a sigh at their expressions, she turned and exited. "I'm going to go check on the queen and then check my gear. Call me if something important happens."

Not having time to ask the woman some of the questions on his mind, Jinn watched her leave before getting back to organizing with the Guard captain, Obi-Wan and the pilot. He would ask his questions latter.

Stepping out of the room and turning around a corner, Ayillh made sure no one was around before reaching into her belt and pulling out a small round device. Pressing on it slightly, a small red dot started to blink. Seeing that the transmitter was working properly, she put it back in her belt and continued on her way.