might trigger a trap, so he reached for the fifth switch. After throwing the
switch, Qui-Gon heard a clicking sound from behind him. He spun to see a: hid
- n door slide back fast from the black metal wall. tall guard droid stepped
out from a compartment, within the wall. It was humanoid in design, but
droid's two arms ended in menacing, double barreled blaster rifles; At the
sight of the human intruder, the droid's photoreceptors glowed red. The guard
droid lurched forward. Qui-Gon's hand flew to his belt and his lightsaber was
suddenly ablaze. The droid rapidly squeezed off a double burst of blaster fire
from its arms, but the Jedi Master's blade struck each blast, hammering them
back at the droid. The bolts pounded at the guard droid's armor and tore
through its neck and joints. The droid's head exploded as its shattered body
toppled to the floor, causing a crash that echoed through the detention
center. Qui-Gon deactivated his lightsaber and turned his attention back to
the remaining switches. Normally, he enjoyed solving puzzles to keep his mind
sharp. But with Adi Gallia's life at stake, he knew this wasn't any game.
Taking a chance, Qui-Gon threw both the seventh and eighth switch at the same
time. He didn't know which switch had done the job, but all ten energy shields
dropped. He ran into Adi Gallia's. cell, bent down, and checked her vital
signs. She was unconscious and her pulse was weak. But she was alive. Barely
alive. Realizing she required medical attention, Qui - Gon moved past to the
main terminal of the control room. He hoped to transmit an overriding command
signal to the droids, stopping them in their tracks before they could assault
the tower.
After entering the commands into the computer, Qui-Gon ran to the window.
Outside, the droids advanced closer to the tower. Soon, they would arrive.
The saboteurs must have tampered with the computer. Qui-Gon wondered what
to do next. Looking out the window, he could see the alien skyhopper was still
parked on the outer deck that jutted out from the tower. Qui-Gon decided to
make a run for the skyhopper, but not before he did something to stop the
droids. Unless the droids were terminated, they might escape the factory and
cause even more harm. Turning back to the control room, Qui-Gon spied a red-
and-yellow-striped emergency cabinet. Popping the cabinet open, Qui-Gon found
it contained an autodestruct initiator. Qui-Gon thought it was a dramatic bit
of security for Trinkatts to have installed; but the device appeared to be the
only way to destroy the droids. Wasting no time, Qui-Gon threw the initiator
switch. The countdown began at three minutes.. Evacuation warnings sounded.
Hopefully, the other Jedi would heed them. Gathering Adi Gallia from the
floor, Qui-Gon carried her up an access stairway to the tower's upper deck.
Exiting the stairwell, he noticed the exit door had been kicked in from
the outside. Proceeding through the damaged doorway, Qui-Gon.wondered where
the saboteurs had gone; Reaching the upper deck, Qui-Gon Jinn carried Adi
Gallia toward the parked skyhopper. Without warning, two tall insectoid aliens
stepped out from behind the skyhopper.: With their black body armor and
segmented movements, Qui-Gon recognized the aliens at once; They were
Bartokks.
A race of bloodthirsty mercenaries, the Bartokks were notorious
throughout the galaxy for their assassin squads. With their hive mind, they
worked together to kill their assigned targets; Their intelligence was
distributed through nerve centers throughout their bodies, so cutting off
their heads would not stop. them, since the severed pieces would continue to
attack. Each Bartokk stood on two powerful legs and had four arms, two
manipulatory arms extended from their waists while their upper arms ended in
long hooked claws. Before Qui-Gon could address the Bartokks the two insectoid
aliens raised their claws and stepped forward. Quickly placing Adi Gallia on
the floor of the deck, Qui-Gon drew his lightsaber and extended its blade;
Like all Jedi, Qui-Gon did. not believe in killing unless it was absolutely
necessary; But he knew the Bartokks were professional killers who wouldn't
hesitate to slice him from head to toe; Seeing Qui-Gon's activated lightsaber,
the Bartokks took a step back. The Jedi Master's eyes fixed on both of them as
he warned;
"This encounter doesn't have to end in your deaths."
The Bartokks exchanged a chittering communication; then sprang through
the air. Gon-Gon. Jinn's lightsaber came up fast;]n a single sweep, Qui-Gon
cut one. Bartokk in half while relieving the other of an arm. The Bsrtokks
screeched, and their severed parts clattered across the deck, reacting
independently. Cutting down the upright Bsrtokk, Qui-Gon saw the insectoid
body fragments scramble toward Adi Gailia's prone form. Qui-Gon leaped to Adi
Gallia's side. His boats. landed on one of the Bartokks' writhing arms with an
ugly squish.
His lightsaber crackled as he brought it down again and again, hacking at
the insectoid pieces. Qui-Gon knew he was running out of time. Since
activating the. autodestruct mechanism; he knew he only had less than a minute
to escape the tower; Switching off his lightsaber to lift Adi Gallia, Qui-Gon
was nearly snagged by one of the Bartokks dismembered claws. The Bartokks'
body parts pursued Qui-Gon as he ran for the skyhopper. Placing Adi Galiia
into the cockpit, Qui-Gon jumped in beside her and punched the controls.
Although the skyhopper was designed: for the Bartokks, it reacted to Qui-Gon's
touch. As the skyhopper lifted off the deck, a thunderous explosion erupted
from below. The force of the blast pushed the skyhopper forward, nearly
knocking the vehicle out of the sky. Gripping the controls, Qui-Gon banked
hard to the left and came around to. see 1ire and smoke streaming out from the
top of the tower. Glancing down to the spaceport below, Qui-Gon saw that the
droids had all frozen most were knocked down by the explosion. By destroying
the central droid control room, Qui-Gon had prevented the droids from wreaking
more havoc. Landing the skyhopper outside the barricades surrounding Trinkatta
Starships, Qui-Gen saw Obi-Wan Kenobi running from the factory's security
checkpoint.
Vel Ardox and Noro Zak were several steps behind him.
"Master Qui-Gon!" Obi-Wan called out as he approached the skyhopper; "We
saw the tower explode! We couldn't even get into the factory; The droids held
us back and..."
Upon reaching the side of the skyhopper and seeing Adi Gallia's Obi-Wan
was speechless.
"You found Master Adil! Why didn't You tell us?"
"My comlink was damaged," Qui-Gon replied as he checked Adi Gallia.
"Good work, Qui-Gon," Noro congratulated.
"It's hardly time to celebrate!" Qui-Gon snapped. "Adi is unconscious and
requires medical attention! Also, I couldn't find the fifty droid
starfighters. But I learned they were ordered by the Trade Federation. Even
worse, I had a run-in with Bartokk assassins."
Hearing this information, Vel, Noro, and Obi-Wan exchanged worried
glances. If the Trad
e Federation and the Bartokks were operating Esseles, the
Jedi knew their assignment had only just begun.
"It appears Adi Gallia has experienced a massive shock to her system" Vel
Ardox exclaimed with great concern. "She must be taken to a medical center
immediately."
"I'm afraid there's no place on Esseles that's prepared to heal a Jedi;"
Noro Zsk grimaced.
"Wait!" Obi-Wan, interjected. "There's a Jedi chapter house on the planet
Rhinnal. Rhinnal is famous for its expertise in medicine and it's in the Darpa
Sector. We can get Master Adi there in no time"
Qui-Gon Jinn glanced at Obi-Wan Kenobi; then turned to Vel and Noro.
"Carry Adl back to our cruiser and take her to Rhinnal," he told them.
"Obi-Wan and I will remain here and investigate what's happening on Esseles;
then meet you on Rhinnal as soon as we can. We have to learn what's become of
the droid starfighters. If the Trade Federation and the Bartokks are involved,
I'm determined to find out why!"
The Trade Federation battleship was far from home, positioned in space at
the edge of the Colonies reRion..Standing on the command deck, Trade
Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray looked out a narrow porthole to see the Ringali
Nebula. Gunray had followed his orders without question, maneuvering his
battleship to the distant region where he waited for further instructions.
After waiting seventeen standard hours, Gunray was becoming Impatient. Hearing
a loud beeping from the communications console, Nute Gunray turned to his
second in command, Rune Haako.
"We're receiving a transmission, sir,". Rune Haako stated.
"Our instructions!": Nute Gunray exclaimed; "At last!"
A hologram materialized from the projecter built into the communications
console. A cloaked figure whose face was. lost in shadow appeared before them.
Nute Gunray recognized the projected image immediately.. It was Darth Sidious.
"Report the progress on the planet Esseles." the Sith Lord commanded.
"The droid starfighters were scheduled to leave the Trinkatta factory
under the escort of a Corellian freighter," Nute Gunray replied. "The
freighter should have arrived fifteen minutes ago. I cannot explain the delay.
"
Darth Sidious hologram flickered.
"Your report does not please me!" the Sith Lord hissed. "It has come to
my attention that the Jedi Council has learned about the construction of droid
starfighters on Esseles. Someone on Esseles must have informed the Council.
Are you certain the star5ghters will not be traced to the Trade Federation?"
"Yes, Lord Sidious," Nute Gunray answered. He was trying very hard not to
sound nervous.
"Those starfighters are essential for our galactic expansion plan," Darth
Sidious snarled. "Send someone to Esseles at once and confirm the droid
starfighters have left the factory. Also, find the person who informed the
Jedi Council and silence them... permanently!"
"Y-Yes, Lord Sidious," Gunray stammered nervously, but the hologram had
already switched off. Turning to Rune Haako, Gunray commanded, "Prepare to
leave for Esseles immediately!"
On Esseles, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood by their landspeeder with Trinkatta
the Kloodavian. They watched the Republic cruiser lift off, carrying Noro Zak,
Vel Ardox, and the wounded Adi Gallia up into the green sky. Seconds later,
the cruiser vanished from view as it raced into space; bound for the planet
Rhinnal. Obi-Wan realized that Qui-Gon had yet to reveal the story of how Adi
Gallia had saved his life. Looking at his Master's grim expression, Obi-Wan
decided to wait for Qui-Gon to tell the tale.
"Thank you for rescuing me from my droids," Trinkatta muttered. Although
his right arm was already starting to grow back, Trinkatta was still unnerved
by the devastating events that had brought mayhem to his starship factory. His
tunic was covered in dirt, a memento from the escape through his secret
tunnel. Looking directly at Qui-Gon, Trinkatta said, "I only wish I could have
prevented this"
"I think Adi Gallia will be fine, Master," Obi-Wan commented.
"I know she'll be fine, Padawan," Qui-Gon replied with great confidence,
"just as I know in my heart that the villains who wounded her will be brought
to justice."
"Which villains?" Obi-Wan asked. "The factory droids, the Bartokks, or
the Trade Federation?"
"I believe they're all connected," Qui-Gon mused, stroking his beard.
"Each bit of information is like a puzzle piece. The Trade Federation ordered
fifty droid starfighters from Trinkatta's factory; When Trinkatts refused to
install hyperdrive engines, his test pilot vanished, scaring Trinkatta into
building the star fighters. Someone found out about the star1ighters and was
worried enough to send a data card to Coruscant, alerting the. Jedi Council.
Now it seems the starfighters have vanished as well."
"Don't forget the Bartokks," Obi-Wan added. "They broke into the central
droid control room so they could reprogram Trinkatta's droids to take over the
starship factory."
"But why?" Qui-Gon pondered. "What did the Bartokks want? The droid
starfighters are no longer in the factory. Why would they?"
"If you'll excuse me," Trinkstts interrupted, "I've got travel plans. I'm
getting off this planet before the Trade Federation comes looking for their
starfighters!"
Suddenly, Qui-Gon Jinn's eyes went wide. "There's a good chance we might
still be able to find the starfighters," he mused.
"How's that?" Trinkatta inquired, blinking his reptilian eyelids.
"The Bartokks travel in hives of fifteen," Qui-Gon noted, "but only two
remained at the observation tower. The other thirteen Bartokks must still be
on Esseles!"
"Why would they still be here if the starfighters are gone?" Obi-Wan
asked, bewildered by his Master's logic.
"The starfighters are gone from Trinkatta's factory," Qui-Gon stressed,
"but they haven't left Esseles!" Seizing Trinkatta by the shoulders, Qui-Gon
lifted the Kloodavian and deposited him in the back of the landspeeder.
"We're not parting company yet, Trinkatta," the Jedi Master said
solemnly. "You're going to help us find the droid starfighters."
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