After the necessary flight clearance were relayed to Keren City Spaceport Tower, the Republic transport lifted off.
The ship was cruising in the hypnotic silence of the hyperspace when the Lady Sarc Crimos woke up from her sleep. She tried to use the Force but the ray shields rendered her useless.
Suddenly a face appeared on the tiny glass window on the outer casing. Crimos was surprised to see the familiar face of Alle Vomm wearing a Republic Navy Pilot uniform.
After a few seconds the outer shell hissed open revealing the triple ray-shield prison tube. Alle tapped the shield and spoke, “Can you hear me?” he asked her.
The voice was a bit muffled but she could hear it nonetheless so she nodded at him.
Alle finally smiled when she nodded and started talking to her.
“Listen to me closely, we are going to release you but we need your help. We need you to abduct Queen Amidala so we could extort a ransom to Senator Palpatine. Once we have the credits, we leave the Queen to you. Can you do that for us?” Alle asked her.
Anything is better as long as I get out of here. Crimos thought and nodded at the leader of the Chommell Patriots.
Alle punched in some codes at the console by the side and the triple ray-shield dropped. Crimos staggered and Alle caught her and help her take a seat then he picked up the small metal crate and began attaching a datapad and started slicing through the security codes until the metal crate hissed open.
Alle Vomm took out a pair of scaly dark green metal tube like an ordinary set of plumbing pipes and handed it over to the Lady Crimos.
“Tell me what you want me to do?” Lady Sarc Crimos finally said.
* * *
Crimos joined Alle and Sheeana on the canteen of the Republic transport and joined the two on eating the meal prepared by the droid cook.
“So you’re telling me that the Queen is now on Kardara, of all places? I’m sure she knows that it is the home planet of the Chommell Patriots right?” Crimos wanted to get clear with it.
“Of course she does. It is also the home of an abandoned plasma mining facility. If the Queen and the Prime Minister both signed the truce, Naboo will take over and reactivate that plasma mines and they would no longer have any reason to continue relying on Trade Federation support for their own plasma mines on Theed.” Alle explained.
“It is a good point.” Crimos conceded.
“It’s a valid point.” Alle corrected her.
“So what plan do you have in mind?” Crimos asked him.
“I need you to disable first the Royal Starship. We’ll do the diversion and distraction. You grab the Queen as soon as the situation allowed it. Take her here,” Alle handed her a datachip containing the coordinates to an old abandoned underground plasma mining facility also formerly owned by Damask Holdings.
“Who’s traveling with the Queen?” Crimos inquired.
“Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, Captain Panaka, Captain Teros and her crew and the Queen’s Handmaidens.” Alle counted on his fingers.
“You’re both crazy. Do you think the Trade Federation will let your betrayal go unpunished?” Crimos smirked.
“They can go nova for all I care! We already lost too much at this scheme of theirs and we’re not even suitably compensated!” Sheeana exclaimed angrily.
“It’s none of your concern. So, are you in on this?” Alle asked.
“I already gave you my word. I will do my part. Just don’t screw it all up along the way like your stupid Gungan friend did on Naboo.” Crimos spat.
“We were on Kardara when he bailed out on us and acted on his own. Gantu was never the smart one and he’s more brute and brawn than brains at all.” Alle shook his head.
“It just serves him right! That frog-faced moron got zapped by a mere freaking astromech droid, he’s so pathetic! What a shameful way to go, outsmarted by a bucket of bolts.” Alle grunted.
Alle’s comlink beeped and nodded at Sheeana and Crimos, “I remote-linked my comlink to the timer in the navicomputer. We’re here! Get yourselves ready, I need to make some calls.”
* * *
Prime Minister Mordon ordered his men to quickly set up a holoprojector so he could easily point out to Queen Amidala the holo images of the abandoned yet still functional plasma mines.
He was using a laser pointer when something exploded from the outside. The Royal Handmaidens was instantly standing back to back with each other with the Queen at their center. Sifo-Dyas ignited his lightsaber and darted out of the building.
Panaka activated his comlink and hailed Captain Teros.
“What’s going on out there?” Panaka shouted.
“A Republic transport arrived and started firing at us, I powered up the shields but something got us first in the thrusters, both were destroyed!” Teros reported.
The blastdoor was suddenly thrown at the ground as a lone figure emerged from the billowing smoke.
“Crimos!” Sifo-Dyas groaned at the sight of her.
“Hurry! This way, I have an escape ship beneath this floor!” Prime Minister Mordon exclaimed and ran.
Panaka let out a volley of cover fire as the handmaidens led the Queen after the Prime Minister.
The lift descended and stopped at an underground hangar. Docked in there was a single shuttle. Pouring out from it were dozens and dozens of armed men who aimed their blasters at the Queen and her handmaidens.
“I’m sorry Your Highness. They struck a better deal that I can’t resist.” Mordon sighed as the guards moved to take the queen by force.
“I’m sorry too, Prime Minister.” Queen Amidala growled.
To their astonishment, Queen Amidala suddenly burst into action, like a blur she began hitting them in their throats, chest, stomach and shins.
The other handmaidens also attacked but the others just set their blasters to stun and in maximum power and open fired.
When everyone has been rendered unconscious, Queen Amidala was taken by the rebels leaving the other stunned handmaidens.
“Wait, take the others too, the Hutts will pay highly to such lithe women.” Mordon shouted at Chommell Patriots militia.
A female came out of the ship as the rebels carried all of the handmaidens.
“Sheeana, it’s always a pleasure to see you!” Prime Minister Mordon grinned wolfishly.
“Shut up.” Sheeana raised her blaster and shot him in the face.
Above the dilapidated complex, Captain Panaka and Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas remained pinned down on the corner by the rebels, they have been pushed back to the side of the floor where there was no window or exits at all.
Outside, Captain Teros and her crew were also engaged against several rebels, they were firing at them through the lowered ramp.
Artoo Detoo detached himself from the droid racks and communicated with the other astromech droids. He told them to get moving and start making repairs.
Most of them refused to take orders from a fellow astromech unit but the yellow one, R2-E3 spat a long litany of curses and reprimands and reminded them of their duty to the Royal Starship.
Hesitantly the others rolled off of their racks and followed Artoo to the shaft that would take them top side of the Royal Starship.
Artoo scanned the extent of the damage on the two thrusters and saw that both radial sublight engines have been badly burnt. The laser blast has fused the components and Artoo surmised that they must cut the fused parts and try to make a makeshift replacement for the time being.
Artoo relayed his orders to the others and R2-E3 led the other half on the left side while Artoo took over on the right.
Artoo left the others for a while to re-scan the thrusters and try to figure out a way to make it work at least long enough to make the jump home. The entire thruster exhaust tube was hopeless and has to be discarded. Artoo swiveled his dome and scan the area and spotted one freighter under the repair hangar, he swung his long range scanner on the ship and found a close match for their thrusters.
The problem now
would be to lift those heavy parts to the Royal Starship. Artoo turn to R2-E3 and told her to take over for a while. Extracting his leg thrusters, Artoo flew towards the other ship.
Sifo-Dyas used the Force to snatch several blasters from the dead rebels and dumped it on the floor near Captain Panaka.
“Hold them out, I’ll punch us a hole to this wall.” Sifo-Dyas grunted and buried his lightsaber on the partition.
Panaka took two of the largest blaster rifles in each hand, checked the power pack then began firing them against the persistent rebels.
Sifo-Dyas was halfway through cutting their exit when they both heard a ship lifting off somewhere behind the building.
“Enemy reinforcements?” Panaka frowned.
“Enemy leaving, they have the Queen!” Sifo-Dyas increased the power output of his weapon to quicken the melting of the durasteel wall.
Outside a hover repair platform came carrying the two thrusters. Artoo was plugged in on the override control panel and moves the platform close to the right wing of the Royal Starship.
The other astromechs sprang into action and began to remove the damaged thrusters and replace it with the new one. Once secured, Artoo move to the left wing and R2-E3 started to supervise the repairs.
Artoo returned to the Royal Starship and went to check their progress and tapped the wing terminal and ran a systems check on the flight engines. The computer recognized and accepted the newly attached thrusters and Artoo cheered and hurriedly went back inside the ship and hailed Captain Teros.
Out on the back Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas and Captain Panaka came running and headed back up on the Royal Starship.
Captain Teros gave cover fire until the two was back inside. Artoo came behind her and hooted. Teros nodded and started to retract the ramp and close the hatch.
Gunning the engines the repaired thrusters fired and the crew cheered. The other astromechs led by R2-E3 returned to their racks and chattered among themselves.
“Great job Artoo Detoo!” Captain Teros patted the droid’s dome.
Artoo beeped and told her it was a team effort, Captain Teros smiled and regarded the other astromech droids, “Great work everyone, great work!”
“Captain, long range scanners picked up the escaping ship heading northward.” One of the crew called out.
“Captain Teros, they have the Queen and the handmaidens!” Sifo-Dyas told her.
“Then let’s go after them!” Captain Teros sat back on her command chair while Panaka and Sifo-Dyas move out to the empty throne room and sat there as the Royal Starship lifted off, blasted laser fires at the rebels below and flew after the other ship.
The Lady Sarc Crimos watch the Royal Starship leave. The rebels circled around her.
“You! You didn’t even help us.” One rebel shouted at her.
The Lady Crimos ignited her lightsabers. “I work alone.”
Crimos sent the rest of the Chommell Patriot militia back to their headquarters ordering them to round up everyone and head for the plasma mine facility.
Once the militias were gone, she went to her swoop and gunned its engines and sailed across the barren wasteland to where the Queen will be taken.
Chapter 21: The Mines of Kardara
Alle Vomm landed the Republic transport on the outskirts of the abandoned plasma mines of Damask Holdings.
The Patriot Militia, the ragtag group of soldiers serving the so called cause of the Chommell Patriots piled out of the ramp followed by soldiers prodding the cuffed Queen and the rest of the captive Royal Handmaidens.
Sheeana Fley and Alle Vomm came out last and began giving instructions to secure the area topside and the outer tunnels.
Alle Vomm left Sheeana to supervise setting up their security and defense perimeter and proceeded on leading the prisoners in the deepest levels of the plasma mines.
After a few minutes Sheeana finally rejoined him on the bunker and they started to check the communications room for functional long range holo communicator.
“Check on the Queen, I’ll finish setting this up.” Alle nodded at her. Sheeana kissed him full in the lips before leaving.
Queen Amidala was taken on a separate room and was guarded by a dozen militias. Sheeana entered the makeshift holding cell and regarded the Queen.
Amidala’s make-up was worn out, her purple and black traveling gown were shredded and dirty. Her hair was down and tangled, small cuts and bruises were scattered on her face.
“It’s nothing personal milady, just business.” Sheeana said and started to leave when the Queen spoke.
“You must be aware that the next monarch of Naboo will only continue the fight against your terrorist group.” Amidala said flatly.
“We are NOT terrorists! We are Patriots! We are the true patriots of the Chommell Sector. We abhor the Republic and their pretense of equality. They cover their double dealing capitalists under the title of Senators. They police the galaxy with their Jedi sorcerers!” Sheeana spat at the Queen.
“We are not the evil ones because we don’t kill innocent people, kidnap children and steal credits from companies that gave us jobs.” Amidala grunted.
“You know nothing about me!” Sheeana slapped the Queen with all of her strength and Amidala’s head turned at the impact and she tasted blood in her mouth.
“You are a hybrid humanoid who grew up in a harsh world of Kardara, raised by cruelty, abuse and xenophobia with no one to turn to. An alien business tycoon took you in, gave you shelter, gave you purpose, yet he did not suffice, you betrayed him, stole from him and bankrupts his mines here. Yes, you are a patriot.” Amidala snorted.
Sheeana pointed the nozzle of her blaster at the Queen’s face.
“I should kill you right now.” She shook in anger.
“Kill me and say goodbye to your ransom. What makes you even think the Trade Federation would bother throwing a decicred on your band of thieves. They don’t need me alive. They can wait for the next monarch to shove their precious treaty with.” Amidala grinned.
“Even if the Trade Federation did pay, they will not let go of such double-crossers. They have armies that could invade the entire Chommell Sector, none of you and your pathetic militia would stand a chance.” Amidala hissed.
Sheeana slammed the butt of her blaster on the side of the Queen’s head and started to leave.
Suddenly Amidala’s hands dropped the deactivated cuffs and she threw the chair on the back of Sheeana. The four guards inside the room raised their blasters but Amidala rolled to the nearest guard and gave an uppercut on his loins. As the guard fell she snatch his blaster, rolled away and fired three precise shots at the faces of each of the rest of the guards.
Sheeana was groggily getting up on her knees when Amidala move towards her and kicked her in the ribs and as she rolled on her back, Amidala fired at her chest.
She looked at the blaster and saw it was set for stun, Amidala shook her head and adjusted it to kill and knocked on the metal door.
* * *
Eirtaé and Rabé slumped on the floor after finding no hope in the walls for escape. Saché and Yané gave up on looking at the ceiling thirty feet above them for exhaust shaft or any means of exit. Fé watches Padmé remove a clip from her hair and walk to the door.
Fé knew what Padmé had in mind so she dashed after her and took the clip.
Padmé looked at her in mild surprise.
“Allow me Your Highness, let me take the risk.” Fé said to her. Eirtaé and Rabé led Padmé back at the farthest side of the room and positioned themselves on a casual protective cover. Saché and Yané moved on each side of the door and tensed for action.
“Hello? Is anyone there? We’re hungry!” Fé called out through the viewing hole, while she deftly picks the primitive lock.
“No guards.” Fé whispered.
“Stupid rebels, they assumed we are just a helpless bunch of women.” Rabé grunted in disgust.
“At least it works to our advantage.” Saché muttered.
“All the time.” Yané and Eirtaé said in unison and they all laughed.
The door’s lock clicked and slowly swung inward. Saché and Yané quickly went out and checked the area for signaling for the others to follow.
Eirtaé saw two passage way, one to their left and the other to the right, she looked at Fé and Yané and the two nodded. The pair split and scouted each of the corridors. Rabé and Saché positioned themselves on each side of Padmé and they all waited.
Yané came back shaking her head so they all slowly move to follow where Fé has gone.
Reaching the turn, Eirtaé saw Fé heading back to them carrying a gate card. Behind her the gate was already open and a massive fat guard was sprawled on the floor.
“Good job.” Eirtaé smiled at her.
“Don’t even ask how, he stinks.” Fé shrugged.
* * *
Alle Vomm activated the holo and the image of Aruk the Hutt appeared. Standing beside the vile creature was a battered protocol droid.
“Greetings Mighty Aruk, I have something of value to sell you.” Alle said.
Aruk boomed in Huttese and the droid told him he was asking what it is.
“I have here six young beautiful enticing female humans.” Alle activated the monitors and an empty room appeared in the screen.
“What the…” Alle’s face paled.
Aruk’s deep resonating voice boomed in rage and severed the connection.
“Aruk wait!” Alle turn as the hologram faded, frustrated and enraged he threw a chair on the monitor and snatch out his comlink.
“Sheeana, answer me!” he shouted and when he got no reply he threw the comlink on the wall, it fell on the pavement in pieces.
Alle Vomm took his blaster from his holster and started to head off to the door when it burst open and a figure went sailing towards him. A pair of feet landed on his chest knocking him off on the ground, his blaster skidded away and he saw the Queen landing powerful punches on his face.
Alle shoved her off of him and stood up, a pair of legs locked on his foot and he tripped and his face hit the edge of a computer console.
He felt blood gushing out of his forehead and on to his face. A hand grabbed him on the collar from behind and he was thrown to the other console terminals.
“Son of a Sith!” Alle grunted.
Alle saw his blaster and dove for it and when he aimed it at her he was greeted by a coruscating ring of blue flash that jolted him. He slumped on the wall unable to move but conscious.
Star Wars - Artoo Detoo: Droid of a Kind (Volume 1) Page 19