Chapter 17 - 17: Arriving on Tatooine

At the same time as the Defender races away from the Federation Blockade, Viceroy Nute and his Settlement Officer Rune were sitting around a conference time with a hologram of Darth Sidious at the head of it

"We control all the cities in the North and are searching for any other settlements..." said Viceroy Nute

"Destroy all high-ranking officials, Viceroy...slowly...quietly. And Queen Amidala, has she signed the treaty?" asked Darth Sidious

"She has disappeared, My Lord. One corvette style ship got pass the blockade." said Viceroy Nute " We believe she is on it"

"Viceroy, find her! I want that treaty signed." said Darth Sidious angrily

"My Lord, it's impossible to locate the ship. It's out of our range." replied Viceroy Gunray

"...not for a Sith...:" said Darth Sidious slowly

Once, he said the word 'Sith' a hooded figure with a red face and black tattoos appeared behind Darth Sidious

"...Viceroy, this is my apprentice. Lord Maul. He will find your lost ship." said Darth Sidious

"Yes, My Lord." said Viceroy Gunray

Once the hologram fades away and disappeared, Viceroy Nute started talking again

"This is getting out of hand" said Viceroy Nute "...now there are two of them."

"We should not have made this bargain." said Settlement Officer Rune "What will happen when the Jedi become aware of these Sith Lords?"

- Back on the Defender-

Qui-gon, Obi-wan, Captain Panaka, the Fake Queen, Padme, two Handmaidens, and I were in the Main Conference Room in the back of the ship. We were discussing the plan on refueling and resupplying at Tatooine.

While Captain Panaka looks on to Obi-wan and Qui-gon nervously, Qui-gon started explaining his decision to head to Tatooine.

"Your Highness, we are heading for a remote planet called Tatooine. It is a system far beyond the reach of the Trade Federation." said Qui-gon "There we will be able to refuel and resupply then travel on to Coruscant.

"Your Highness, Tatooine is very dangerous. It's controlled by an alliance of gangs called the Hutts." Captain Panaka explained "I do not agree with the Jedi on this."

"You must trust my judgement, Your Highness." Qui-gon says to the Fake Queen

While Qui-gon and Captain Panaka were discussing plans with each other for Tatooine, they walked towards the c.o.c.kpitl. The Fake Queen and Padme exchange looks. So the Fake Queen left the Main Conference Room and headed to my bedroom since I gave it to the Fake Queen to give the impression to the Jedi that she was the real Queen.

Padme sits down on the red couch to the side, which was one of the three couches in the Main Conference Room. When Padme sat down, I stood near the holoterminal trying to look busy while staying near Padme

While Padme was sitting down, R2-D2 came out of nowhere and appeared in front of Padme. She started patting R2-D2

"Hello little one" says Padme

Soon Jar Jar approached them from the side

"Hullo!" shouted Jar Jar

Both Padme and R2 jump up and let out a little shriek. Jar Jar started to feel embarrassed that he frightened the two by accident.

"Sorry, nomeanen to scare yousa." said Jar Jar with a sad look

"That's all right." said Padme

"Hullo, mesa Ja Ja Binksss" says Jar Jar

"I'm Padme, I attend Her Highness." said Padme "You're a Gungan, aren't you?

Jar Jar gives her a nod to answer her question

"How did you end up here with us?" asked Padme

"Me no know...mesa day starten pitty okeyday witda brisky morning munchen. Den boom...." said Jar Jar with a lot of hand gestures "getten berry skeered, un grabbed dat Jedi, and before mesa knowen it...pow! Mesa here...getten berry berry skeered."

While I was trying to look busy at the holoterminal, I was eavesdropping on the conversation but I decided to leave because the way Jar Jar talks, was kind of annoying that it might give me a headache

I walked into the c.o.c.kpit to find Qui-gon, Obi-wan, and Captain Panaka watching over Hk-47's shoulder while he was piloting the ship for me. They were gazing at the large yellow planet that was directly ahead of us.

Soon, HK turns to the Star Map Holoterminal and starts searching the planets

"That's it." said Obi-wan "Tatooine."

"Statement: There's a settlement and a builing that looks like a spaceport." stated HK-47 "Inquiry: Do we land at the crummy looking spaceport or land near the outskirts

"Land near the outskirts." commanded Qui-gon "We don't want to attract any attention."

"Statement: I don't take orders from you puny 'meatbag'" said HK-47 "I only listen to the orders given to me by the Master."

Qui-gon and Obi-wan were shocked from the weird personality of HK-47, but Captain Panaka wasn't to surprised by it since in the last three months, HK has called him a meatbag hundreds of times and he grown use to HK's personality.

"Land at the spaceport" I commanded "We don't have to be afraid to attract attention with my ship since my ship isn't that eye catching unlike the Naboo Royal Yacht"

"As you wish Master" said HK-47

"Hmmm... you are right about that" said Qui-gon "Also your droid is really weird

"Correction: I am not weird. I am wonderful droid" said HK-47 "Statement: It's you meatbags who are weird."

Once again Obi-wan and Qui-gon were shocked once again.

The Boarding Ramp of the Defender lowers down, and once it was fully lowered, I walked down from my ship. As soon as I stepped onto the ground I felt two beings on this planet who have strong connections with the Force, though one was stronger than the other. The stronger one was to the East and the other one was to the North

From my guess, the one with the stronger connection with the Force must be Anakin Skywalker, so to make sure my guess was right I started using the Force to look towards the East.

Soon, I could see the being with the strong connection with the Force, it was Anakin Skywalker. Once I confirmed that my guess was correct, I stopped using the Force and started walking towards the spaceport counter in the dock.

Following behind me is Obi-wan and Qui-gon, who were talking with each other.

"Be wary...I sense a disturbance in the Force." said Qui-gon

"I fell it also, Master." replied Obi-wan

I overheard there little conversation and stopped and turned to them.

"What you feel is the puppet master behind the current events of the Naboo Invasion, and soon the puppet master's apprentice will come for us" I said

"How can you know so much?" asked Qui-gon curiously

"I know because I am one with the Force" I said "Since I am one with the Force, I am able to see what has happen, and what will happen"

"Hmmm" said Qui-gon while rubbing his chin

I am now at the spaceport counter in the docks paying for the refueling and resupplying of my ship. After I was done, I walked towards Qui-gon and Obi-wan

"Also Qui-gon, I suggest you go to the East of the city" I said "There you will meet your future apprentice"

"What!?!?" said Qui--gon and Obi-wan

"What do you mean?" asked Qui-gon

"Just find a junk shop owned by an alien known as Watto" I said "There you will find your new young apprentice"

After informing Qui-gon on where to find Anakin, I turned towards the North and gazed towards the direction.

I started to walk towards the North to find the other being with a slightly weaker connection with the Force but before I could even leave the spaceport

"Wait!" "shouted Captain Panaka

"Her Highness commands you to take her handmaiden with you." said Captain Panaka "She wishes for her to observe the local..."

"No more commands from Her Highness today, Captain." said Qui-gon "This spaceport is not going to be pleasant..."

"The Queen doesn't want her to go with you Master Jedi but with her bodyguard." said Captain Panaka

"I don't think that is a good idea." said Qui-gon

"I've been trained in defense, Master Jedi." said Padme "I can take care of myself."

"If you say so" said Qui-gon

"Alright, you can stay with me, young one" I said playing along with Padme's disguise "But before we leave, let me grabbed something from the ship first."

"Ok" said Padme cheerfully