INCEPTION

02|The Escape

Obi-Wan guided the damaged Bongo deeper into the cavern, letting the Force guide his movements. As they were heading deeper, something short-circuited in the controls causing the Bongo to power dow and stop. Jar Jar mumbled something in Gungan before slipping back into basic.

"Oh no...! Wesa gonna die in dis place. Oh no!"

"Stay calm Jar Jar. Do not fear anything. We are not in trouble just yet," Qui-Gon calmly admonished.

"What yet? Desa monstairs out there, wesa leaking in here, all sinking wit no power. When do yousa think wesa in trubble?" Jar Jar, abandoning all sense of pretense and calm, starting flailing about knocking Obi-Wan and delaying his progress with fixing with circuit. A sudden spark prompted the anxious Gungan to settle down a bit.

"Powers back, Master," Obi-Wan declared proudly.

Soon the lights had flickered back on revealing a large creature sleeping in front of them. It was not sleeping for long, unfortunately, as the lights stirred the creature into wakefulness and immediately after seeing the transport, provoked the creature into heading after it. Using every one of strength Obi-Wan add, he turned the Bongo around so that the creature was behind them and started heading out of the tunnel. At the entrance to the cave, the same creature that had unknowingly saved them from the  Gubber fish, was now trying to attack them. Obi-Wan maneuvered the Bongo as the creature opened its gigantic mouth and breezed by it, turning away as fast as he could. Fortunately, the giant creature was occupied, eating the other creature they had unwittingly stirred deep within the cave.

Qui-Gon, ever calm as he was, guided Obi-Wan to head for the out cropping that he had noticed just ahead. Obi-Wan did so immediately and within a few minutes, they had broken the surface and come out onto one of Theed's many rivers. Guiding the craft over to the nearest port, they scrambled out of the wrecked Bongo. They were just about to head towards the palace when they were spotted by a few patrolling battle droids. Moving quickly towards them, the droids didn't know what had hit them as the two Jedi activated their lightsabers and cut down all the opposing droids.

"The city has already been invaded, Master. We need to find the King immediately," said Obi-Wan, clipping his lightsaber can to his belt.

"Agreed," was all Qui-Gon said before they were off, searching for the King of the Naboo, Jar Jar following timidly behind them.

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The King and his Governors, Military officials and Advisors were surrounded and disarmed by the numerous battle droids. The Viceroy of the trade Federation, Nute Gunray, with his second in command, Rune Haako, was escorting them out of the palace, making sure they were well guarded so as not to escape. Sio Bibble, Governor of Theed, was talking erratically to Nute while they were led out of the palace, disgusted by Viceroy Gunray's course of action.

"How do you propose the Senate will take this news Gunray. You have unjustly invaded an unarmed planet and taken its King hostage. How are you going to explain these events to the Senate?"

Gunray, in a very sneering and contemptuous tone answered the Governor with such arrogance it was all Anakin could do to stop himself form launching straight at Gunray. "The King and I will sign a treaty that will legitimize our occupation of the planet and bring no hindrance from the Senate." 

"You'll be waiting a long time for my signature Viceroy. I am not signing your treaty." The King stopped at the bottom of the Staircase leading out of the palace. "I will not be terrorized into signing Naboo's death warrant." 

Gunray had no answer for that and instead told his droids to lead the prisoners to the sanctioned detention camp. Moving off and following the battle droids, Anakin's mind reeled on how they could evade this capture and lead a resistance against the Federation. His thoughts were broken as their group was stopped by two people jumping down from one of the high rise walkways above the main side street they were heading down.