Previously on Legend of the Jedi Princess...
Young Princess Gabriella's secret of her father being none other than Anakin Skywalker had been revealed to Jedi Master Aayla Secura and Padawan Ahsoka Tano just as they landed on a new planet and Anakin Skywalker was terribly injured. To make matters worse, Gabby got a busted lip in battle, temporarily preventing her from using her healing power, leaving the team to search for medical assistance from someone else. Fortunately, they received help from the Lurmen village's healer Wag Too, son of the Lurmen leader Tee-Watt-Kaa. Unfortunately, the group still hadn't found their way off planet.
About a day went by since Anakin received help, but no Republic ships found them yet. But, he was still receiving treatment, and Gabby's lip was getting better quickly since her wound wasn't too serious, and the Lurmen were a peaceful and kind species.
Commander Bly helped some villagers with a stack of jogan fruit baskets, and they gave him one as a snack.
Gabby continued to contribute a little magic to the Lurmen village, making flowers and more fruit trees grow.
Meanwhile, Rex was sitting on a hill when he spotted a droid ship headed their way. He immediately alerted Commander Bly, who told Rex to meet him back in the village.
Gabby went to check on her father and decided to give her healing power another go now that the scar was disappearing. She kissed Anakin's cheek as Commander Bly entered and alerted Anakin that a droid ship was incoming.
"This is neutral space," said Wag Too
"It won't be neutral for long." Anakin said. "No if the Separatists have their way. Help me up."
Anakin tried to get up, but he grunted in pain.
"Okay, I guess we know now my healing power still isn't back yet." Gabby said, looking over her father.
"Don't struggle," said Wag Too. "I'm sorry, but you're still too injured to move."
Tee-Watt-Kaa came in as the droid ship landed a short distance from the village.
"What menace have you brought to our village now, Jedi?" Asked the Lurmen leader.
"Father, you can't blame them." Wag Too said.
"He's right," said Ahsoka. The Separatists don't even know we're here.
"And they can't know," said Aayla. "We've got to hide."
"Your presence here endangers us," said Tee-Watt-Kaa. "You must leave before your enemies find you."
"But you'll need our help. You can't fight them alone." Ahsoka said.
"We will not fight them at all. We would rather die than to kill others."
"Are you nuts?" Carousella said.
"You're going to surrender?" Gabby asked with surprise.
"But, how can you-?" Ahsoka began, but was interrupted by Anakin.
"Girls. Stop. All of you," Anakin grunted. "If the Lurmen want to remain neutral, we won't force them into war."
"See to it that they leave," Tee-Watt-Kaa told his son. And he left to see what their "new visitors" wanted.
The Jedi were given some food for the journey. The clones carefully helped Anakin up, and Gabby climbed onto Carousella.
"Take it easy, Sir. We'll assist you." Bly said, and they headed on their way.
Carousella quickly hid herself and Gabby behind the pods as they moved. Being so brightly colored, they were very noticeable, and could easily become the Separatists' first targets.
Meanwhile, Tee-Watt-Kaa was introduced to General Lok Durd of the Separatist Alliance. Tee-Watt-Kaa asked the general why he came, and Lok Durd said,
"You are now under the protection of the Separatist Alliance. I congratulate you on your good fortune."
"Thank you," said Tee-Watt-Kaa as the Separatist general and the battle droids walked away. "But we enjoyed good fortune well before your arrival."
Tee-Watt-Kaa followed the Separatists as they walked across the land, heading for the Lurmen village.
"We are a peaceful people, General." Tee-Watt-Kaa explained. "I do not condone your presence here."
"Then stand aside," said Lok Durd. "I would like to inspect my new colony."
Lok Durd took one look at the village and ordered the droids to ransack it, calling the place a dung heap.
Ahsoka and the other young girls watched in horror as General Lok Durd had his droids tear apart the Lurmen's homes, and Gabby felt even worse that she couldn't use a defense spell without revealing her or the others' presence.
"Why are they tearing apart our homes?" Wag Too asked. "We've done nothing to them!"
"Violence," said Ahsoka. "That's what those droids are programmed for."
"Can't we do anything?" Gabby said. "I could make a big flytrap to eat those droids."
"No. If we are discovered, all the Lurmen will be slaughtered."
"We'll be okay," said Anakin, looking at the grass nearby. "If we make it to the tall grasses. And try not to drop Gabby in there, Carousella."
"I only dropped her because you Force-pushed me off course. Sheesh." Carousella rolled her eyes.
And so, the Jedi made their way to the tall grasses to hide.
While the Lurmen were left alone for the moment, the droids followed their general to await new orders.
"Father, are you okay?" Wag Too asked his father, but he said nothing and just walked off, his son following. "At least the Jedi escaped."
"Yes, but they nearly brought harm to our entire village." said the Lurmen leader.
"But now, thanks to you, we're safe to grovel before every petty tyrant who enters our system."
Tee-Watt-Kaa stopped and turned to face his son.
"You would mock our very way of life?" the father scolded his son. "I have just ensured we will have peace."
"Yes, but for the moment, and at what price?" Wag Too sounded angry with his father. "Are you not concerned about the Jedi at all?"
Other Lurmen became curious about what was happening at that moment.
"I have no quarrel with the Jedi," said Tee-Watt-Kaa. "but we cannot help them without being drawn into their war."
Since there was no reasoning with his father, Wag Too asked his friend Tub to follow the Jedi and make sure they got off world.
You know, I can't figure those villagers not wanting to fight," said Bly as the group sat in a clearing in the tall grass.
Rex scoffed. "No pride, I guess."
"I call it no courage," said Ahsoka, about to bite into a ration.
"Sometimes it takes courage to stick to one's beliefs, young Padawan." Aayla said. "As any Jedi well knows."
The team really needed to find a way off world. The ship they arrived was obviously unfit to do the job. They couldn't use Carousella's magical horseshoes either because one, they took ten minutes to recharge, which they might not have had; two, Carousella could only carry two people (plus Gabby if one adult carried her) on her back; and three, even if Carousella could carry everyone, Anakin's condition could be aggravated riding on a horse so quickly.
That was when Gabby saw something metal in the grass.
"Um... Daddy?" Gabby said.
"Not now, Gabby. We have to find a ship," said Anakin. "And I think the only one here belongs to the Separatists. We know they have a landing ship. They must have a shuttle."
"Aunt Aayla..." Gabby started to say again, but was interrupted by Rex.
"Sir, you talking about stealing from one of the clankers? Count me in."
"We have to find them first." Aayla said.
"HEY!" Gabby shouted. She pointed to the grass.
"I think we just did." Ahsoka said.
The adults quickly saw what Gabby was trying to warn them about.
"Blast it!" Anakin exclaimed.
Rex and Bly quickly started shooting at the droid.
"Jam its signal!" Aayla added.
"After it!" Ahsoka exclaimed, and the team was in pursuit of the droid. But, Anakin stopped as he felt a pain in his lower torso.
"Daddy?" Gabby said.
Gabby and Aayla both stopped and looked worried.
"I'm fine. Just go!" Anakin shouted.
Gabby was reluctant to leave her father, but she ran to help.
The team kept chasing after the droid, but it was really fast.
Gabby suddenly pounced out from the tall grass, tackling the droid and bringing it to the ground.
"Get it, Carousella!" Gabby exclaimed, and the pony kicked and stomped the droid very roughly with her strong hooves until it was nothing but dented scrap metal.
"That was for almost putting my friends' lives in danger again," said Carousella to the droid's corpse.
"Somehow I knew playing Tigger Tag would come in handy someday." Gabby smiled.
"I wonder where it was headed." Ahsoka said. Then, she and the others saw Gabby climbing up a tree.
"Good idea, Gabby. Maybe we can see from up there." Aayla said. It was a good thing Gabby was good at climbing, otherwise the adults might've gotten really worried.
Anakin soon joined the rest of the group in the tree. But, Carousella had to stay at the bottom since horses couldn't climb trees, and her hurt wing prevented her from flying.
Ahsoka sensed Anakin coming and said, "I hope you're feeling better, Master 'cause look what we found."
Anakin chuckled as Ahsoka handed him her binoculars. "I'm getting stronger all the time, Snips." Then he looked through the binoculars and saw a huge droid army base. "But, I'm not sure I'm ready for that."
The grownups looked at the base and observed what was there.
"That shuttle's our ticket off this rock," said Anakin.
"It's not gonna be easy, Sir." Bly pointed out. "There don't seem to be any flaws in their security line."
"Not even air vents?" Gabby asked. But, Anakin said. "We don't need a repeat of that messy incident, Princess."
But, Gabby wasn't listening, as she spotted the Separatists bringing something out.
"What's that?"
Anakin looked through his binoculars to see what his daughter was talking about.
"Apparently the Separatists have a new, and probably very dangerous, toy." said the Jedi. "See if you can get a closer look."
And so, the clones went to get a closer look at the new weapon.
The Jedi watched as the weapon was tested out on a ridge close by with two battle droids in the weapon's path. It turned out to destroy all organic and plant matter, but leave machines unharmed.
Rex and Bly were almost hit, and Bly was almost fried when his rope misfired. Luckily, Aayla used her lightsaber to slice a vine she used to swing down and pull him up to safety, and Carousella ran away to go warn the Lurmen. And the droids started heading in that same direction.
"That's some toy," said Ahsoka.
"It destroyed every living thing," Gabby added; she felt like she could start crying at the mere thought that anyone would create such a cruel toy. "The Lurmen will be toast. Literally!"
"She's right. Carousella wouldn't have run in that same direction unless she meant to go warn them," said Anakin. "First we'll take out the droids' communication station. Then, after we get a shuttle, we'll go back and help the Lurmen."
"But Tee Watt Kaa said he doesn't need our help." Ahsoka pointed out.
"I say I don't need help all the time," said Gabby. "Turns out I usually do, especially reaching high shelves."
"There's also a difference between pulling innocents into a war and leaving them to extinction."
As night fell, the Jedi and clones set off to start their new mission: take out the droids' communication, get a shuttle, and save the Lurmen.
Anakin used the Force to move a rock, which caught the guarding droids' attention, and the guys lured one into the grass, Anakin slicing them with the lightsaber.
The girls went over the wall.
"Get to the door," whispered Aayla to Gabby and Ahsoka. "I'll handle the droids."
Ahsoka and Gabby managed to find the door, and Ahsoka sliced two droids in half before opening the door to let the guys in. And they snuck onto the communication station and took out the droids.
Meanwhile, Carousella was relieved she reached the village before the Separatists did, and after drinking some water, she warned Wag Too first. But, Tee-Watt-Kaa still wouldn't accept help.
"They did not attack us before." He said. "There's no reason to think they will this time."
"Did one of those pods clobber you in the head?" Carousella said, standing up. "I saw that weapon with my own two eyes, and it's no joke. It barbecues all living things in its path, including you and your people!"
"Father, they would not be coming back here unless they intended to do us harm," said Wag Too. "This is war."
"But not our war," said Tee-Watt-Kaa. "We've done nothing to provoke them, and we will not. That is their way."
"So you'll sit here and let your people, including your own son die?!" Carousella said. "Have you no self-respect or dignity?"
"Father, even if we don't fight the Separatists, we must defend ourselves." Wag Too said.
"Take it from me, I worked alongside many royal guards. It's like handling a bully. If the enemy is allowed to take one victim down, they always go for more somewhere else, especially if they believe the other side won't even try to protect themselves."
"Mounting a defense is still engaging in battle." Tee-Watt-Kaa said. "If we sacrifice our beliefs, we're no better than they are. Our philosophy has helped us to survive for generations, and we will not change our morals now or ever."
"Hey, Grandpa. Not all generations follow traditions." Carousella said with a bit more sass. "And for the leader of this clan, I wouldn't say that you're setting a good example, and I've walked alongside kings and queens of many species."
Meanwhile, the Jedi were still on their mission, and they found a shuttle.
"Daddy, look!" Gabby said, spotting shield generators. "Shield generators."
"Good find, Gabby." Anakin said, ruffling the girl's hair. "Let's take 'em with us."
The clones got the shield generators ready to go, while the Jedi all boarded the shuttle.
The next morning, the Jedi arrived in the shuttle. Carousella was so happy and relieved to see they made it there in time.
"Everyone, please, please listen." Aayla said. "The Separatists will be here in moments."
"What are you doing here? I told you not to return." Tee-Watt-Kaa said.
"Even if they weren't here to protect you, they still had to pick up their horse," said Carousella.
"I'm afraid the Separatists don't care whether you're in the war or not." Anakin said.
"Yeah, they're nothing but a bunch of bullies." Gabby added.
"We need to get you to safety before they arrive."
"We will not abandon our homes," said Tee-Watt Kaa.
"But they've got a new weapon." Ahsoka said, and Carousella gave an 'I told you so' look to Tee-Watt-Kaa.
"It'll burn this place to a crisp." Ahsoka continued.
"Is this what all of you really want?" Gabby asked loudly.
"If it is our destiny to be destroyed in your war, so be it." Tee-Watt-Kaa said, then left.
But, being the peacekeepers and protectors, the Jedi decided to protect the village anyway, whether Tee-Watt-Kaa liked it or not
The team worked together building a wall out of some of the pods. Gabby added some protection by growing thorny briars to hold the wall together and to frame the outside.
"Droids inbound. We've got eight minutes, tops." Rex reported.
"Come on guys! Let's get these shield generators in place." Anakin ordered. They had to hurry
Of course, as expected, Tee-Watt-Kaa was against everything the Jedi were doing.
"Pray, stop what you're doing." Tee-Watt-Kaa ordered. "Stop building that wall."
"Why? We're just having fun building." Carousella said mockingly.
"Carousella that's enough." Anakin said sternly.
"I did not ask you to defend us," said Tee-Watt-Kaa, ignoring the musicorn's sass.
"This battle is inevitable. You can stand by your beliefs, but let us stand by ours."
Tee-Watt-Kaa left without another word.
"Thank you for what you're trying to do," said Wag Too. "I'm sorry, but I cannot help. My father is very..."
"Stubborn?" Gabby guessed.
"Strong-willed and set in tradition." Wag Too continued. "Many others agree with me, but we were raised under a very strict code."
"Join the club," said Gabby, referring to the Jedi and herself. Both as a Jedi and a princess, she faced two codes. For one, the Jedi Code, and the other being how everyone expected a princess to behave, and she preferred to be the happy-go-lucky, free-spirited girl she was. But she was often discouraged from that because as a princess, she had to be a role model, and as a Jedi, she had to basically refrain from free spirit and be what she considered totally boring. And one day she would be forced to choose which world to stay in. Even with that being twelve birthdays, soon to be eleven, left, she still didn't think that would be enough time to decide between both worlds.
"We must follow and respect it, even if we don't agree." Wag Too finished.
Rex reported that the droids were getting ready to fight.
"They won't charge us, not if they can hit us from long range first." Anakin said. "But if we can withstand that weapon, we'll draw them in.
And they did fire, only for the shield generators to be activated, protecting the village from the heat of the dangerous weapon.
"Now they'll have to get their hands dirty and meet us face-to-face." Anakin said.
"Then come in to play with us, droids." Gabby shouted tauntingly.
There were a lot of droids.
"We've got to stop them before they get through that shield." Anakin said.
So, the team went out as the droids began firing.
The Jedi used their lightsabers, the clones used their blasters, Carousella used magical blasts, and Gabby used fireballs, thorny vines, and storm clouds to fight the droids. The first squad was destroyed within seconds. But there were more coming, and this time they fought harder.
"Here we go again," said Gabby.
The team went to fight the second and third waves that came out together.
"Snips, get Gabby back to the village. I'll handle the weapon!" Anakin said.
Ahsoka quickly grabbed Gabby and started to carry her back to the village as the droids were breaching the shields, eventually taking out the shield generators.
Eventually, against Tee-Watt-Kaa's wishes, the Lurmen began to join in the fight, and Anakin eventually reported that the new weapon had been disabled. Together, the Lurmen helped bring the droids down, and Ahsoka slaughtered the clankers with her lightsaber.
Now that the fight was over, the Jedi were able to bring the Separatist general under their custody.
"Thank you, Wag Too." Anakin said.
"Thank you," said Wag Too. "Our village would have certainly been destroyed without your protection." Then he saw his father and told him he was just offering the Jedi thanks.
"Perhaps we do owe you thanks." Tee-Watt-Kaa said. "But I still wonder, at what cost?"
That was when they heard the sound of engines and saw Republic ships in the sky.
"They found us! The Republic found us!" Gabby said happily.
"Looks like we're heading home today," said Anakin.
But that happy moment was quickly halted when another thought hit Anakin and Gabby's minds.
Now there were at least two Jedi who knew Anakin was Gabby's father. Anakin felt sure Master Secura would report this to the Council, and that would raise a lot more questions. He couldn't bear the thought of the Jedi potentially separating him from his daughter as punishment, or what would happen if even more people found out.
As they got on the ship, Anakin managed to find some place to lay down and rest.
"Daddy? What's gonna happen now?" Gabby asked, sounding worried. "Is the Jedi Council gonna take me away from you and Mommy?"
Anakin sat up and looked at his daughter. He could see a lot of fear and sadness in her green eyes. But he picked her up and set her in his lap.
"I don't know what will happen when we get back to the Temple, Princess." Anakin said, gently holding Gabby's face in his hands. "But no matter what the Council says, I'm not going to let them take you from me or your mother. You're my little girl, I love you, and there's noting the Jedi, the Separatists, or anyone else could do to change that."
Gabby then wrapped her arms around Anakin in a hug, and Anakin returned the embrace, holding his daughter close to his heart.
A single tear fell from Anakin's eye as he feared what might happen when the Council learned of what secrets he kept for the last three years.
Ahsoka looked at Anakin as he and his daughter were hugging each other so tightly, so warmly in what had to be the most heart wrenching embrace she'd ever witnessed. She hadn't even been Anakin's Padawan for a year yet, but she'd already grown very close with him. She and Gabby grew close with her too, and Ahsoka loved Gabby like the little sister she never had, and always felt so touched and powerful when the little girl said she saw her as her big sister.
Ahsoka never knew her father, but Master Plo treated her as his own daughter from the moment he met her and brought her to the Temple. It was clear he had a special bond with her, which was why the Council did not approve of him being Ahsoka's teacher. Thus, Ahsoka thought, if she were in Gabby's shoes right then and there, she would be as scared as the girl was. But, apparently she didn't need to be in the princess' shoes to be that scared.
And, as expected, Aayla Secura, when she gave her report, the Council noticed she had something on her mind.
"I'm afraid we have just learned that Gabriella Amidala is actually Gabriella Skywalker." She told the Council, leaving them in total shock. And they promised they were going to have a very serious talk with Anakin when he got back to the Temple. But, they first asked Aayla to not let Anakin or Gabby know they knew until they could get sufficient evidence that they were related.