The doors to the throne room open as Seja returns, heading across the room to the queen who looks pensive on her throne. Something has happened since Seja left. She assumes that just as she thought, the communications have been cut. It is the precursor of an invasion. It is coming. Suddenly, Seja pauses in her steps. A feeling washes over her. She closes her eyes and leans into it. It is familiar and warm and comforting. And it means only one thing. Someone who shares her blood is close by. It's not as strong as she knows it to be, which only comes from one person. Her father. Qui-Gon is close. Seja feels a sliver of relief come over her. If this goes the way she fears it is about to, then help is not that far away. If she can get the queen to him, then she knows that she'll be safe. She lets out a breath and continues forward.
"You were right about the communications" Amidala points out as she stands from her throne, rising to greet Seja.
"Perhaps we should move the queen back to her chambers" Panaka offers, Seja shakes her head.
"Are you able to contact any of your men?" Seja asks, he shakes his head. All communication seems to be down. Seja was lucky she got through to Windu then. "Then staying here is the better option" She argues. Moving the queen right now would risk running into an invading force out there. Here they can take a defensive position. Maybe set up some barricades. Moving just makes things more uncertain and risky. A loud noise suddenly rattles the palace. The rumblings of the beginning invasion. They all hoped it wouldn't come to this, but the Federation has left them with no choice. Padme rushes to the large window overlooking the city just the shadow of a drop ship descends.
"They are here" She states and turns to Amidala whose face flickers with fear before it settles back into a mask. The other handmaidens shift closer to her and Seja reaches for her lightsaber. Panaka touches her arm, stopping her from reaching for her sabre. He's trying to remind her that they have a plan here and she needs to calm down before reaching for her weapon. To think through her plan. Which is exactly what Windu has been trying to teach her for years. This could be her opportunity to show that she has learnt something. She lets out a breath and nods, moving her hand away from her sabre. For now, her being a Jedi is only known to them. Whoever is beyond that door will see her and think she is just another of the group. Perhaps just another handmaiden. Seja then wrinkles her nose in thought before an idea hits her.
"CeeTee" She turns to the droid and nods to the balconies above them. "Find a vantage point" CeeTee beeps in agreement and rushes off to find a way up to the viewing balcony above them. "I have a plan" She adds to Panaka who raises an eyebrow. "But it only works if your men listen to me" Panaka turns to his men to give them all a look, basically telling them that this teenager is in charge, but given that their queen is four years younger than her, they really shouldn't have any issue with it. Panaka turns back to Seja and nods.
"Just tell us what to do" Despite being only an apprentice, to most hierarchical structures she outranks everyone under the rank of commander. Which she thinks is crazy, when soldiers tend to have more experience than padawans. But again, this is all part of their training too. They need to learn how to approach these situations.
.......
It doesn't take long for the invading force of droids to find the throne room. It is the obvious point in the palace to find the queen. It just is. Twenty droids have entered the throne room and surrounded those gathered there. Seja shifts next to Amidala, Padme slightly behind her. And in the centre of the encircling droids are Nute Gunray and his right-hand man Rune. Bibble folds his arms over his chest and glares at the two Neimoidians that have captured them. There are a few looks of fear and concern, but for the most part, there is a calmness to the group. As if they don't feel threatened or scared of the actual threat around them.
"...how will you explain this invasion to the Senate?" Bibble asks Gunray.
"The Naboo and the Federation will forge a treaty that will legitimize our occupation here. I've been assured it will be ratified by the Senate" Gunray answers, almost bored.
"I will not cooperate" Amidala states firmly. And she really does have no interest in doing anything for these people.
"Now, now, your Highness. You are not going to like what we have in store for your people. In time, their suffering will persuade you to see our point of view. Commander" Oom-9 steps forward. "Process them"
"Yes, sir!" The droid turns to his sergeant. "Take them to Camp Four" Just as they are about to be marched out of the room, Seja shifts on her feet, brushing aside her cloak to reach for her sabre. Her fingers wrap around it and she whistles sharply. Suddenly from somewhere above them, blaster shots fire, taking out the droids. CeeTee, in its humanoid form, has a sniper blaster set up and is taking shots from the balcony above them. Seja pulls her sabre free, shaking off the cloak as she starts to walk towards the armed men. The lightsaber lights up casting a red sheen around her and Seja charges straight towards the armed guards.
"Jedi!" Rune points out.
"Open fire!" Gunray orders his droids, pushing a few in front of him as he stumbles backwards. Blasters are raised and fired towards her. Seja uses her lightsaber to deflect the shots.
"Now!" Seja yells without looking back because she knows that Panaka will understand. This is the plan in place. A way to ensure the queen's safety. Panaka is to take the queen and the others to the hangar and get her clear of the planet until it can be secured. Panaka ushers Amidala and her handmaidens with his men out of the throne room, allowing Seja to buy them the time needed to escape. But Amidala and Padme hesitate, not wanting to leave Seja behind to face this group alone. Seja throws her hand back towards the group, pushing them out of the throne room. Curling her fingers into a fist, Seja then pulls her hand back, the doors shutting and sealing. A fine red shield covers it. Assuring that if she fails, they cannot be followed through that door. She lets out a breath and turns to her opponents, her sabre in her hand at her side, her other hand held out and a ball of red Force energy gathering there. She lowers her head and smirks. Windu is not wrong about her enjoying a good fight. It's the Nightsister in her. Her years of training with the Order have done very little to temper the training that came before. She spins the lightsaber in her hand and then moves forward.
YOU ARE READING
(1) Chaos (O. Kenobi)
FanfictionA child of Chaos, the first in thousands of years, Seja was taken to the Jedi Order to be trained. Years later, she is appointed to Naboo, to protect its Queen and continue her studies. But the world is changing. And Seja finds herself thrown into w...
