Jar Jar Binks took the lead, his long ears flicking as he guided them through the gnarled terrain. "Dis way! Boss Nass no be in da city. He makin' ready da army in da flats. Mesa know da way."
Captain Panaka, ever vigilant, scanned the treeline as they moved. "Let's hope your boss is in a listening mood."
Padmé walked just behind Jar Jar, her cloak drawn tightly around her, eyes focused ahead. The Gungans had every reason to refuse her. She thought of her people in Theed, prisoners in their own homes, and of the weight of leadership that had pressed on her since the invasion began. Now she had to convince a race of people her world had long dismissed.
Obi-Wan stepped closer to Qui-Gon as they climbed a mossy ridge. "Do you think they'll listen to her?"
"Padmé is more than a politician," Qui-Gon replied. "She's speaking from the heart. That carries weight, even here."
They arrived at an opening, and the swamps turned into a broad wetland clearing. Shimmering in the haze ahead, the Gungan army was gathering. Hundreds of warriors were scattered in organized pockets, some in ranks practicing formation maneuvers, others tending and caring for the beasts, while engineers practiced erecting energy catapults and shield generators with swift efficiency.
At the center of the bustling camp stood a raised platform, and atop it stood Boss Nass himself, surrounded by advisors and captains. He was armored in traditional Gungan war garb, his jowls firm, his eyes clear with command.
The trappings of the planet had given way to the gravity of war.
Gungan guards spotted the approaching party and quickly moved to intercept. Jar Jar raised his hands.
One of the guards eyed him warily. "Dis no time for outcast wanderers."
Jar Jar straightened with surprising confidence. "Mesa no outcast no more. Mesa bring da Queen herself."
The guards glanced at each other before parting. Slowly, the group was escorted toward the platform where Boss Nass waited.
As they approached, Padmé removed her hood and stepped forward, the mud soaking into her cloak's hem unnoticed. She stopped at the base of the platform and looked up.
Boss Nass peered down at her. "You again. Yousa comin' back now dat da trouble big?"
Padmé's voice was calm but carried the weight of sleepless nights and crushed hope. "Yes. And I'm not here as a ruler demanding favors. I come as a daughter of Naboo, asking for help."
Boss Nass grunted. "Yousa not help us when da Gungans needed help. Long time, we live in da shadows while yousa sit in your pretty stone cities. Now, yousa want us to die for you?"
Padmé took a breath, stepped forward, then sank slowly to her knees in the wet mud.
The entire camp seemed to pause. Even the murmurs of Gungan warriors fell silent. Her entourage watched with quiet shock.
"I was wrong," she said. "All of us were wrong to ignore your people, your suffering, and forsake your being. But if we don't stand together now, we will fall. The droid army doesn't care if you live in stone or water. They will destroy us all. I'm asking, not as Queen Amidala, but as Padmé Naberrie. Help me save our world."
Her voice cracked at the end, and she bowed her head. The silence stretched long and heavy.
Then, one by one, the others in her party followed her lead. Captain Panaka, grim-faced but loyal, bent his knee. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan exchanged glances and did the same. Jar Jar, eyes wide with emotion, dropped to the ground immediately.
Even Anakin, who had been watching silently, stepped forward and knelt beside Padmé, fully understanding the politics and the sincerity of the moment.
Anakin looked up at Boss Nass, then to Padmé, his young face caught between awe and fear. Something stirred in him, a vision of her courage, of her humility. In that moment, she wasn't a monarch or a politician. She was someone willing to kneel in the mud for peace.
Boss Nass narrowed his eyes. "Words are easy. But pain... pain be remembered. Yousa government always treat da Gungans like we beneath you."
Padmé didn't look away. "That ends now. If we survive this war, I will make it my duty to bridge the rift between our peoples. Not just in speech, but in action."
"I swear it, with all the authority and humility I possess."
Jar Jar, emboldened by her courage, looked up.
"Boss Nass, mesa see da Naboo with my own eyes. Dey no be da same now. Dis Queen, she care for da Gungans. For reals."
Boss Nass turned to Jar Jar, studying him for a long beat.
Qui-Gon looked up beside Padmé, his hands resting on his knee. "The enemies are moving. This war is far larger than we see, and if we don't stand together, then the planet is lost."
Boss Nass's eyes flicked from one face to another, the Jedi, the Queen, and the rest.
"You are right," Boss Nass said at last, stepping slowly down from the platform. He stopped before Padmé, massive and silent. Then he extended a hand to help her rise.
"Yousa got da courage," he said, voice low but steady. "Mesa no see dat before. Mesa respect dat."
Padmé took his hand and stood, the tension in her shoulders slowly releasing. The wetlands echoed with the whispers of the wind.
Boss Nass turned to his captains. "Wesa fight wit da Naboo!"
A cheer erupted from the Gungan warriors. Horns blared in the distance as signal runners carried the word across the marshes. The alliance had been forged, not with treaties, not with gold, but with humility, honesty, and a shared will to survive.
Padmé bowed her head slightly to Boss Nass. "Thank you. My people will never forget this."
Boss Nass nodded. "Now go. Wesa prepare for battle. At sunrise, wesa make da stand."
The Queen of Naboo and the Boss of the Gungans stood together for the first time, not as strangers, but as allies. The wetlands no longer seemed quite so murky, and though the road ahead was uncertain, for the first time in days, hope began to shine through the mist.
After the cheers and smiles ran their course, Boss Nass returned a nod. He then waved for his advisors to gather around.
"Now, weesa talk da plan."
Not wasting any time, Captain Panaka unrolled a small portable holomap of the region, displaying the terrain around outside of Theed and the capital's palace.
Qui-Gon pointed to a wide plain near the foothills.
"This field here is open, exposed. The Trade Federation will see a Gungan army mustering and believe the full resistance is there. They'll send their droid legions to meet you in open battle."
Padmé continued, "While you draw their forces out, a small group of us will sneak through the city's underground passages and infiltrate the palace. Our goal is to capture the Viceroy. Without him, the chain of command will falter."
Obi-Wan added, "There's a droid control ship in orbit. If we destroy it, the entire droid army will deactivate. That's the key to ending this war."
Boss Nass's eyes narrowed. "So, wesa gotta hold da line... for some time."
"Yes," Padmé said. "Buy us that time, and we'll end this invasion from the inside and the skies."
There was a long silence. Then Boss Nass turned to his warriors, gestured to Jar Jar.
"Dis one... Jar Jar Binks... he bring da Naboo to us. He show courage, even if he clumsy. Mesa say, Jar Jar... yousa be general now. General Binks!"
Jar Jar's jaw dropped. "General? Mesa?"
The Gungan warriors pounded their chests in approval. Jar Jar looked around, overwhelmed, then straightened as best he could. "Mesa do my best!"
Boss Nass clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Then weesa ready. At dawn, we march."
Soon after dawn broke over the wetland, row after row of Gungan warriors marched from the low marshlands into the open plains. Armored kaadu mounts snorted and stomped as they pulled shimmering shield generators behind them. Massive fambaa beasts lumbered forward under the weight of pulsating energy cores. Drummers beat out a steady rhythm as banners unfurled, the sun gleaming off bronze and blue war armor.
General Binks, newly adorned in a helm too big for his head, rode near the front. His eyes were wide, not with fear but with a determination.
"Steady now!" he called out, waving his arms wildly. "Form up! Shield wall in da middle! Catapults ready up top!"
Beside him, Captain Tarpals gave a grunt. "Keep da rhythm, General. Weesa got dis."
Jar Jar gulped but nodded, straightening his saddle. "Y-yeah. Weesa got dis."
On the horizon, the ground trembled. A metallic hum grew louder as the Trade Federation's droid army advanced. Rows of MTT transports rolled forward, unfolding their fronts to release rank upon rank of battle droids. The mechanical soldiers stepped in perfect unison, rifles raised, blank visors glowing.
At the center of the front line, a B1 droid observed the Gungan formation. "Roger-roger. Organic army detected. Orders?"
A B1 droid commander buzzed back from the rear. "Engage. Annihilate all hostiles. Maintain advance."
"Roger-roger," the B1 nodded. It turned to its troops. "Forward. Target shielded lifeforms. Prepare to fire."
Another droid glanced sideways. "Should we flank?"
"No need. Walk forward and shoot."
"Roger-roger."
Back on the field, the Gungan shield generators hummed to life. A massive energy dome blossomed into place, encapsulating their forward ranks.
"Hold da line!" Tarpals shouted. "Wait till dey come to us!"
The first volley of droid blaster fire splashed harmlessly against the shields. The Gungan warriors stood firm, hurling boomas and plasma orbs from slings and launchers as the enemy approached.
Jar Jar ducked instinctively as a bolt flew overhead. "Dis... dis gonna be big fight!"
The stone corridors of Theed's ancient catacombs pressed in on all sides. Captain Panaka led with a blaster drawn. Padmé followed close behind, her face calm but resolute, the queen now acting more like a soldier.
Behind them came the rest of the party, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Jar Jar, Shmi, the droids, and Anakin. Followed close behind a dozen handpicked Naboo guards. The mood was grim, but focused.
"According to the map," Panaka whispered, pausing at a fork, "this tunnel bends north and links with a level beneath the main hangar. If we're lucky, the droids haven't mapped it yet."
"Luck hasn't been in abundance lately," Obi-Wan muttered.
Qui-Gon placed a steady hand on his shoulder. "Then we make our own."
Padmé turned to face the group. "Once we're in, we need to target the hangar. All of us will take and hold the hangar."
Looking at the two Jedi's she continued, "Before we head to the throne room, you two stay behind until we get all starfighters airborne."
Qui-Gon nodded. "We'll handle the pilots and cover their launch."
This is different.
In his first life, they hadn't entered the palace this way. In that timeline, Padmé had staged a direct diversion in the plaza while they secretly entered through the gates. But now, he's not sure what change led to this approach.
Padmé's eyes fell on Anakin. "You'll go with them too."
Breaking Anakin's current thought, he nodded and stepped forward, "Got it."
After hearing Padmé, Shmi nodded and agreed that the best protectors for her son were them. "Stay close to the Jedi."
Captain Panaka opened a compartment in the tunnel wall and withdrew a small cache of blasters. "We stocked this route years ago in case of emergency. Now it's finally paying off."
He handed one to each of the guards, and after a moment, he held one out to Shmi.
"I... I've never used one," she said quietly.
Panaka offered a tight smile. "Point and shoot. Safety's off. Just keep your eyes sharp."
She took the weapon, her hands trembling slightly. Qui-Gon leaned in and spoke gently. "Trust yourself. You have more strength than you know."
Arriving before the hangar through the catacombs, they could see the faint gleam of the Naboo N-1 starfighters lined up and idling beneath the lights. A pair of B1 battle droids marched in lazy loops on the far side, unaware of the group watching from the shadows.
Panaka signaled. Two guards crept forward and silently got into position. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon leapt towards together, their lightsabers igniting with a hiss. The droids barely had time to register movement before they were cleaved in two.
Panaka and the other guards opened fire, defending the advancing Jedi.
Anakin looked around. The Naboo guards held and secured the doorways, blasters ready. Padmé was issuing orders from behind the frontline. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon moved with confident purpose, cutting down any droid resistance with fluid precision. Shmi stood nearby, gripping a blaster with white knuckles, her eyes darting to him every few seconds.
They're inside the palace earlier than before, Anakin thought. The Gungans are barely drawing the army out on the plains. The plan is in motion... but this wasn't how it happened last time.
The rest of the group entered the hangar, fanning out across the floor. Alarms began to blare in the distance, likely from motion sensors or newly alerted droids.
Suddenly, the hangar doors groaned open from the far end. A new squad of B1 droids stormed in, blasters raised.
"Halt! This area is restricted!" one chirped.
Blaster fire erupted from the Naboo guards. Captain Panaka rolled behind a fuel cart and returned fire. "Hold them back! Protect the fighters!"
Padmé crouched behind a support pillar, squeezing off carefully aimed shots. "Get those ships in the air! And seal the entrances!"
"Hold this position until the starfighters launch! No one leaves here unless we do!"
Anakin's eyes roamed the rows of starfighters, finally settling on one that looked slightly more familiar than the rest. He darted toward it, climbing up the ladder into the cockpit.
As he crouched inside the cockpit of an N-1 starfighter, surrounded by the hurried voices of guards and Jedi preparing the final phase of their assault, he kept his expression neutral. But his thoughts churned with quiet urgency.
Shmi stepped forward. "Anakin! Be careful!"
"I will, Mom!" he called back. "I'll stay in the hangar until they need help!"
Across the hangar, Qui-Gon cut down the last of the droids. "Clear! Get the ships moving!"
Padmé moved to a comms console and activated the hangar bay controls. "Launch doors are opening!"
"Anakin," Qui-Gon called, moving toward the cockpit as the last droid in the hangar fell. His voice was calm, reassuring. "Stay in that fighter. You do not leave that ship. Understand?"
Anakin nodded obediently, looking up from the control panel. "Yes, Master Qui-Gon."
But inside, his decision had already been made.
'I can't stay.'
He had no intention of flying off and watching from above. Not this time. Not when the same confrontation, the duel he remembered too well, was imminent.
'He'll be here soon.'
His fingers tightened around the controls.
Obi-Wan appeared beside Qui-Gon, breathless but sharp-eyed. "The starfighters are ready. They're waiting for clearance."
Qui-Gon looked to Padmé. "We'll split now. You take your guards and secure the throne room, and capture the viceroy. We'll escort the pilots to launch."
Padmé gave a tight nod. "We end this today."
He watched them move off, Padmé leading a wedge of guards toward the central lift, while Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan turned toward the hangar's side corridor.
Anakin's eyes lingered on Qui-Gon.
His vision blurred for a moment with the memory of a red blade impaling the Jedi Master, Obi-Wan screaming in rage, and a dark victory echoing in that cursed room.
But, it could be different now.
The last of the Naboo pilots ran toward their fighters, and one by one, the starfighters lifted into the air and screamed into the sky. Anakin's fighter remained behind, alone on the hangar floor.
Shmi gave Anakin one last look before following Padmé, her expression torn between worry and trust.
Seeing his mother's worry, I smiled and offered a small, steady nod. It was all I could give her before she followed Padmé.
Silence returned.
Until it was broken.
The air shifted and a flicker of motion appeared in the doorway. A shadow stepped into the hangar, haloed by the fading light.
Darth Maul stood at the threshold, still as stone. Horned, cloaked in black, and composed.