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─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───

We had waited at the lake, which lay beneath its surface was the city of Otoh Gunga, which in all honesty, had been rather anticlimactic as Jar- Jar came wading back out of it to inform us that the city had been completely abandoned. He told us the only reason for this must have been from an attack or fight to have driven his people away to a hidden, secret but sacred location. So we headed on our way, this time Jar-Jar taking the lead through more luscious, dense Nabooian woodland. Again, I lagged on purpose at a slow pace to drink in my surroundings more. I recall how the lake glittered like a diamond as the sun shone upon it, water gently lapping against its banks, smelling crisp and pure my eyes had never seen so much water before. Trees still gently swayed impossibly high above, creaking as well as the trunks now and then. Creatures went by us, some that flew, others were gone within a blink of an eye before you could see them.

"Taking in the sights, I take it?" Qui-Gon inquired, not having noticed he had stayed back in step with me as we walked together, and gave him a brief smile.

"Yeah, I am, but deep down, it makes me feel bad even to admit it. I know things are pretty bad right now, yet all I do is gawk at the trees like an idiot," I admit with a slightly nervous laugh, Qui-Gon returning me a smile.

"There's no need to be guilty of how you feel, Ambrose. You are causing no harm to how others perceive your childlike wonder. But it's probably one of the most beautiful forests by far. If one weren't searching for a group of Gungan's, it's relatively peaceful here; one can easily be one with nature and the Force here, creating a perfect balance. So maybe one day soon, when you've completed your training and studies, you should come here for some meditation," I see the older Jedi slip his hand out from the sleeve of his robes to brush it against a pale turquoise fern, it smaller leaves drawing back from his time touch.

I went to frown up at him in confusion, my mouth turning downward, "Your acting as if I've already got into Temple to start my training as a Jedi," I indicated as Qui-Gon put his hands back in the sleeves of his robe, "When it was pretty clear the Jedi Council won't allow Anakin or I to train or study. From what I gathered them saying at the time anyway."

"Have patience, young Skywalker. With some time and reassurance, the Council will come to their senses. They must tell you and Anakin it's your destiny as the Chosen Ones. I still truly believe finding you on Tatooine was no accident."

My hand reaches out to a similar fern Qui-Gon had touched a few moments ago. The soft tiny leaves withdrawing from my touch only made me smile in childlike wonder. Recalling how Obi-Wan told me it was 'most truly captivating' how I saw the world-now returning my gaze to Qui-Gon, my smile becoming more humble and grateful.

"Well, uh, thanks," I uttered quietly, looking to the ground for a moment and rubbing the back of my neck, and then back up to Qui-Gon, who had slightly raised brows and a somewhat half smile.

"You had expressed such emotions back on your home planet if I clearly remember," he signifies. But, of course, he already knew what I was thanking him for. I quickly went to take his warm, calloused hand that had probably been from years of welding his lightsaber. My fingers now curled around his and didn't withdraw the contact, only to offer a curious look as we walked.

One would think it would be strange for a young man of nineteen to hold an older man's hand would, of course, seem odd, but I need the reassurance of a father figure. As it were, that's what Qui-Gon was and always will be to me, having not known it would be short-lived.

"I was thrown off from saying anything because I was almost blabbering like a baby. Again I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart; whatever the Council decides, you have changed my and Anakin's lives for the better. We now have a chance to live. It's the most significant thing someone has ever given us. Just know I'll always be eternally grateful for what you've done," I clarified. Qui-Gon always had a way with words and when to voice them. But in return, he smiled at me, offering a hand squeeze.

"Your most welcome, Ambrose."

We draw near to luscious green bush dappled with bright purple flowers. Qui-Gon peeling his hand from mine, stopped before it carefully tugged a bloom from it. He held it between his fingers, gazing at its petals scattered with white splotches around the stamen. The four layers of rounded petals fanned outward and curled at the tips. All the other flowers were significant, but this one was still relatively small, "This is presumed to be one of the most aromatic flowers on Naboo," Qui-Gon tells me, briefly sniffing it to hold it towards me. I tilted forward to smell the flower. It wasn't too overwhelming but fragrant, soft but, for all purposes, floral. I take another sniff, not being able to get enough of it. Like the trees, I found the flowers incredibly beautiful because, in Tatooine, you can't find anything like this.

"It's quite something," I said, bringing my head back up. Qui-Gon smiled and gestured to the bun on the back of my head in a silent question raising his brows. Nodding, I allow him to tuck and weave it into the ties a few times to secure it.

"Don't ever lose your sense of wonder, Ambrose. It quite suits you."

With a grin, I peer up at the canopy of trees swaying above. Its gentle rustling and clashing of their branches is a far better sound than Tatooine's howling winds and dunes. Would I miss the sounds of home as I walked through this beautiful Nabooian forest but couldn't care less to ignore it, not one bit?

The ground beneath my feet becomes softer with each step, the soil becomes soggy, and my shoes dirtier. Tree roots got thicker and rounder. I overheard we were entering a swamp area where the 'sacred location' of the gungans was. We eventually come before Gungan patrolmen, who escort us to the most secret place to speak with their leader Boss Nass. On instinct, I tugged Anakin into my side, resting a protective hand on his shoulder. Dozens of gungun' surrounded the muddy water, its shore mossy and dirty. While we intended to be diplomatic, I knew anything could go wrong within moments. First, there's standing upon the head of a damaged statue that the roots of the ancient trees had embraced a finely dressed but plump Gungan narrowing his gaze at us. I squeezed Anakin tighter and a little closer. He tried to wriggle away, but my grip remained tight.

"Your Honor," the guard greets before gesturing towards our assembled group, "Queen Amidala of the Naboo."

We stopped at the water's edge, Jar-Jar leading and Queen Amidala, which Jar-Jar spoke tentatively greeted his leader fidgeting slightly, "Uh, h-hey dadee, Big Boss Nass, your Honor."

"Jar-Jar," the leader's voice booms, echoing around us, "Who's da uss-en others?"

"I'm Queen Amidala of the Naboo. I come before you in peace," she stepped forward, her voice perfectly monotone as when I had first heard it. Boss Nass offered her a snort in response, still gazing at us.

"Naboo biggen. Yousa bringen da Mackineeks. Dya busten uss-en omm. Yousa all bombad," he now states to her, sweeping his hand around. The gungans shifted like they were about to go into an action of some form. Which almost made me panic. I take a step back, bringing Anakin with me. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon stood right behind us, knowing they'd handle the situation better if anything went wrong. I see an attentiveness in the older Jedi that I've never seen in him before, his eyes relatively bright and alert. On the other hand, Obi gently nodded at me as a means to reassure and comfort me, which it did, and I felt as well that everything would be okay. So I returned the nod to him in kind.

"We have searched you out because we wish to form an alliance."

"Your Honor," Padme suddenly interrupted the Queen standing before her. I mean, what was she kriffing doing? She was a handmaiden. It wasn't her place to address someone of higher rank so directly. Yet Captain Panaka didn't, and the other guards didn't even try to stop her, which confused me all the more. Yet it seemed my little brother took Padme's safety more personally as he tried to get out of my hold, but I tightened it to stop Anakin from moving. He looked at me with a pleading look which I denied with a shake of my head.

"Whosa dis?"

"I am Queen Amidala," Padme uttered with a calm but official air to her voice whilst, at that moment, my jaw was hanging open like everyone else around me echoed murmured surprise in our group. The very girl stood before Boss Nasa, who had wandered into Watto's junk shop that played the role of a lonely handmaiden and the woman who would become my best friend was, in fact, the Queen of Naboo. I could tell my brother was giving her a look of utter disbelief.

Well, Padme, or should I now say Queen Amidala turned to the young woman dressed up in her finest clothes and a face of make-up, "This is my decoy, my protection, my loyal bodyguard. I'm sorry for my deception, but it was necessary to protect myself. Although we do not always agree, Your Honor, our two great societies have always lived in peace. The Trade Federation has destroyed all that we have worked hard to build. If we do not act quickly, all that we worked for will be lost forever. I ask you to help us. No. I beg you to help us," she instantly lowered to her knees as I saw her offer Boss Nasa a hopeful look, "We are your humble servants," we all followed in her example, dropping to our knees out of respect, "Our fate is in your hands."

The air around us became tense as we waited for Boss Nasa to contemplate, yet all I could do was stare at him wide-eyed. It was up to him whether there was a chance to beat the Federation at their own game. Boss now broke his silence with a booming joyful laugh.

"Ha! Yousa no tinken yousa greater den da Gungans?" he said between grateful and upset. I wasn't sure until a massive grin spread across his face, "Mesa like dis. Maybe wesa bein friends."

Relieved cheers encompass the air, followed by grins on everyone's faces around me. I finally let myself relax, sink back onto my heels, and let my hold on Anakin loosen, a smile creeping onto my lips. Hand still on his shoulder, bring him close, lovingly kissing the crown of his head. He makes an annoying sound but caves in, feeling him smile against my chest.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───

Talks had taken place, and a friendship was agreed upon between both parties. Then, plans were drawn out for the ever nearing battle, which I knew would cost much more than lives. First, the gungans would draw the droid army away from the city, allowing us to infiltrate the palace to capture the Viceroy. Next, it would confuse the droids to not cause further damage; fighter pilots would take to the skies and take on the droid control ship to wipe out their connection, leaving them helpless.

We entered the city quietly and with relative ease. I had no time to marvel at the city's stunning architecture. But had to remind me not to scuff the soles of my shoes on the ground and not to mark the stonework as we ran. I watch Anakin's blonde head bobbing up and down a few steps in front. Gangly droids are lining up in the streets armed with rifles that kill with one shot, and their heads turned this way and that, scoping their surroundings with mechanical precision. We finally arrive at the main palace gate that Padme is working to open, signalling Captain Panaka. Whilst this was going on, Qui-Gon crouched before Anakin, and I rested his hand on our shoulders, his expression gentle as he spoke.

"Once inside, you both need to find a safe place to hide and stay there," he instructed us coldly.

"Okay!" my brother agreed relatively quickly, but I couldn't stand by and do nothing. So I just frowned at Qui-Gon as he took his hands off our shoulders.

"And stay there," Qui-Gon repeated, but he could see I had yet to agree.

"No, I can't sit here and not do anything. I want to help," I spoke up in all seriousness as the older Jedi blinked at me, "You don't think I've never handled a weapon before whilst on Tatooine all I'm saying is I can help my brother, maybe a kid, but I'm not."

"Ambrose, this is no game we're playing here," he voiced sternly to me.

"Do you think I don't know that? Just let me help?"

After a short moment, Qui-Gon let out a defeated sigh and nodded to Eirtaé, one of the Queen's handmaidens, who passed me a spare blaster pistol. I took the weapon over in my hand, having seen the likes of bounty hunters and gotten caught between a few shootouts. Even Watto would loan me one when he sent me off further afield. If he had heard of decent scrap before other dealers, we would typically have to fight it out. I wasn't proud that I had learned to use a blaster, but sometimes it was vital for protection. I now familiarise myself with the pistol's weight in my right hand, knowing it would protect others but kill. I've never killed anyone with one in my life; maybe just wounded them, that's it. I sense someone edging up beside me, and the warm, familiar hands of Obi-Wan are now covering mine, tightly winding around my wrist.

I let him adjust my hand to the interior side of the pistol that is now on show. His thumb pushes back a tiny button back with a click. I watched Obi-Wan with interest as he carefully raised his brows, eyeing the weapon in my hand with distrust. Then, realising I'd been staring, his eyes ascended to meet mine, "You didn't turn that off for firing," he whispered to me, his breath almost fanning my exposed neck, making my heart race.

"Thanks for the advice, but I know how to handle a blaster," I uttered with a slight smirk as he let go of my hand but turned his head more towards me so that I could almost see some faint freckles across his nose.

"Then I hate to disappoint you'll probably only be shooting at droids."

"Well, lucky thing I'm a good shot."

"May the Force be with you, Ambrose," Obi-Wan recited warmly, our eyes never leaving one another. I wet my lips, unsure what to offer, so I cleared my throat and returned the reply.

"May the Force also be with you, Obi-Wan," I muttered to him gently. It had felt so natural for those words to leave my lips, yet bizarre.

We now all fall into position, backs flat against the wall holding the blaster against my chest like Padme was pointing it up, hand cupping it underneath. After another moment of silence, an explosion suddenly goes off down the other end of the plaza, which means Captain Panaka has engaged the factory droids. I hear Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon ignite their lightsabers, the energy buzzing from them. We rushed forth into the plaza, the whole place a battlefield. Anakin and I kept close to the Jedi, who made light work deflecting laser fire. I kept my pistol ready for action, but Panaka managed to distract them long enough to get to the hangar doors.

The doors come sliding open, and we are greeted with more battle droids who instantly start to take fire on us. Although Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon continue to defect their fire, the soldiers, pilots, and Padme begin aiming back. Shoving my arm out, I aim for a droid pulling the trigger without hesitation as a red blaster bolt meets its target going right through the droid and knocking it to the floor. I continue to shoot away.

"Anakin, find cover!" Qui-Gon instructs my brother, and I feel his scared eyes boring into me and come to meet his wide, frightened eyes. I jerk my head towards the ships in the hangar before dodging left to avoid a laser bolt that flies over my head.

"Anakin, go now!" I yell, firing back with a nod. He does what he's told and charges towards the hanger dashing through the shower of blaster fire.

My eyes follow my little brother like a hawk to the best of my ability whilst trying to use my pistol and not knowing if it will hit any more droids. Then, when I know he's safe and out of sight, my distraction costs me a laser blast that slices through the right sleeve of my shirt and the skin.

"Kriff!" I curse in Huttese and stumble backwards in unbearable pain. The flesh of my wound scorched and open.

Obi-Wan, from beside me, grabbed my other arm to the right, my hunched-over position. He goes back to deflecting fire as pilots ran for their ships as Obi-Wan moved; I used his deflection to cover me. I noticed the raw open wound on my arm; it didn't look good, and my shirt was stained with blood. But it seemed that the injury was partially cauterised. Yet I can't but grimace, and looking at it made me queasy.

A droid approaches from the corner of my vision, blaster at the ready. Without thinking about my lousy arm, I shot it out on instinct, the wound getting painfully tugged as I pressed the trigger, a bolt cutting dead centre through the droid's head. Quickly pulling back my arm, I feel the skin break apart, and blood begins to slide down my arm. Obi-Wan peers over his shoulder at me with an unspoken glance of worry.

"I'm okay, Obi," I reassured him, taking a deep breath out of my lips, hand tightly grasped over my wound to try and ease the pain. A sudden echoed boom comes from the hanger as a fighter explodes when fleeing the hanger. I flinched away tightly, screwing my eyes shut at the very sound.

"You're right!" I hear Obi yell.

There's the whoosh of air overhead, and just as I peel my eyes open, I catch more fighters flying away overhead. That's when I understood what Obi-Wan's warning was. A droid approached the right of me without seeing it until it started shooting at me. Obi-Wan comes to my protection, the warbled hum of his lightsaber filling my ears, flashing streaks of blue knocking away the red bolts with his impossibly quick reflexes. My lousy arm rose subconsciously as I awaited Obi-Wan's next flurry of moves so I knew when to act on it. Like when I had stopped Qui-Gon from knocking over the bottle, the blade cut to the right. I make two shots. One hits the droid's arm, the other the side of its head, and it falls to the ground with a clatter. Obi-Wan has his lightsaber at the ready parallel to the floor. My arm was still out, my finger hovering over the pistol's trigger. The pair of us moved around one another with ease like some intertwined dance of offence and defence he would protect, and I would shoot when there was an opportunity to do so with some untapped intuition helping me aim in the proper direction. It's like before; I just knew when and where to shoot seconds before. It had to be the Force directing me.

Eventually, the fighting settled as the last droids fell to the ground. Some pilots had managed to make it out of the hangar a few ships were spared from damage. I now let out a hiss of pain as my arm fell, turning it toward me for a closer glimpse at the wound. My left hand covered it again, my palm staining more of my top with blood. Now lifting my head to glance at Obi-Wan beside me gave him a nod of thanks. I would have said it, but I'm I was in pain. He returned the sentiment before joining Qui-Gon, his lightsaber still alight. Now my eyes quickly scan the room until a tuft of blonde hair catches my attention, peeking out from the cockpit of a fighter. My legs take me towards it as I hear Artoo chattering away to my brother in binary before Anakin finally spots me drawing near. He leans out, eyes wide with worry seeing the wound on my arm.

"Amb, you got hurt!" he cried, eyes still not leaving my arm. I glance downward at the hole burned into the sleeve and the blue fabric dyed darker with blood. I shook my head and smiled to reassure him I was okay. Yet I knew it hurt like no kriffing tomorrow.

"It's not too bad, Ani. I'll live. But are you doing okay?" I tilt my head upward to talk with him needing to know he was unharmed.

"Yeah, I'm good," he returned, voice shaking a little with what must be fear. I sighed in relief, knowing the fighting had stopped and my brother was safe. I took hold of myself. I'm trembling from head to toe, my gun shaking. With a deep breath, I nod before checking over my hair, brushing away some loose hair that must have come free from my bun and quickly check the flower is still there and the other at the front. I now turned back to the others going over the following action plan.

"My guess is the Viceroy is in the throne room," Padme says.

"I agree," watching as Qui-Gon's eyes flicker toward the doors on the opposite end of the hanger, which I guess must be their next target in mind. Panaka orders some soldiers to go ahead, leading us toward the doors.

My brother shoots to his feet to notice what's happening and yells after us, "Hey, wait for me!"

"Anakin, stay right where you are. You'll be safe there," Qui-Gon voiced sternly to my brother as he and Obi-Wan passed his fighter.

"But I-"

"Ani, stay in that cockpit!" I hollered back before he could say anything more, "You're far safer there than out here, and Artoo," I addressed the droid, "Make sure he doesn't do anything too hasty," Artoo responded in assurance in binary and swivelled his head around.

I now fall in line with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, tightly gripping my blaster's arm, shaking from being shot at. Silently puffing out some air, my eyes remained firmly on the doors ahead. Just as we got within ten feet of them, they slid open, revealing a figure shrouded in black. We all stopped frowning in confusion. I recognise it as the very being who gave us chase back to the Queen's ship on Tatooine. My gut told me they were dangerous, evilness wafting from them.

"We'll handle this," Qui-Gon informs, walking forward, Obi-Wan hurrying to his side. I see them both gazing at the figure with intensity.

"We'll take the long way 'round,' Padme said as she led the troops and her handmaidens to the left. I go to follow, but something makes me stop.

My wide eyes fixed on the figure standing in the doorway, coming to remove its hood, revealing its face. He's covered in red and black across his face, small horns atop his head and eye the colour of molten lava peering back at the Jedi. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are about to face the Sith Lord. Eyes wide intently on the Jedi, I tripped over my foot and fell backwards.

"Ambrose, go now," Qui-Gon tells me calmly to turn and shed his brown robe with a flourish along with Obi-Wan and into defensive poses activating their lightsabers. Giving the Sith one last look, I see he has a double-ended sabre with blades of red. I now make chase after Padme to catch up with her, a sudden thrill of panic going up my spine that makes me shiver. Air was rushing in and out of my lungs as I tried the clashing of lightsabers in a duel far behind me. I'm starting to understand the stark reality of the world I've always dreamed of as a child surrounding me. This wasn't play fighting anymore with my brother on Tatooine in a dusty courtyard; within my grasp was a weapon that could kill. Instead, there was a Jedi Master, his Padawan engaging in battle with a Sith Lord not far behind me. This is a new reality I've chosen, and there wasn't any turning back. This. This would now forever be my life. I'm involved in a battle to help free Naboo from oppression, and I'm willing to do anything to help them stop it.

We reach the hanger's other side as some wheel droids roll into action positions. Soon we're firing at one another again, us firing green and the enemy red. But our efforts get deflected by the shimmering blue shield surrounding the droids. I had taken cover behind a pillar and made a couple of shots now and then, but it was useless.

"Kark," I swore, leaning back against the pillar.

My eyes quickly surveyed the hanger to see what was happening around me. We had no way out of this until the droids had been destroyed whilst the Sith was still in the other doorway. I look at my blaster and back at the droids. Let out a deep, shuddering breath uttering some self-deprecating Huttese to myself. I've just come up with the kriffing stupid idea, but was it crazy enough even to work? I put the blaster's safety back on and shoved it in the freeholder beside my blade. Counting under my breath, "One, two, three..."

I go running across the back to the other side of the hanger. Good thing the droids were distracted by Padme and Panaka's troops shooting at them, and none of the fire focused on me. Some bolts hit the ground, but they closely miss my feet. I start running on a curved, meant to avoid the lightsaber duel and out of harm's way. As I kept going, flashes of red catch my eye as the Sith entered the hangar and right into my path. It's too late to change my direction. If I stop, I'll fall flat on my face.

"Kriff," swearing, I throw myself on the floor, tuck in, and am about to do a somersault. As I roll under it, the ferocious low hum of the red lightsaber hoovers above. Coming out of the roll, I find myself in the clear. In an undignified move jumped to my feet and yelled. One of the Sith Lords' blades slices through the air before me and stops at a diagonal. The energy it emitted was incredible, so deep and powerful it was almost rattling against my breastbone. I thought I was done for a moment, yet his attention wasn't on me. Instead, Obi-Wan clashes the other end of the Sith's blade with his. Heart pounding, I leapt over the other end and ran towards the nearest ship. It's an open-top airspeeder packed with guns. I clamber up into the cockpit.

Placing myself into the space correctly, I go to start it up. The buttons light up, and engines hum. Check the panels before me. I try to recall if I've ever worked on such a ship before uttering a mantra, "I've got this, I've got this."

Finally, my thumb jabs a red button that allows the speeder to rise with a wobble some feet off the ground. I let out a sigh of relief and grabbed the steering control that had buttons to fire lasers. Ever so carefully manoeuvring the ship into position at the droids without thought, I pushed the recessed button and fired. Two bolts eradicate the droid's shields, leaving it defenceless. I steer the ship closer. More bolts come, but not from me killing the droid.

Looking to my side, I see Anakin, who had been hiding in the fighter. He was beside me. We both nod at one another. We take out the other droids together until they are parts. I see Padme and Panaka go forward with their troops. My role is now done. I'm about to prepare to land when the revving of engines catches my attention to that of my brother's fighter that shoots straight out of the hanger.

"Ani!" I yelled, but I knew he wouldn't hear me.

I steer my ship into the correct position and follow after my brother. But this ship went too fast and climbed too quickly; airspeeders can't reach the same altitude Anakin had gone into. Meaning I couldn't reach where he had gone. My shoulders drop, and my hands loosen on the steering module. I could only watch him get further and further away to enter space. A breeze surrounds me, and I feel cold as I return to the hangar. The wheezing sound of gunfire alerts me. Head whizzing round, locked firmly onto a blaster cannon, its sights on my brother and did what my brotherly instincts and Force given ones told me to do drove me into action.

Jerking the steering, I roll the speeder, which soon becomes a dive. Heart-pounding jaw, tight nostrils flared with only one thought in destroying that cannon. I pull it up into a glide heading straight for the gun as it now fixed itself on me. The ports rotate, ready to fire. I pulled to the left and dodged the shot. The speeder goes into a roll without warning, and I quickly correct it to face the proper direction. Something tells me to fire, and I do, firing bolts, causing the cannon to spark and smoke before finally finishing it with more bolts and a satisfying explosion.

I cry out from the heat of it touching my face and quickly tug the speeder away, panting, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. I'm in disbelief, with the doubt that I just blew up a blaster cannon in a pulling motion in an airspeeder I've never piloted before. Suddenly my heavy breathing turns into full-blow laughter, and I can't stop grinning. I had just done that. I flew a top-of-the-line airspeeder in good knick, not some crappy, rusted-out podracer destined to fall apart. I knew Watto would have called this a hot ticket and tried to sell it at the most ridiculous price possible. Suddenly I'm pulled from my thoughts as the speeder's wing draws near the Royal Palace. It hits the stonework with a high-pitched grinding of metal that makes me jump.

"Oh, kriff!" I cursed quickly, pulling the speeder away, and noticed some of the ships left some dark scuff marks and couldn't help but grimace, noting I'd have to inform someone about the damage I'd caused.

There's now beeping surrounding me, altering my recent run-in with the Royal Palace and causing some damage to the airspeeders insides. I steer back around with ease and land back inside the hanger. I hopped out of the ship, my heart still racing, and went to check over the wing missing chunk with a frown pulling back my sleeves and giving the wires and circuits a gentle prod. The conclusion was it was beyond repair as my arms rested on the damaged wing alone in an empty hanger. Feeling utterly useless and no help to anyone, with an aggravated grunt, I pushed away from the ship, brushing any loose strands of hair away from my face. What could I do? Everyone had gone. Padme and Panaka, we're probably further into the palace by now, my baby brother had disappeared into space, and the Jedi had also gone.

My first thought was to search for the Queen, yet a familiar deep twist in my stomach said otherwise. I had felt like this on Tatooine when I first came across the Sith. Yet only this time, it was so much stronger than before, almost making me breathless. My veins went cold, and a tugging inside slowly drove me to go gently. At first, everything was out of focus except for what was directly in front of me. Suddenly everything returns, my vision sharper and fixed on a set of open doors beside a broken sparking control panel. I jog towards it only to gain momentum towards my goal. To this day, I still can't recall the memory of it. It had been nothing but a big blur. All I wanted to do was to get to where my instincts told me to. Yet I still remember the scene that would greet me at my destination.

I had found my way to the rooms containing the power generators, which had energy fields that only came to life falling and rising alternately. There, I find Obi-Wan kneeling hunched over and shaking by a circular pit that seems to go on forever. He was holding someone close, so I took a tentative step closer. My brows began coming together, and a feeling of unbearable dread overcame me; all tension disappeared within my stomach, leaving me light-headed. Yet whose lifeless form I see being held in Obi-Wan's arms is Qui-Gon Jinn. I now stopped to stand by Obi's shoulder. His sobs were painful to hear like someone had torn his heart out. My chest began to throb, and my eyes began to glaze over as the air filled with the stomach-turning smell of burnt flesh.

My shaky hand touches Obi-Wan's shoulder and jumps under my touch, hunching over, keeping Qui-Gon held to his chest. He now faces my eyes red and puffy from crying, dried tears on his face and flushed cheeks, his expression frozen with despair. Then, finally, I hear a gasp escape that appears he'd been holding in for a while.

"Obi...Obi-Wan," I muttered, my voice now breaking.

I see him scrunch his brows together and nose, followed by dramatically downturned lips. Obi-Wan ducks his head so I can't see his face, his chest still shaking, and a choked-out sob escapes him. That's when all his pain and emotion crashed over me. Heartbreak. Grief. Dismay. Sorrow. Torment. It was all too much at once, rocking back and forth; I took a deep breath. I had come to realise Obi-Wan had dropped his composed walls and let his emotions free. But, like a raw open wound, his feeling cut deep and was painful. My fingers grasp his shoulder tighter in comfort, and I drop to my knees. I adjusted myself to face him, kneeling by Obi-Wan's side. The angle was uneasy, but I slid my arms around his shoulders.

Obi-Wan slumped sideways into my embrace, still tightly holding onto his Master. But I wholeheartedly welcomed it. My hand guided him into the crook of my neck and held him close, starting to card my fingers through short auburn locks without thinking gently, and he just let me. All he does for the next couple of minutes is weep into my shoulder with rasping breaths shaking against me. Now all dried with tears, I still kept holding him and running my hands through his hair that I hadn't realised I had been shaking and that my fingers were quivering. I am taking in a sharp, deep breath, my shoulders jumping.

He pulls away from me, trying to right himself but fails as my hand ever so lightly grazes his chest as it drops. Obi now peers back into my tear-filled eyes, some tracks already having stained my face. Yet offer him a soft, shaky smile to try and ease the pain he must be feeling. But it quickly falters, and I duck to hide my face. Now pulling the vibrant blue flower out from behind my ear, I stare at it, my hand trembling, eyebrows knitted together. The petals are crushed and bruised, but it was still perfect to me. I didn't care that my emotions were flowing out of me unguarded now, even because this was something for me to remember Qui-Gon by, even though our time together had been short. I take Qui-Gon's hand off the ground, place the flower on his palm, and carefully wind his fingers around the bloom as if he were sleeping. His fingers became loose after moving my hand away but still held the colour. Finally, my hand rested on his wrist, guiding it to relax to the centre of his chest where the wound resided, which had ended his life.

A deafening silence filled the room around us that felt unbearable.

"I...I have to inform the Jedi Council... Th-the Sith is dead... That..." he utters, sounding utterly damaged. About to rest Qui-Gon's head on the floor, I take hold of Obi's arm getting him to meet my solemn red-rimmed eyes. We stare at each other a moment longer before gently shaking my head.

"Don't worry, Obi, okay? I'll go you look after him," I instruct calmly, getting to my feet and leaving my hand lingering on Obi-Wan's arm. I wanted to keep it there to stay and comfort him, but I knew I needed to go.

There's a saying, 'Life is but a fleeting moment,' because it's true life is a fragile thing full of love and adventure; you'll never know if you'll live to see another day, so live it to the fullest don't let yourself drift away until there's nothing left.