BattlesWars:BattleOfNaboo

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The Battle of Naboo

One fine morning on the peaceful planet of Naboo, far from the turmoil of the Galactic Senate, the danger of Nal Hutta, the mystery of Korriban, or any other even remotely interesting or dangerous places, in a banal, pastoral little field outside the capital city of Theed, two maassive armies clashed. Miles up, in orbit, the N-1 starfighters that totalled the entirety of the Human population’s military rushed out to face cold, calculating machines that outnumbered them more than ten to one. And, in the royal palace itself, the Queen, a few body guards, handmaidens, a mysterious boy, and two Jedi Knights, battled towards the throne room itself.

It was a busy day.

The battle really started months earlier, when the Trade Federation, in response to the vote for trade route taxation for outlying star systems (such as Naboo, Nal Hutta, and others), and under the influence of a mysterious Sith Lord named Sidious, blockaded the tiny planet of Naboo. The queen, Amidala, challenged the legality of the actions, and invoked the powers of the Chancellor, who secretly dispatched two Jedi named Qui Gon Jinn and Obi Wan Kenobi to the small planet to discuss the blockade and rumored invasion with the Trade Federation.

Needless to say, the negotiations didn’t go through. The Jedi escaped certain death at the hands of the Trade Federation, rescued the queen, and escaped to Coruscant with a pit stop on Tatooine, to replace their damaged hyperdrive, on the way. The Senate announced that it would send a commission to investigate the Trade Federation’s actions causing Queen Amidala to request a vote of no confidence. This resulted in the election of Senator Palpatine to the office of Supreme Chancellor of the Senate. The queen returned to Naboo at once, to find the Trade Federation presence greatly decreased.

It was revealed that the leaders of the Trade Federation were holed up in the royal throne room. This was to be the main target. The plan was to deploy a force of Gungans to distract the Trade Federation Battle Droid army, then send the only squadron of fighters into orbit to knock out the droid control ship, all the while secretly sneaking the queen and her guard, Captain Panaka into the palace.

That morning, the Gungan armies rose from the swamps of Naboo and made their muddy way to the fields outside the capital city. They set up their massive organic shield generators on the backs of their Fambaas, beasts of burden, and settled down to wait. The Federation’s long range sensors picked up the gathering and deployed a massive counter-force, draining the city of all combat units. The board was set, the pieces were ready, and the first move was made.

The leader of the Droid army, OOM-9, gave the command for the firing volley to commence. The Armored Assault Tanks (AATs) opened fire on the Gungans. For a few minutes, the Gungans seemed to be winning. The shields held against the small projectiles, and the explosions dissipated over a stretch of several meters. Then, the firing ceased. Up on the droid control ship, the command was given for the deployment of troops.

The Multi Troop Transports (MTTs) opened up their main hatches and deposited thousands of troops on the ground, then closed back up. The Gungans deployed their personal energy shields. The captain of the droid ship, high above, keyed in the code for activation, and the army unfolded.

At roughly this time, the Queen, Panaka, the two Jedi, and a young boy named Anakin Skywalker, assembled a strike group along side the Naboo Resistance, a small militia of Nubian prisoners, policemen, and former Royal Guard members. The group assembled outside the Royal Hangar, and, with lightning strength and speed, penetrated the Federation defenses. Pilot Gavin Sykes personally fired on the first MTT with his Gian Speeder’s rear gun, crippling the fighting force and allowing the group entrantce to the courtyard. The pilots got into their ships, and took off, leaving the queen with just a handful of guards, handmaidens, the Jedi, and Anakin. And then, an unexpected guest showed up. DarthMaul. Maul was the current Sith Apprentice to Lord Sidious, and was sent to eliminate the two Jedi.

The main doors to the palace reactor core slid open, revealing the Sith warrior Darth Maul. The Jedi and Sith dueled while a squad of destroyer droids (Droidekas) rolled out to face the queen and her posse, who had decided to take the long way. Anakin Skywalker, who had clambered into the cockpit of one of the N-1 starfighters activated the auto-pilot, and, as the craft took off, blasted the droids away. He left the atmosphere soon after.

The Naboo Starfighters, assembled into Bravo Squadron, and encountered heavy resistance soon after takeoff. A force of Droid starfighters intercepted the Naboo fighters. However, the N-1 starfighters, due to their superior speed and maneuverability, managed to get through the defense screen and begin their assault on the Trade Federation control ship. The heavy batteries attempted to pluck the fighters out of the air, yet the fighters managed to damage or destroy the long range communication antennae, the long range sensors, the four tractor beams guarding the hangar bay, and the shields guarding the hangars. This is why what happened next, happened.

An N-1 starfighter, piloted by Anakin Skywalker, winged by a droid starfighter, crashed into the hangar bay, flaming and overheated. It barely escaped crashing into Federation Landers, starfighters, and battle droids. The craft came to a rest in the heart of the left arm of the starship, overheated and incapable of flight. After a moment’s recuperation, surrounded by threatening droids, Skywalker’s craft regained its capabilities and opened fire in the hangar. After a few laser blasts, he launched a proton torpedo down the corridor. It hit the main reactor core, crippling the starship. The destruction of the core caused an overload chain reaction throughout the craft, causing it to explode.

On the fields, the fight had been brutal. The superior firepower and numbers of the droid army led to a total routing of the Gungan force. All seemed lost, when the droid control ship above was knocked out, causing the droid army to lose power. The droids fell and were inoperable. The Gungans had prevailed!

As the starfighters made their way towards the Droid Control ship, the queen and her group made their way up through the waterfall, and penetrated the Palace. The group encountered heavy resistance in the main corridor and split up, one group, led by the Queen’s handmaiden, continuing through the heavy defense they faced and the other, led by the queen, ascending to the upper levels. Once there, they swiftly made their way towards the throne room before being stopped by a phalanx of Droidekas. They surrendered, and were brought to the throne room.

Once there, the queen confronted the Viceroy, Nute Gunray. He claimed that her insurrection was at an end, and that the Trade Federation had won. At this point, the false queen, in full royal regalia, arrived with her contingent and opened fire on the Viceroy and his guard. The battle droids pursued the second squad down a corridor as the real queen slid into her throne and unlocked her backup blasters while the attention of the droids was on the decoy, tossing them to her squad. The Viceroy was captured, and a new treaty was negotiated.

The two Jedi fought Darth Maul through the reactor core of the palace, through a maintenance chamber and a radioactivity dump, into a deep reactor chamber. While Obi-Wan was cut off from the battle by a phasing shield Qui Gon was struck down by the Sith. Obi Wan witnessed this and became enveloped in a blinding rage. After freeing himself from the reactor phasing shield, he attacked Maul, slipping into a dark rage and utilizing Form 7 Lightsaber moves. The Teras Kasi trained Sith Lord put up a valiant fight against him before using the Force to push him into the reactor shaft.

Young Obi Wan grasped a hazard light as he fell, saving his own life but losing his lightsaber in the act. Darth Maul gloatingly stood over the fallen Jedi, taunting him by showering him in sparks, preparing for the final blow.

Obi Wan summoned the lightsaber of his fallen master to him as he used the Force to launch himself out of the pit, over, and behind Maul. He landed and gave one quick swipe, severing Darth Maul at the waist and sending him down the shaft in two pieces.

The Battle of Naboo was over.

Brooks, Terry. Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace. (1999). DelRey Books.
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. (1999). 20th Century Fox.
Star Wars: Battle for Naboo. (1999). LucasArts.
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. (1999). LucasArts.
"Naboo." Starwars.com. <www.starwars.com>