n firm ground； he and Padme prepared to leave the ship。
〃Look； whatever happens out there； follow my lead；〃 Padme told him。 〃I'm not interested in getting into a war here。 As a member of the Senate； maybe I can find a diplomatic solution to this mess。〃
For Anakin； who had so recently used the diplomacy of the lightsaber； and to devastating effect； the words rang true… painfully so。
〃Trust me on this？〃 Padme added； and he knew that she had recognized the pain on his face。
〃Don't worry；〃 he said； and he made himself grin。 〃I've given up trying to argue with you。〃
Behind them as they headed for the landing ramp； R2 gave a plaintive wail。
〃Stay with the ship；〃 Padme instructed both droids。 Then she and Anakin went out into the underground plex； and recognized almost immediately that they had entered a huge droid factory。
Soon after the pair had departed； R2…D2's legs extended； lifting him off the securing platform； and he began rolling immediately for the ship exit。
〃My sad little friend； if they had needed our help； they would have asked for it；〃 C…3PO explained to him。 〃You have a lot to learn about humans。〃 R2 tootled back at him and continued to roll。
〃For a mechanic； you seem to do an excessive amount of thinking；〃 C3…PO countered。 〃I'm programmed to understand humans。〃 R2's responding question came as a burst of short and curt beeps。
〃What does that mean？〃 C…3PO echoed。 〃That means； I'm in charge here！〃 R2 didn't even respond。 He just started rolling for the landing ramp； moving right out of the ship。
〃Wait！〃 C…3PO cried。 〃Where are you going？ Don't you have any sense at all？〃
The replying beep was quite discordant。
〃How rude！〃
R2 just gained speed and rolled away。
〃Please wait！〃 C…3PO cried。 〃Do you know where you're going？〃 While the reply was far from confident； the last thing C…3PO wanted at that moment was to be left alone。 He rushed to catch up to R2； and followed behind； fussing nervously。
Anakin and Padme slipped along the vast； pillared corridors of the factory city； their footfalls dulled by the humming and banging noises of the many machines in use in the great halls below them。 The place seemed deserted… too much so； Anakin believed。
〃Where is everyone？〃 Padme whispered； unconsciously echoing his thoughts。 Anakin held his hand up to silence her； and he tilted his head； sensing 。 。 。 something。
〃Wait；〃 he said。
Anakin moved his hand higher and continued to listen； not with his ears； but with his sensitivity to the Force。 There was something here； something close。 His instincts turned his eyes up toward the ceiling； and he watched in amazement and horror as the crossbeams above seemed to pulse； as if they were alive。
〃Anakin！〃 Padme cried； watching； too； as several winged forms seemed to grow right out of the pillars； detaching and dropping down。 They were tall and lean； sinewy strong and not skinny； with orange…tinted skin。 Anakin's lightsaber flashed。 Turning fast； on pure instinct and reflex； he slashed out； severing part of a wing from one creature swooping in at him。 The creature tumbled past； bouncing along the ground； but another took its place； and then another； heading in boldly for the Padawan。
Anakin stabbed out to the right； retracted the blade immediately from the smoking flesh； then brought it spinning about above his head； slashing out to the left。 Two more creatures went tumbling。 〃Run！〃 he shouted to Padme； but she was already moving； along the corridor and toward a distant doorway。 Waving his lightsaber to keep more of the stubborn creatures at bay； Anakin ran。 He darted through the doorway behind her… and nearly fell over the end of a small walkway that extended out over a deep crevasse。 〃Back；〃 Padme started to say； but even as she and Anakin began to turn； the door slammed closed behind them； leaving them trapped on the precarious perch。 More of the winged creatures appeared above them； and even worse； the walkway began to retract。
Padme didn't hesitate。 She leapt out for the shortest fall； onto a conveyor belt below。
〃Padme！〃 Anakin cried frantically。 He leapt down； too； landing behind her on the moving conveyor。 And then the winged Geonosians were all about him； swarming and swooping； and he had to work his lightsaber desperately to keep them at bay。
〃Oh my goodness；〃 C…3PO said； turning all about as he scanned the immense factory。 He and R2…D2 came onto a high ledge； overlooking the main area。 〃Machines creating machines。 How perverse！〃
R2 gave him an emphatic beep。
〃Calm down；〃 C…3PO said。 〃What are you talking about？ I'm not in your way！〃 R2 didn't bother to argue。 He rolled forward； bumping 3PO off the ledge。 The screaming droid bounced onto one unfortunate flying conveyor droid； then crashed down on a conveyor to the side。 R2 went off the ledge next； willingly； his little jets igniting to carry him fast across the way to some distant consoles。
〃Oh； blast you； Artoo！〃 C…3PO cried； trying hard to sort himself out。 〃You might have warned me； or told me of your plan。〃 As he spoke； he finally managed to stand…just in time to rise before a horizontal slicer。
C…3PO gave a single scream for help before the spinning blade lopped his head from his shoulders； his body crumpling down onto the belt； his head bouncing away to land on yet another conveyor； this one bearing lines of other heads； those of battle droids。
One welder stop later； and C…3PO found his head grafted onto a battle droid body。 〃How ugly！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Why would one build such unattractive droids？〃 He managed to glance to the side； to see his still…standing body rolling into the line with the other droids； where a Battle Droid head got welded onto it。
〃I'm so confused；〃 the poor C…3PO wailed。
Above it all； R2…D2 wasn't watching his mechanical friend。 He had spied his Mistress Padme and went in fast pursuit。
Padme flailed and rolled about the belt； scrambling to her feet； then diving back down low。 She backpedaled； then rushed ahead suddenly to scramble under thumping pile drivers； machines slamming metal molds down hard enough to shape the parts of a heavy gauge droid。 She dived under one stamper； then scrambled back to her feet right before another； backpedaling furiously； waiting for the precise moment as the heavy head went back up along the guide poles。
And then a winged Geonosian swooped upon her； grabbing at her and throwing her off balance。 She used just enough of her attention to free herself momentarily； then hoped she had estimated right and burst forward suddenly； diving and crawling fast； and came out the other side just as the pile driver thundered down。
Right onto the head of the pursuing Geonosian； stamping it flat。 Padme； facing yet another stamper； didn't even see it。 She managed to roll through safely； but just as she emerged； a winged creature reared up right in front of her； wrapping her in its leathery wings and grabbing at her with strong arms。
Padme wrestled valiantly； but the creature was too strong。 It flew off to the side of the conveyor and then unceremoniously dropped her。 Padme landed hard inside a large empty vat。 She recovered quickly and tried to scramble out； but the vat was deep and without handholds and she couldn't extract herself。
Anakin； battling furiously with a swarm of winged Geonosians； and all the while scrambling to avoid the deadly stamping machines； still managed somehow to see it all。 〃Padme！〃 he cried as he came through a stamper to see disaster looming。 There was no way he could get to her； he realized immediately； and the vat into which she had fallen was fast moving toward a pour of molten metal。 〃Padme！〃
And then he was fighting again； slashing aside yet another of the winged creatures； watching all the while in horror as his love neared her doom。 He fought wildly； beating the creatures away； scrambling desperately for Padme and calling out to her。 He crashed through another assembly line； sending droid parts everywhere； then leapt another belt； crossing the factory room toward Padme； who was still struggling helplessly； as she moved ever closer to the pouring molten metal。 He thought he might ge