The Firespray lapses back into realspace in the sky of Alderaan and deactivates its cloaking device. Anakin reveals to Padme that he once tried to enlist in the Republic military, but they turned down his application because he was born on the Outer Rim. He feels he must partake in this mission to make up for that.
Padme knows where Bail and the royal guardsmen have congregated and tells Anakin where to guide the craft to a soft landing.
Amidst a forest clearing populated with a makeshift barracks and several camouflaged assault speeders, King Bail reunites with his sister Padme. She tells Bail of what happened on Tatooine and they then draw up a plan to assault the Machine complex in conjunction with the arrival of the Republic fleet.
Padme and Anakin will take the secret passage with the infantry to show up inside the complex and disable the shield generator. At the same time Bail will lead a group of vehicles to divert the Utapauans away from the infantry long enough to blow up the shield generator. Once this is done, the Republic fleet which is en route will be able to destroy the Machine with turbolaser fire…provided they can deal with the Utaupauan fleet first.
Padme and Anakin lead most of the guardsmen to infiltrate the palace ruins through the secret passage. The party of troopers emerges inside the vast shield dome which covers the Machine; to their shock they find that the contraption is now complete!
To be continued.