In the year 32 BBY, the Jedi ambassadors dispatched to mediate the Trade Federation's blockade of the planet Naboo were compelled to flee the Lucrehulk-class LH-3210 cargo freighter named Saak'ak. The Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious, had secretly manipulated the Trade Federation into initiating the blockade of Naboo. This manipulation was disguised as the enforcement of trade route taxation under Prop 31-814D by the Galactic Senate. Finis Valorum, the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, dispatched two Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, to negotiate with the Trade Federation in an attempt to resolve the standoff. Aboard the Consular-class space cruiser Radiant VII, piloted by Captain Maoi Madakor and Antidar Williams of the Judicial Forces, the Jedi journeyed to the Naboo system. Upon arrival at the Saak'ak, the protocol droid TC-14 greeted the Jedi and then informed Nute Gunray, the Viceroy of the Trade Federation, that the Republic's ambassadors were, in fact, Jedi.
In response, Gunray was filled with terror and contacted Sidious. The Sith Lord then commanded Gunray to execute the Jedi and to expedite the invasion. Using a concealed turbolaser turret, the Trade Federation obliterated the Radiant VII. Subsequently, Gunray released Dioxis gas into the meeting room and dispatched a squad of B1-series battle droids to ensure the Jedi's demise. However, Jinn and Kenobi survived, and they began to eliminate the droids as they advanced toward the Saak'ak's control center. As Jinn used his lightsaber to cut through the blast doors, Gunray deployed two droidekas, which forced the Jedi to retreat into the ventilation shaft. They emerged near the Trade Federation's invasion force and decided to infiltrate separate landing crafts to reach Naboo.
Darth Sidious, the Sith Lord, sought to fulfill the centuries-old Sith Grand Plan. He gained influence over the leadership of the Trade Federation, including the Neimoidian Viceroy Nute Gunray. After the Congress of the Republic passed Prop 31-814D, which subjected Free Trade Zones to taxation, the Trade Federation, at Sidious's direction, initiated a blockade of the planet Naboo. Sidious, in his public identity as Sheev Palpatine, represented Naboo as a senator, and it was his homeworld. The blockade involved a fleet of Lucrehulk-class Battleships, including the Saak'ak, positioned in orbit around the planet for a week. This action resulted in widespread starvation among the Naboo people. While the Senate engaged in endless debates regarding the alarming situation, Finis Valorum, the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, secretly dispatched two Jedi, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, as ambassadors with the aim of resolving the blockade.
Captain Maoi Madakor and Antidar Williams of the Judicial Forces piloted the Radiant VII, a Consular-class space cruiser, carrying Jinn and Kenobi to the Naboo system. Upon their arrival, Jinn instructed Madakor to request immediate boarding permission from Gunray, which Gunray granted via transmission. In this transmission, Gunray asserted the blockade's legality and expressed the Trade Federation's willingness to negotiate. After disembarking the Radiant VII, Jinn and Kenobi were greeted by the protocol droid TC-14, who escorted them to a meeting room. The droid instructed them to wait and make themselves comfortable before leaving to find her masters. Alone, Kenobi expressed a feeling of unease, an elusive sensation unrelated to their mission. Jinn urged his Padawan to focus on the present and avoid dwelling on his anxieties. They also discussed Gunray's likely response to Valorum's peace demands, with Jinn predicting that the Trade Federation's inherent cowardice would lead to brief negotiations.
Meanwhile, TC-14 informed Gunray and Trade Federation captain Daultay Dofine that the Republic's ambassadors were Jedi Knights. Dofine, terrified, refused Gunray's order to distract them and instead sent TC-14 back to the meeting room. The protocol droid provided refreshments to the Jedi, at which point Jinn sensed through the Force an unusually high level of fear for what should have been a minor trade dispute. Gunray contacted Sidious via hologram, where Dofine immediately claimed that the plan had failed because the Jedi were involved. Sidious ordered Gunray to remove the "stunted slime" from his sight and declared that the Jedi's presence necessitated the acceleration of their plans, initiating the landing on Naboo. The Sith also assured Gunray that he would make the necessary adjustments to ensure the invasion's legality. When Gunray inquired about the Jedi's fate, Sidious ordered their execution.
In the Saak'ak's hangar, a turbolaser turret emerged from the ceiling and fired upon the Radiant VII, destroying the ship and killing Madokar and Williams. Sensing the attack, Jinn and Kenobi immediately drew their lightsabers. Instantly, the meeting room began to fill with poisonous dioxis gas, which Jinn identified. Both Jedi held their breaths and deactivated their lightsabers. Gunray, assuming the Jedi were dead, sent a group of ten Trade Federation Droid Army OOM-series battle droids, including OWO-1, an OOM command battle droid, to destroy their remains, issuing the order via hologram. The droids opened the doors to the gas-filled room, with TC-14 emerging first to apologize to the battle droids. As the droids entered the meeting room, the Jedi ignited their lightsabers, prompting the droids to open fire with their E-5 blaster rifles. The Jedi deflected the blaster bolts and exited the meeting room, cutting down all of their attackers. The Neimoidian pilot Tey How reported the loss of transmission from the droids to Gunray, leading the viceroy to order the sealing of the bridge and the deployment of droidekas. Rune Haako, a Settlement Officer, remarked that they were unlikely to survive.
Jinn and Kenobi advanced towards the bridge door, eliminating four battle droids along the way. As Jinn began to cut through the door with his lightsaber, Gunray ordered the blast doors to be sealed. Despite this, Jinn continued to slowly cut through, terrifying the Neimoidians. Kenobi destroyed another battle droid that approached them. Just after Haako impatiently called for the droidekas, two of them rolled into the hallway near the Jedi and began firing. Jinn and Kenobi deflected the blaster bolts, but they were unable to penetrate the droidekas' shield generators. Recognizing the standoff, the Jedi used the Force to dash away from the droidekas, escaping into the Saak'ak's ventilation shaft. Upon emerging, Jinn and Kenobi observed a large force of battle droids loading into Multi-Troop Transports in preparation for the Invasion of Naboo. The Jedi were surprised by the sight of the army, with Jinn considering it an unusual move for the Trade Federation. Knowing that they needed to warn the Naboo and inform Valorum, Jinn instructed his Padawan to hide on separate C-9969 landing crafts to reach the planet's surface. Kenobi quipped that his master had been correct earlier about the length of the negotiations.
Gunray and Haako received a transmission from Queen Amidala, the Monarch of Naboo, who stated that the boycott had ended, believing that the ambassadors had been received. Gunray denied their presence and dismissed Amidala's warning, assuring her that they would not act without the Senate's approval. When Haako questioned whether the Naboo would anticipate their attack, Gunray expressed uncertainty but ordered the disruption of their communications. As the Trade Federation Droid Army landed on the planet, a holographic transmission between Amidala's retinue and Senator Palpatine was interrupted, leading Sio Bibble, the Governor, to realize that the invasion had commenced.
Gunray contacted the battle droid OOM-9 on Naboo's surface, informing him that the Jedi had boarded their landing crafts. OOM-9 responded that the droids would locate them. Jinn and Kenobi encountered two B1 battle droids riding Single Trooper Aerial Platforms, but they managed to destroy them before proceeding to Theed, Naboo's capital. The Trade Federation captured Theed with minimal resistance and took Amidala hostage. However, Jinn and Kenobi rescued the queen, identifying themselves as the ambassadors and explaining that they had been ambushed. The Jedi escorted her to Coruscant, the galactic capital, with the intention of sharing testimony of Naboo's plight with Chancellor Valorum and the Senate.
The escape from the Saak'ak was initially presented as the opening action sequence in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, the 1999 film that began the prequel trilogy, which was written and directed by George Lucas.