Captain Panaka, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Adalin wait at the lake for Jar Jar. The Queen, her maids and her guards stand behind them when he breaks the lake's surface.
"Dare-sa nobody dare. Da Gungan city is deserted. Some kinda fight, mesa tinks" Jar Jar says.
"Do you think they have been taken to camps?" Obi-Wan asks.
"Or hiding?" Adalin suggests.
"More likely they were wiped out" Captain Panaka says.
"Mesa no tink so" Jar Jar says to the captain.
"Do you know where they are, Jar Jar?" Jinn asks the gungan.
"When in trouble, Gungans go to sacred place. Mesa show you. C'mon, mesa show you" Jar Jar says running in between them and them the way.
They follow Jar Jar as he walks through the swamps. Jar Jar, the Queen, Anakin, R2, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Padme, Adalin, the pilots, maids, and guards walk through a clearing full of gungans refuges. At the far end are the ruins of a grand temple with massive carved heads. Boss Nass and several other council members walk out on the top of a three-quarter-submerged head.
"Your Honor, Queen Amidala of the Naboo" Captain Tarpals introduces, motioning to the Queen. Jar Jar walks with her while everyone else follows behind.
"Ah, ello dare, ye big Boss Nass, you Honor" Jar Jar greets.
"Jar Jar Binks, who's da uss-en others??" Boss Nass asks.
"I am Queen Amidala of the Naboo... I come before you in peace" The Queen says as the Jedi stand behind her.
"Ah, Naboo biggen. Yousa bringen da Mackineeks... Yousa all bombad" Boss Nass says.
"We have searched you out because we wish to form an alliance..." The Queen says, soon enough Padme steps forward.
"Your Honor..." Padme speaks up, stepping forward.
"Whosa dis?" Boss Nass asks.
"I am Queen Amidala" Padme says. "This is my decoy... my protection... my loyal bodyguard" She explains motioning to her decoy. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Adalin look at each other with knowing looks.
"... I am 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 so hard to build. If we do not act quickly, all will be lost forever... I ask you to help us..." Padme says, then drops to her knees. "No, I beg you to help us. We are your humble servants..." Everyone slowly, very reluctantly for the Jedi, follows her lead and drops to their knees as well. "Our fate is in your hands"
"Yousa no tinken yousa greater den da Gungans.. Mesa like dis" Boss Nass laughs.
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon smile at each other before looking to Adalin who grins at both of them, happiness shines in her eyes.
"Maybe wesa bein friends" Boss Nass says. Soon enough everyone is smiling and laughing together.
━━━∘○∘━━━
Anakin comes running over to Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Adalin, and Padme.
"They're here!" Anakin yells, causing them to look up from their work.
"Good, they made it" Padme says, looking over.
Three speeders pull up to the five. Captain Panaka, a dozen or so guards and pilots get out and walk to the Jedi and Padme.
"What is the situation?" Padme asks.
"Almost everyone's in camps. A few hundred police and guards have formed an underground resistance movement. I brought back as many of the leaders as I could. The Federation Army's also much larger than we thought, and much stronger. Your Highness, this is a battle I do not think we can win" Captain Panaka tells her. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Adalin stand on the other side of the speeder they're using as a table.
"The battle is a diversion. The Gungans must draw the Droid Army away from the cities," She tells him, turning to R2. "Artoo... We can enter the city using the secret passages on the waterfall side. Once we get to the main entrance, Captain Panaka will create a diversion. Then we can enter the palace and capture the Viceroy. Without the Viceroy, they will be lost and confused" They watch and listen to what she says. All three Jedi are interested. "What do you think, Master Jedi?"
"The Viceroy will be well guarded" Qui-Gon says, looking at her.
"The difficulty is getting into the throne room. Once we're inside, we shouldn't have a problem" Captain Panaka tells Qui-Gon.
"There is a possibility, with this diversion many, Gungans will be killed" Qui-Gon says, looking to Boss Nass.
"Wesa ready to do are-sa part" Boss Nass explains.
"We have a plan which should immobilize the Droid Army. We will send what pilots we have to knock out the Droid control ship orbiting the planet" Padme informs. Obi-Wan and Adalin look to Qui-Gon.
"A well-conceived plan. However, there's great risk. The weapons on your fighters may not penetrate the shields" Qui-Gon says.
"And there's an even bigger danger," Obi-Wan starts.
"If the Viceroy escapes, your Highness, he will return with another droid army" Adalin clarifies.
"Well that is why we must not fail to get to the Viceroy. Everything depends on it" Padme says.
YOU ARE READING
Life is Waiting
ActionAdalin Jinn-Uvain is the older adopted sister of Anakin Skywalker. She's never met her birth parents, doesn't even know who they are. She has gone years without knowing. What happens when she finds out who they are? What happens when she heads back...
