Star Wars: Not Quite A Shadow (WIP)

Chapter 11

"Dare-sa nobody dare. All gone. Some kinda fight, mesa tink" Jar Jar said.

Obi-Wan's brow knit with worry. "Do you think they could have been taken to one of the camps?"

"More likely they were wiped out," said Captain Panaka with little empathy.

Jar Jar shook his head. "No, mesa no tink so. When in trouble, Gungans go to sacred place. Mesa show you! Come on, mesa show you!" He waved to the group and took off in a direction different than the one he had returned from. The group had no choice but to follow him, and Petra was glad to be moving again. They all moved in relative silence, and soon they found themselves surrounded by Gungans, most of them armed and some of them riding strange creatures.

They were escorted to Boss Nass, the chief Gungan. He appeared different from the other Gungans, and it was obvious that he was in a higher position than those around him. He did not appear to be very happy at seeing the group of humans led by Jar Jar.

"Jar Jar Binks" he said in a deep and loud voice. "Who's da ussen others?"

Queen Amidala stepped forward. "I am Queen Amidala of the Naboo. I come before you in peace."

Boss Nass' face revealed surprise and some disdain. "Naboo biggen. Yousa bringen de mackineeks. Yousa all bombad!"

The guards that accompanied the queen looked at each other with uncertainty. Things were not easy between the two races of Naboo, but they had not anticipated this much hostility or resistance. "We wish to form an alliance..." began the Queen, but Padme quickly interrupted her, "Your Honor" she said, addressing Boss Nass directly.

"Whosa dis?" he asked with an air of indignation at being addressed by a servant.

"I am Queen Amidala." To say that this shocked those who heard this admission would be a gross understatement. Anakin looked at Petra, who, while somewhat surprised, had suspected all along that Padme had been hiding something. She glanced at Obi-wan and Qui-Gon, who did not appear to be at all surprised by this revelation. So they knew all along, she thought. Padme turned to the 'Queen' and said, "This is my decoy. My protection, my loyal bodyguard. I apologize for the deception but under the circumstances it became 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. Your people are in hiding, my people have been forced into camps. If we do not act quickly, all will be lost forever. I ask you to help us." Here she dropped to her knees. "No, I beg you to help us." The rest of the group followed her lead, all dropping to their knees in a gesture of humility.

And then, of all things, Boss Nass began to laugh. A long, boisterous, annoying laugh that made everyone wonder if he merely thought of their plight as a joke. "Yousa no tinken yousa greater den da Gungans? Mesa lika dis. Maybe wesa bein friends."

After Boss Nass' approval of the alliance between the Naboo people and the Gungans, both groups began preparing for battle. Gungans were armed, and plans were made to rescue leaders and soldiers from the Naboo camps. Scouts headed by Captain Panaka were sent out to determine if a rescue was even possible, and to determine how much resistance existed in the camps to Federation authority. They returned, accompanied by several others from the camps, about two hours later. Petra remained isolated from the group, having no desire to talk to anyone. Though questioning the wisdom of his decision, Obi-Wan decided to speak to her now, before the fighting began. Qui-Gon seemed to sense his dilemma and cautioned him: "Remember the old saying, my apprentice: never stir up a nest of gundarks if you can avoid it."

Obi-Wan smiled at the analogy; Petra did seem to be as testy as a gundark. "Master, I know I shouldn't press the issue with her, but I feel as if she is angry with me for nothing."