TITLE: Monster
AUTHOR: Obi the Kid
RATING: PG
CHARACTERS: Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan (17 years old)
SUMMARY: Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are sent to a crazy little island to hunt the legendary monster that resides there.
DISCLAIMER: The characters and venue of Star Wars are copyrighted to Lucas Films Limited. I make no profit from the writing or distribution of this story.
NOTE: All typos and grammatical errors are my own. Please forgive them.
Monster – Part 1
"Master, please tell me again why we are on this floating catastrophe? This is not a boat. The captain should refrain from calling it such."
"We are on a mission, Padawan. Other than bringing visitors from other plants, there are no flying craft permitted on this world. And the only way to get to our destination is by boat. And the only boat that runs between these two islands is this one. Thus, we are here on this boat."
"Please don't call it that, Master. It's a floating death trap. And the floating part, I'm not completely certain about. Oh and by the way, I feel ill."
The ocean rolled around them. The tiny wooden sea craft drifted up one side of the next giant wave and down the other creating a stomach dropping sensation that had both Jedi feeling the effects.
"Don't think about it, Obi-Wan. And if you do think about it, please be sure to direct your aim over the railing."
"That's not a railing, Master. It's a string tied between two sticks."
Qui-Gon grabbed onto a cleat attached to the cabin to keep from falling as the boat lurched forward on the downward side of the next wave. He reached the other hand out to clutch the back of Obi-Wan's tunic to prevent him from tumbling into the black seawater. When they recovered, Obi-Wan immediately lost his stomach. It didn't matter though that he didn't get his head over the side of the boat, as the boat practically went through the next wave. Any signs of sickness were quickly blasted away by several tons of salty ocean water.
"How long is this trip, Master?"
"The captain said it was a three hour journey. We've been at it for an hour, give or take."
"Let's go back. This mission isn't that important, is it?"
"To the continued peace efforts of the galaxy as a whole? No. But to those who requested our help? Yes. Just…try and relax."
Another wave. This one crashed over their heads, further water-logging their already soaked clothes. Both were grateful they'd decided to leave their robes on the main island.
Qui-Gon pondered for a moment. Well, he pondered as much as one could ponder while on a floating death trap and trying to keep from losing one's stomach. "Perhaps I should ask the captain about turning back. This doesn't seem to be getting better. We could wait out the storm on the main island."
"I don't think this is a storm, Master. Every so often, when the waves above my head part, I swear I can see blue sky. Captain Lunacy up there is enjoying this. You saw how he smiled at us when we boarded. Those crazy eyes of his. It's weird enough when someone looks at you with two crazy eyes, but he has six. Each one crazier than the next. And for Sith sake, Master, the man has no teeth."
"His name is not Captain Lunacy. It's Loonaki, Obi-Wan. In case you forgot to read the information that I gave you about this planet, it's a crime on this world to mock its citizens. And it's very unbecoming a Jedi to mock the one who holds your life in his hands."
"Is it a crime to use the boat from hell to kill ambassadors who are here to help you? I don't like that man, Master. I don't like this mission. And I really really don't like this boat."
Obi-Wan was slammed to the deck on the next wave. He managed to get his feet under him eventually, though his boots didn't offer much traction on the wooden floorboards. He reached a hand to his head. Braid was still there. Head was still there. Blood was a new addition. "Wonderful. Now I'm bleeding."
He felt the large hand of his master on his head, checking the wound.
"Doesn't appear too serious. Just a cut. You'll live."
"Only until this boat kills me."
"Obi-Wan, please. You disrespect your training by whining. You are a Jedi. You can handle this. I've seen you deal with much worse."
Opening his mouth to complain again, Obi-Wan shut it. Qui-Gon was right. He had been through worse. And he was being a bit whiny about this whole thing. The captain had made this trip hundreds of times, and in this exact hunk of floating wood. He knew these waters. He knew this boat. They would be fine. Just…fine.
He turned towards the bow and grasped a metal cleat with both hands, hoping that the cleat held the rotting wood, and hoping that this journey would end sooner than it was scheduled to.
There was a yell from the cabin and the captain's small blue face stuck out a small window. All six of his eyes wide and looking just a little on the insane side. "Ya Jedi, ya causin' ma boat ta lean ta tha side. Canna take all ya weight on one side of ya. Split up or git ta tha reah. An hang on, Jedi. We in fer a ride like ya neva seen befa. Waves aheah be twice tha size of tha ones we jus wen thra. Bes be holdin' on ta ya stomachs, Jedi. We headin' up an ova."
Qui-Gon looked at his apprentice, who looked back at him, almost begging to be permitted to whine. The master relented. "You may as well."
"I'm seriously thinking about jumping overboard and swimming back. I'd rather take my chances with the viscous fish around here than with Mr. Crazy Eyes."
"It could be worse," Qui-Gon said as the small ship launched itself into unknown heights. They hung on for dear life, to the boat and to each other. Another few feet and they'd be upside down. Both prepared themselves for the boat to flip. The wave crest curled over them.
"IT'S WORSE!" Obi-Wan yelled.
Then a faint cry of "" sounded from the cabin.
And everything went dark.
Seconds later they were in the trough between waves. They were sitting now where they'd been standing seconds before. Each had one hand on a cleat and one hand on each other. Obi-Wan's face had gone pale. He shook the water out of his eyes and tried to catch his breath. Looking over, he saw that his master was in a similar state, but he was also in the process of throwing up his breakfast.
"Master, is this how the Force tells us that it's finished with us? I thought it would be less terrifying than this. And drier."
Qui-Gon's sickness passed, then he turned to eye his apprentice. "The Force has nothing to do with this. This is all the work of that lunatic in the cabin."
"Master, it's very unbecoming a Jedi to mock the one who holds your life in his hands."
The boat pitched forwarded. Then back. Then rocked violently to the side. And back again.
"Please refrain from throwing my words back at me, Obi-Wan."
"I guess it's a bit too late to tell you that I have a bad feeling about this trip."
"I believe I've figured that out now, thank you. And I've also figured out that the council has finally gotten their revenge on us for putting them in their place last year after that disastrous mission to Xianis. Yoda knew something like this would happen. Evil little troll."
"Master, you told me not to call him that, even when he deserved it."
"That's right. However, I can call him that any time I wish. I've earned it. He's been to this planet before. He probably knows the psychopath in the cabin too."
"How can you be so sure, Master?"
"Oh, I'm just guessing. But my guesses when it comes to the council tend to be correct. Scheming circle of…"
He didn't get to finish his sentence as a wave tossed the boat into the air, then slammed it back into the crest of another wave. The bow crashed through the wave taking on all of its water. The boat filled quickly and the weight of the sea began dragging it down. Black waves continued to pound them as the boat slowly began its descent into the sea.
Obi-Wan felt to make sure his breather was handy and within reach, but he didn't grab for it. He figured by the time he took his right hand off of his Qui-Gon's shoulder, that would be long enough for him to quickly tumble to his death. By keeping his hands where they were, it guaranteed a nice slow agonizing death.
"Wait, that's not right. It's the opposite of what I would like to achieve."
"What are you talking about, Obi-Wan?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing. Just a few morbid thoughts passing through my head right now."
"I don't think it's our time yet, Padawan." The boat lurched forward, but the weight of the water it had taken on caused the lurch to be less dramatic than before. The water had reached the rear of the cabin, leaving the Jedi knee deep. "Or perhaps it is our time."
"Master, this cannot be happening. We are trained Jedi. Jedi do not sink slowly to their deaths in floating death traps made of twigs. That's just wrong. Didn't you read adventure holo novels when you were an apprentice? Those Jedi were heroes. They never died…like this. This is so unbecoming of what we are."
"What would you suggest, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon glanced at the water, now up to his waist.
The engine of the boat made a loud pounding sound, backfired five times, then exploded into a ball of fire, which the salt water quickly doused.
"Um."
"That's what I thought."
A strange sound came from in front of them, followed by a lot of yelling. The captain screamed something and popped his head out of the rear cabin door.
"Aye ya! Bala! Ye na gonna take ma down wit ya theez time! BALA BALA BALA!"
Then he disappeared again.
Qui-Gon frowned. "That was interesting." His words were halted when the sinking boat came to a sudden and violent stop. They were thrown against the outside of the cabin walls. Obi-Wan's head slammed against the cleat that he'd been holding with his left hand. More blood. He suddenly felt very lightheaded
"Master…"
"I have you, Obi-Wan." The padawan had lost his hold when he hit his head, and began sliding away from Qui-Gon. The big Jedi had grabbed the boy under the arms and held him securely while also holding tight to the cabin. The boat's rocking had stopped. The sinking had stopped. In fact water seemed to be draining out of the boat. With no waves around them or above them, the skies were indeed blue. Breathtaking blue.
A few more shouts, then the captain leaned out of the cabin once more.
"We hea, Jedi. Ya ken git off ma boat. I be pickin' ya up en a few days when ya return ta tha main isle."
Qui-Gon stared at the man. "I don't suppose you might bring a bigger boat next time?"
"Nah. Don be needin' a bigga boat. But ya kin ask fer a ride unda tha wata. We ha subcraft tha dive deep. Ride a bit smoota when ya go unda."
"You wait until now to tell us this?"
"Sorra, but ya didn' ask. Na, git offa ma boat." And he turned his small crazy blue-skinned, six eyed self away from them and vanished into his cabin.
With an arm still supporting Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon heard the young man moan. He had his feet under him, but his knees wouldn't lock into position to move. At least he was conscious, and not completely dead weight.
"Obi-Wan, come on. I see dry land only a few feet from here. Looks like you've got two nasty cuts now. I'll see about them once we are settled. Come on, get your legs straight."
After a few minutes, he managed a semi-upright position. Good enough to support most of his own frame, although his master still had an arm around his shoulders should he lose his balance. Which he did as soon as they stepped onto the island. Seemed he still had his sea legs, and couldn't find his land legs. Qui-Gon sat him down on the sandy beach out of reach of the waves. Gently he slapped his hands on either side of the boy's face.
"Obi-Wan, look at me."
"Huh?" The blue-green eyes were clear but unfocused.
Another round of easy slaps before he got more the type of response he sought.
"Master, why are you hitting me?"
"I am trying to focus you. How do you feel?"
"Like I just went ten rounds with a Sith lord." Obi-Wan finished off his sentence with a roll to his side. Then threw up the last remaining contents of his stomach. Looking at Qui-Gon, he blinked several times. "Okay, I'm better now."
"You shouldn't lie to your master, Padawan. Get up." He pulled him to his feet and walked him towards the meeting point for the mission. A small hut in the center of the main village.
A small blue thing shuffled out of the hut and glared up at them. It also had six eyes, no teeth and a crazed look. Unlike Captain Loonaki, this one had a thin layer of blue fir skirting its blue skin.
Obi-Wan couldn't help himself. "Master, it's another one. Please don't let him put us on a boat. Please."
"Hush, Padawan." His eyes took in the little being standing in front of them. It was a sort-of humanoid, other than the six eyes thing and the fact that it was about three feet tall, and it's feet and hands looked more like fingered flippers than actual hands. It spoke in an accent similar to Captain Loonaki's.
"Ya mus be tha Jedi. 'Bout time ya ga hea. I am Chief Krazenis."
"Oh, no." Obi-Wan let out before he was hushed again.
"Ya gonna be heah fa fer days. Ya sleep en tha hut ova theah next ta tha anima pen. Ya get use ta tha smell, don ya be worryin' none. And tha won be bitin' ya none eitha. Can't say tha same fer tha flies. Tha been waitin' fer huma blood. Tha gonna like em some Jedi. Go na. We meet en tha mernin', first light. Ya late an we burn ya hut ta tha groun, wit ya en it. An I ain't jokin' none."
With a humph, he spun and waddled back into his hut, leaving the Jedi standing in the middle of the village looking completely befuddled.
Qui-Gon shook his head. "That was perhaps the strangest thing I've ever met."
"And his name is Chief Craziness. This is bad, Master. This is very very bad. Let's just leave in the middle of the night. We can swim back."
"And be eaten by one of their deep-dwelling monster legends? I don't think so."
"Those aren't true, Master. It's like those stories that our crèche masters used to tell to scare us. Monsters of the deep. Monsters of the forest. All nonsense."
"Right. Well, at least we don't meet until tomorrow morning. That'll give you time to rest."
Obi-Wan was helped to their hut. Inside was nothing. Just ground, mostly sand with a few stray blades of grass poking through.
"Um, where do we um…ah…"
The master took a step back outside for a moment. Then returned quickly. "The woods behind us?"
"I told you we should have gone back, Master. Captain Loony almost had us killed coming through the Sea of Death on the Boat from Hell. Then Chief Crazy threatens to burn us alive or feed us to the flies if we are late to the meeting. And now we have only sand to sleep on and woods to… You know, Master, this whole Jedi thing is vastly overrated at times."
"Yes, it is. But it is what we are. We've been though a great deal so far in our five years together, Obi-Wan. I don't suppose four days here will kill us."
"No, that'll be the boat ride home."
"You may as well find a comfortable spot on the sand and lie down for a while. Your words are a little slurred. Probably a small concussion. Try and sleep it off. I'll wake you in the morning. I'll see if I can find some type of food as well. I don't see anyone volunteering anything edible."
"I don't even want to think about food right now, Master," Obi-Wan said as he knelt down, then tried to get comfortable lying on his back. Then his stomach. Then his side. The walls of the hut were solid, so he tried leaning against one of those instead. Not comfortable either.
Finally he settled on his side, and despite the discomfort, was sound asleep in a matter of minutes.
Qui-Gon watched over him for a moment before venturing into the village, hoping to retrieve a few supplies for their stay.
The village was larger than he'd anticipated. There were hidden turns and crevices that led to at least a hundred tiny huts. One path took him to what appeared to be a market. Tens of small blue creatures shambled here and there, zipping with uncanny speed from one place to another. None seemed to pay him any mind. If they noticed him, they gave no indication.
Qui-Gon spotted a small, what appeared to be fruit-cart. There were brightly colored ornaments stacked neatly, looking extremely edible. An even tinier blue creature popped out from behind the cart startling the Jedi. Kneeling down, Qui-Gon addressed the curious thing. It was about eighteen inches tall and it's blue fir and skin was a lighter shade than the others. Perhaps it was younger. Although – and Master Yoda came to mind - the Jedi knew more than to assume that tiny meant young. That damn evil troll that had gotten he and his apprentice into this to begin with. But that was for another time. He addressed the creature.
"Hello. I am Ambassador Qui-Gon Jinn. May I purchase some of your food?"
"Ye, Jedi. Na eata ma fud. Ye gotz te ge Meetah te help ye. I only a babe, ye kna."
"Meetah?"
The petite creature let out a wail that seemed to echo through the entire island. Qui-Gon had to cover his ears the high-pitched cry was so intense. It could have passed for a warning siren on Coruscant.
Seconds after the shriek ended another blue thing was at the little one's side. Must be Meetah, Jinn thought.
"Blech! Jedi. Wha ye wan?"
"Food, if I may. My apprentice and I are here for several days. We will need food to sustain us during that time. We were not advised to bring it with us."
"Ye ga ta talk ta Chief Krazenis. Canna give ye fud unless he sa. Go na. Ye bad fa business. Go go go!"
Arching an eyebrow at the reaction, the big man stood and walked away. He tried a few other food carts but was greeted with the same reaction each time. Finally he submitted and returned to the hut to check on Obi-Wan.
The boy was sleeping quietly. Qui-Gon was glad of that. The injuries could have been much more serious. Rest would do him well. And since there was no reason to actually be awake right now, it was another reason to sleep. The master settled onto the sand next to his apprentice. The size of the hut barely allowed his long frame to stretch out, but he managed. There was no way they could remain on this island for four days without having some type of sustenance in their systems. The animals in the pen next to their hut would soon begin to look very appetizing.
Tbc…
