Quest

part 1
The Weak


This has absolutely nothing to do with my regular series. It is a off-the-wall plotline (which made it all the more fun because no-one was expecting it! :) Jar Jar and the Gungan race - except the one I created -- belongs to George Lucas. The rest belong to me.

He stepped out of the ship and breathed the cool air of the morning. Even amidst the smell of oil and metal from the surrounding machinery, he smelled mist and pure water. He loved Naboo. Ever since he'd visited here as a boy, he'd been gripped with the urge to stay forever. But then, Hali Jonareh had not had the means to come back. Any opportunity that showed itself through the cracks during his childhood had been eliminated when he became a man, struggling to find something to do with his life. He had chosen solar archaelogy, a career and academy major that took him far beyond his home planet, Coruscant. He loved every minute away from home, especially now that he was *here*.

Hali was hailed by a pilot stepping over with others in tow - humans and a Gungan. The pilot beckoned the group to start carrying equipment out of the ship's cargo hold. They'd been expecting Hali an hour later, but his droid, O3T (snobbish as it was smart) had charted a shortcut that saved them more time.

"Hey watch it, Gungan!" one of the crew members yelled as the alien nearly dropped his end of the heavy wooden chest on a man's foot.

"Sowwy, sowwy," the creature muttered and struggled to lift the chest as high as the other man was. Hali observed how thin and scrawny-looking the Gungan was. It was younger than any of the men and meeker than the legendary race of warriors he had expected. He couldn't even imagine this Gungan as a footsoldier.

"That's only Jar Jar. Comes here ever so often either to muck around with humans or to do some jobs," the pilot said, seeing Hali at his observation. "So, is the rest of your crew hiding or still asleep?"

"Oh," said Hali, embarrassed. "I hope it isn't that droid again. Please just wait one minute!"

Hali walked quickly up the rampart and sure enough, O3T was responsible for his crew's delay.

"Master Jonareh has not given you permission to depart from the ship," the droid stated.

"Let us through, dammit! Before I rip out your circuits and tie them around your head!" a young woman was yelling at the droid. Behind her waited four other impatient crew members.

"Master Jonareh has not given you permission to rip out my circuits and tie them around my head," the droid stated in reply.

"Just walk past him, Alexis, what's he gonna do? Beep us to death?"

The young man who had spoken attempted to pass the droid only to recieve a zap in the stomach.

"I repeat, Master Jonareh has not given you permission --"

"O3T, that's enough," said Hali. "I give you my permission to leave the ship."

"Thank you, Master Jonareh," said the droid, beginning to wheel down the rampart. "Yeah, 'Master Jonareh', thanks alot," muttered the young man following the droid. "Kad, it's not Hali's fault that O3T has his circuits shoved up the wrong input," Alexis admonished.

Kad rolled his eyes but nodded an apology to Jonareh as he passed him. Hali sighed inaudibly. Kad had been sullen to the point of being disrespectful since the day he met him. He wondered why he'd let Kad be a part of the team, then dismissed it. Kad's career was clean, so there was no reason to kick him off for a mere attitude problem. There was, however, a certain air about him that made Hali uneasy.

"Excuse me," Kad snapped shoving past the Gungan, Jar Jar.

"How wude," muttered Jar Jar.

"I *said* 'excuse me', what more do you want?" Kad growled. In one of his dark moods again, I see, Hali thought disapprovingly. Jar Jar did not meet Kad's eyes. He meekly walked to the ship to help unload the rest of the field equipment.

"Hedo," he said to Alexis who was busy writing something into her data pad. He peered curiously at the device she held in her hands.

"Yeah, what can I do for --" Alexis stopped when she looked up and saw Jar Jar for the first time. "Whoa, what are you?"

Jar Jar gave a snort of surprise and indignance. First he'd been snapped at, now he was being studied like a zoo animal. "Mesa called Ja Ja Binks. My is not a *thing*," he said in an offended tone. He bent to pick up a box, then walked away not looking back. Alexis was dumbfounded.

"Whoa, wait, I didn't mean--"

"Let him go, miss," said the same pilot who had first talked to Hali. "He's a bit sensitive. He'll get over it."

"What is he? I've never seen his race before."

Hali smiled. Alexis had never come to Naboo in her life. She had yet to learn about the different species across the galaxies - so far she'd just started in on this profession. In fact, she wouldn't be here at all if her father had not fallen ill and asked her to take his place and record pictures of any findings.

The first archaeological team sent to the Keyla Gunga Temple ruins had never reported back to base. They'd been found scattered a few years later, but were reluctant to state all that had befallen them and broken them up. Each one had different stories - no one account matched up with another. The warning they'd all given was mutual, however: don't go into that area . . . don't search for that place . . . or if you have to search for it, don't find it.

"He's a Gungan. They're native to this planet. It's debated over whether they were here before humans colonized Naboo."

"So he must know where --" Alexis was cut off as Hali squeezed her arm gently, reminding her not to say their destination out loud. Before the pilot could ask what she was about to say, Hali took him aside.

"Do you think you can convince Jar Jar to be our guide? We need to travel through the swamp to do a recorded document on the peko peko. He may know some fine nesting places and how to steer clear of swamp predators. I remember those Vermonk rather too well for my taste."

"Well, I think Jar Jar's a bit scrawny to defend you against Vermonks," laughed the pilot. Hali didn't laugh. The pilot cleared his throat, self-concsciously. "You may want to ask him yourself. Jar Jar doesn't know me all that well. I just know more about him from the others. They asked him why he doesn't hang out with his own kind," the pilot said, lowering his voice, although there was no need to because of the clanging machinery and shouts of men all around, "And he said he was banished. Didn't say why. We all have our own theories. Most likely he killed someone by accident - that kid's a deadly jinx with just about any job you give him. Even washing windows isn't safe for him. I remember one time --"

"Thank you for your help, sir. I'll talk to him," Hali said, cutting the pilot off. He was starting to dislike the man. As a boy he'd always admired Gungans, even though he'd only seen them from a distance or in the illustrations of storybooks. This one, Jar Jar, weak or thin or clumsy as he was, was no less deserving of his respect.

Hali walked toward where he'd last seen Jar Jar. A resounding crash led him right to the Gungan who was now pitifully trying to explain that he didn't mean to drop the heavy crate on the spare windshield but was not able to get a word through since another pilot was yelling curses at him. Hali put himself between the two before the scene got ugly.

"Can we talk for a moment?" Hali asked Jar Jar.

"Mesa?"

"Yes. Let's go over here." They walked briskly away from the whole scenario and when they were at a safe distance, Jar Jar sighed in relief.

"Hey, tanks. Yous hepped me outta one bery sticky sichu-asion."

"Don't mention it. I need your help."

"Wha? Yous got mur stuff in dat ship dat wesa gotta carry somewhere?"

"No, that's not what I mean. We're going into the swamps of Keyla. Could you be our guide?"

"My heard lotsa spooki-tales about dat place . . . uh . . . ohhh, my not know . . . " muttered Jar Jar uneasily. His stomach rumbled and he grimaced in pain. Hali looked concerned.

"When have you last eaten? You look half-starved."

"Yesterday mornin'."

"Yester --?! That's about twenty-eight hours without food, Jar Jar, and you're doing heavy labor besides. Why aren't they feeding you?"

"My was sick . . . berry sick not too long-ago. Couldn survive on me own an, my couldn' go back ta Otah Gunga. Dey do bad tings ta my if my returnin der. So my walked here, to dis spaceport. Nearly died hersa too. Got thin. Weak. Couldn' keep anyting solid down - only watta. Da pilots took my to da hospital an my stay der till I get betta - like now. Dey nice, but dey not feedin mesa for free here. My gotta earn. Lately, my be causin too much trubble and havin axi-dents wit da machinery. Dey not be happy wit mesa, nossir."

"So the damage is taken out of your wages when you make mistakes, and then, you can't pay for food?"

"Uh-huh."

"I would be willing to pay you to be our guide."

"Pay mesa?"

"Yes."

"Dat sounds berry berry good . . . although dat place is cursed . . . but I got no money an no food . . ." Jar Jar was struggling with the choice. His stomach cramped again painfully and he made up his mind. "My take da job. Der's gonna be bombad trubbles ahead . . . my jus warnin yous."

"You may leave at the first sign of danger."

"Wha? I not strandin yousa if yousa bein in trubble! What kinda guide would dat be?"

Hali smiled. "Then you'll stay with us the whole way no matter what?"

"Yep. As long as yousa promise not ta do anyting stupiddens."

"I think I can promise you that."

"Deal, then." Jar Jar held out his greasy hand. "Oops." He grinned and wiped it off on his trousers. "Here," he said, offering his hand again, which didn't look all that much cleaner. Unable to surpress an amused grin, Hali shook it anyway.
* * *

Alexis walked alongside the Gungan in silence. She wondered at his appearance and how he lived and was full of questions to ask. However, she'd already insulted him once. "Uh . . . look, Jar Jar?"

"Yes?"

He didn't seem to be still angry at her. That was a good sign. "I'm sorry if I offended you. It's just that I've never seen a member of your race before. You're the first I've met."

"Rilly? My thought yousa were one of da Naboo humons. So, yous nevva been here?"

"No." Alexis was relieved they were having a decent conversation. "This is my first visit. My father is an archaeologist, but he couldn't make it for the expedition. So he sent me."

"Spake wat? Yur father is a . . . archi-olo-wat?" Jar Jar grinned sheepishly, unable to repeat what she had said.

Before Alexis could answer, O3T chimed in. "Archaeologist -- a career that consists of determining the origin of races within and without the galaxy, discovering lost treasures and ruins of ancient civilizations--"

"Thank you O3T, that's quite enough," Alexis said, humorlessly. But the droid didn't stop there.

"--documenting different animate and inanimate objects native to planets within or without the galaxy," O3T droned on. "Determining the lifestyles and--"

"Would you kindly shut up?"

"--culture of otherwise forgotten civilizations --"

"Lemme rephrase that. Either shut up or learn how to swim."

O3T shut up with a series of beeps and rolled ahead to study some plant life. Jar Jar giggled. Alexis looked at him in amusement.

"What? You think that was funny?" she asked with a smile.

"Mooie mooie!" Jar Jar coughed to mask his laughter when Kad turned around to look at him sideways. Jar grinned back sheepishly. Kad rolled his eyes and continued on.

Alexis was also having trouble keeping a straight face.

"Well, I meant it. O3T is the most annoying, stuck up tin bucket that ever existed."

"Ah well. Mebbe it turn out we be needin his, eh? Whosa knows?"

"Need him for what? A dictionary on wheels is hardly something we can depend on in this place. If one of those Vermonks attacked, he'd probably just sit there and state the thing's scientific name."

Jar Jar burst out laughing again, and this time, Alexis joined him. They walked on, oblivious to the brooding mist swirling behind them, blocking any view of the way out.
* * *

Dinner that night was delicious as Jar Jar stated, licking his fingers. He looked much better than when they had started out, Hali observed. He was less pale and his eyes were bright with curiousity at the equipment the team had brought with them. Even now he was up and poking about.

"Whatsa dis?" Jar asked, reaching out to touch the device in Kad's hand.

"You are really getting annoying," Kad muttered, but he explained to Jar Jar anyway that it was a hand-held chemical-tracer and that he was using it to see if there was anything that may help point the way to the Keyla Gunga Temple.

"Huh. Weirdin. Why yousa hire me if dat ting ken show yous da way?"

"Good question," snapped Kad. "But I guess Hali doesn't trust machinery as much as I do. You're kinda the backup plan in case something or someone trashes our equipment."

"Why woud anybotty do dat?"

"You said this place was haunted. Whether or not by spooks, we may not be alone here. Whatever caused the other teams to fail may still be around waiting for us."

Jar Jar gulped. "I-I tink I'm gonna go talk wit Mista Hali for a whiles. Bui."

"See ya 'round," Kad muttered, his mind set on the device in front of him.

Hali Jonareh looked up from his keypad as Jar Jar sat next to him. "Hedo."

"Something troubling you?" Hali asked, noticing Jar's expression.

"Oh, nuttin. Nuttin atall, nossir."

"You look like you have a million questions to ask me," Hali spoke, as he resumed typing into his keypad.

"Jus one fer now. Wesa gonna get outta dis alive you tink?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Wellasee, Kad tinks der's sometin afta us. An my 'fraid he's right."

They were silent for a moment. Hali switched off his keypad. "You can leave, you know. If you like."

Jar Jar refused at once. "My promis-ed!" he said indignantly. He had already told Hali that he wouldn't strand them on his honor. Didn't this man believe him? Was he acting cowardly? Jar Jar gave a small sigh of frustration.What was wrong with him? Gungans were supposed to be fearless warriors.

As if sensing his distress, Hali smiled and put a hand on Jar Jar's shoulder. "Listen, friend. You are not obliged to do anything you don't want to do. If there's danger, then there's no need for you to sacrifice your life for our task. If things should get out of hand, then go."

Jar Jar shook his head, his ears swiveling with the motion. "Nah-uh. My not leavin yous."

"May I ask why the sudden change of attitude?"

The Gungan was silent for a while, then he spoke with his amber-gold eyes averted toward the ground. "Cause yousa be needin me. An . . . well . . . no-one needen Ja Ja Binks. Evva. Dis bein probby da first time sombotty ask fer my hep. Mebbe even da las time. If my leave now . . . my nevva gonna fo'give meself for not stayin with yous. Yous be treatin mesa wit a lotta respect dat my normally no be gettin. My sooner not be throwin all dat 'way by runnin. Sowwy if dat's not a goot ansa, but dat's wat Ja Ja be feelin right-about-nows."

Hali looked down upon the young Gungan who sat with his arms hugging his knees to his chest. It was a position that seemed to suggest loneliness and rejection had played major roles in Jar Jar's life. "There is no good or bad answer to that question, Jar Jar. I wanted the truth and you gave it to me. Thank you for helping us," Hali said gently.

"Tanks fer askin," was the soft reply.

"The sun will set in just an hour. I suggest we get ready to turn in."

"Keday . . . ah, Hali sir? It be wise ta set up watchin person about dese parts. In case sometin is afta us."

"That may be a good idea," agreed Hali.

"My not tired yet," Jar Jar offered.

"Are you sure?" The Gungan nodded. "Allright. You have first watch. Kad will relieve you."

"Sounds goot ta mesa." Jar Jar got up and stretched his lanky body. Hali watched him walk away with a sad, distant smile and turned back to his keypad.
* * *

Alexis couldn't, for the life of her, get to sleep. She was just too eager to wait until morning. While the others around her grumbled or snored in sleep, she lay with her eyes wide open, gazing up at the sky. Away from any artificial light, the stars blanketed the sky and the crescent moon gave a ghost-like glow to the plant life surrounding the camp. Alexis heard a soft tuneless humming coming from one end of the camp. She sat up and kicked the covers off her legs and feet.

The cold on her flesh startled her and she almost grabbed the covers back up for warmth. But she forced herself to stand up and walk toward the sound. If she thought the swamp air was chilly, it was nothing compared to how icy the ground was beneath her bare feet. She winced as she felt her feet get numb from the cold. If she stepped on a sharp rock at this point, she wouldn't notice.

A figure was bent over something and singing softly. It sang in a language Alexis didn't understand and had never heard before. Goosebumps ran along her arms and legs. She picked up a branch to use as a weapon in case the form before her belonged to a would-be menacer. She stepped forward as if in a dream, the branch raised like a club. Abruptly, she stepped on a twig and its crack seemed to reverberate throughout the swamp.

The figure leapt up and spun around. Alexis gasped, startled, threw the branch up in the air and ducked to the ground with her hands over her head, trembling all over. She would be disgusted at her behavior later on, but at the moment, her heart was racing and she was afraid.

"Yousa okeday, Lexi?"

Alexis opened on eye and looked up. Jar Jar stood over her. She could make out his gold eyes reflecting the light of the moon above. "Jar Jar, you scared the hell out of me," she confessed, getting up, unsteadily. Her feet were completely numb and due to this, they felt like lead weights.

"Huh?" Jar Jar was confused. How could he have frightened her so badly? He hadn't done anything.

"Actually, I think I scared the hell outta myself. I thought you were a -"

"Ghostie? Heh, no. Mesa Ja Ja, an everytin okeday now."

Alexis smiled, her hand across her chest, feeling her heart slow down into its normal rate. "I guess I just have an overactive imagination."

"Dat's one ob my problems too. Always tinken sometin bad afta my."

Jar Jar showed her what he had been doing. Two large mussels were all clean of mud. All that was left was to pry them open and scoop out the meat. "Dis is braikfast fer tomorrow. Shoud keep dem alive until yous gonna eat dem, othawise, dey taste not-so-good," he explained. "Mussels plenty bouts dis place. We nevva gonna run outta food as long as Ja Ja bein around."

Alexis reached out to touch one of the mussels and upon doing so, pulled her hand back quickly. "Yick. They're shiny and smooth in the light, but when I touched it . . . it's hard and coarse. How do they look inside?"

"Like um . . . well . . . der's a bunch ob really soft white stuff and dat's da meat. Tis where der vulnerable. Yous gotta be careful when dey open an live, though. Gotta hold open tight, or dey snap yous tongue . . . ouchie . . ."

Alexis grinned. "I can just imagine you with one of these things hanging off your tongue."

"Nuh-uh! Dat no gonna happen ta mesa eber again!" Jar Jar said, shaking his head vigorously.

With a giggle, Alexis tilted her head back and looked up at the sky again. "It sure must be beautiful to live out here."

"Yeah. 'Scept when you haf to." Alexis looked over at Jar Jar in surprise. "If my coud go back home, den mebbe mesa be enjoyin dis place mur often. Tis beautiful, tho, sur."

"I'm sorry. I forgot you were banished," Alexis murmured.

Jar Jar shrugged nonchalantly. "Made a few stoopid mistakes. Da Bosses, dey get mad and sent me 'way."

Alexis and Jar Jar were silent for a while. "You know," said Alexis, "I'm kinda banished too."

"Rilly?"

Alexis nodded. "My father sent me here to keep me occupied. He isn't ill. That's just pretense. I know because he's been ill whenever he and I were to go someplace together. He doesn't want me around."

"But Hali spaked --"

"Hali told you and the others what I told him. What I told him isn't the truth. It's a lie to make the truth less obvious."

Jar Jar cocked his head and looked at Alexis who was still gazing at the stars. "He walked out on Mom and me before I could walk. Said he loved us, but his work was too important to be dragged down by a kid and wife. And that his job was risky and he couldn't support us. Said he was doing a favor by walking out on us. Don't get me wrong, my dad is a great man. Just not a great father. When Mom died, I went to live with him. He always promised me we'd do fun things and he'd talk with me more often, but I rarely saw him unless I got up before dawn or stayed up till after midnight. Even then, he was busy with his work. I wanted to help him, but he never let me. I read his books and he taught me some things, but he never really talked to me like I was his daughter. It was more like I was a kid just hanging around his house like a charity case. He sent me here because he sensed how I was growing up. This expedition wasn't important to him anyway. He said he had other stuff to do. I just don't know what's with him anymore."

"Are yous gonna go back?" Jar Jar asked, quietly.

"Maybe, if just to give him his documents and say good bye."

"Yous coud stay here in Naboo."

"Really? Think I'd have any chance of surviving these swamps?" Alexis jested. Jar Jar perked up. Would she possibly be interested in staying with him?

"If mesa ken do it, so ken yous. We bein less lonely if wesan tagetha, Lexi," he said eagerly.

"No. I . . . I'm too much of a city girl to ever live out here. I appreciate the offer, but as cool as this place is to hike in, I can't possibly live here."

"In da city den?" Jar Jar was still hopeful.

Alexis heard now what Jar Jar was really asking. "Jar Jar, wherever I go, I will come back to visit you. I promise."

Jar Jar blinked. How do women do that? he wondered. He grinned. "Yous rilly come backie all dis way for me?"

"Sure. I better get back to bed. I get grumpy when I don't sleep much."

"My be sleepin too pritty soon. Kad takes da next watch."

"Well then, I'll meet you in dreams for now, I guess." Alexis patted his shoulder. "Good night. Oh, and about calling me Lexi . . ."

Jar Jar started. "My won't if yous don wan mesa too."

"No no, please do. My mom used to call me that. It's nice to hear again."

"Kay. G'nightie."

Alexis padded off, the mist filling the place where she had sat beside him. Jar Jar wondered uneasily if it was an omen.

* * *

"Time to awaken," droned O3T. Jar Jar groaned, refusing to emerge from beneath his blanket.

"Huh? Sun up?" he muttered, groggily.

"This planetary system's sun is not yet above the horizon."

"Ohhh, den lemme 'lone. Go an documen plant tings or somfin." Jar Jar rolled over on his stomach and stuffed his head under his pillow, effectively drowning out O3T's reply.

"Very well. Documenting Gungan life form of planet Naboo. Dowloading first preliminary blood sample." O3T extended one if it's appendages toward Jar Jar's sleeping body. The end had a needle attached to it. Jar Jar's arm was out from underneath the blanket so the droid without a second's hesitation stuck the needle into Jar Jar's flesh. The results were extraordinary. "Hey, wat yous - OWWWW!!" Jar Jar yanked his arm away. The needle came with it. Alarmed, O3T rolled back a few feet. Jar Jar sat up and scuttled backwards from the droid, glaring at it fiercely.

"What's going on?" demanded Alexis, awakened by Jar Jar's cries.

Breathlessly, Jar Jar pointed at the droid then, with a small whimper, presented his arm to Alexis. The needle was still sticking out of it.

" O3T! What came over you?" Alexis chided, whirling on the droid.

"I was given an order to document life forms. Gungan guide was closest life-form to begin analysis. Objected strongly to blood test."

"Ow . . . " Jar Jar moaned as Alexis pulled out the needle.

"I'm sorry. Damn droid. It won't happen again," she assured him, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. A small bruise would probably form, but other than that, he would be fine.

"What the hell just happened?" demanded Kad, angry at having been woken up.

"Nothing. Just a bit of morning excitement." Alexis helped Jar Jar to his feet.

"Uh, my betta get braikfast ready," Jar Jar said, uncomfortable to stay around Kad much longer. Alexis didn't seem to be afraid of Kad, but Jar Jar had a bad feeling about him now. He didn't quite know why.

"Well whatever it was, it got me up too early. It better not happen again," Kad snapped at Jar Jar and Alexis before striding off.

"Whoa . . . what was that all about?" Alexis murmured. Jar Jar shrugged.

* * *

"Damn!" Kad cursed pulling a branch from his clothes. Directly in front of him, Jar Jar tried to ignore him as best as he could. "Why are you making us walk this way? This isn't even a path! We've been walking through this stupid undergrowth for two hours and getting nowhere!"

"Yous dinna rilly tink dis was gonna be easy, eh? If da Temple nebber been found, how yous 'expect der ta be a path leadin to it?"

"Don't give me that crap. You said you know where it is, so there must be a path."

"Isa nevva spaked dat my knew whare it was."

"Then where are you leading us?!"

"To da heart o da swamps. Whare it probably tis." Jar Jar was starting to get annoyed by this rude human. He was miffed that Hali had kept Alexis in the back of the expedition with him to conversate. He knew it might be an important conversation, but he missed her company ruefully. Kad was not a pleasant traveling companion at all.

"How do you reckon it's there?" Kad demanded, his tone changing to that of eagerness.

Jar Jar was surprised at the change in attitude, but decided not to comment on it. "Cause once my went der. Jus ta explore. Der were lotsa legends bout dat place an my was curious."

"And what did you find?"

"Traps. Already sprung traps, an dat's da only reason my saw dem. I dinna dare go any further. Der might've been mur."

Kad stopped in his tracks. Jar Jar kept walking ahead, making his way through the undergrowth. "Whoa, wait just a minute, this place is supposed to be booby trapped? What kind of traps?" Kad asked, hurrying forward to keep up with Jar Jar.

"Um . . . nets . . . spears . . . an skulls. Dat's all my remember about what mesa saw," Jar Jar said, after a moment's recollection.

Kad looked uneasy. "Skulls?" he muttered, now trudging less enthusiastically after Jar Jar.

To Be Continued . . .