Chapter 6
DISCALIMER: the multiverse theory also suggests that in another number of universes I am Luke. Or Kat. Or Threepio even.
"Yeah, that's Dagobah, Artoo... looks a little grim doesn't it..." Luke glared ahead at the planet he was now approaching. Artoo beeped his reply. "... No, I'm not gonna change my mind about this. I'm not picking up any cities or technology..." he took a look at his scanners. "... Massive life form readings, though."
"I don't like this, Luke." His commlink buzzed. "Neither does Seefor. I have a funny feeling tickling me… something elusive."
"Don't worry," Luke started to prepare for his landing. "If I lose you just make sure to look for someone called Yoda."
He could imagine Kat all confused with that frown prying on her forehead. "Well, I'm blaming you if I die."
Now it was Luke's turn to roll his eyes.
Artoo's beeping was translated onto Luke's screen. "There's something alive down there." He replied. "... Yes, I'm sure it's perfectly safe for droids. Will you take it easy?... I guess I imagined a landing beacon. We'll just have to go in and see what happens… Don't worry!"
"Here goes everything…" he heard Kat over the commlink as he watched her ship enter the atmosphere first.
Luke had to be careful. It was difficult steering the ship through the atmosphere or the strange, new planet. He had difficulty seeing where he was going through the clouds and panicked at the alarm sounding, which also caused Artoo to beep and whistle frantically.
"I know, I know! All the scopes are dead! I can't see a thing!" he told the droid. "Hang on, I'm going to start the landing cycle. Let's just hope there's something underneath us…"
The sound of the retro rockets were deafening to Luke. Artoo's whistling could barely be heard. Cracking sounds could be heard as the X-Wing descended through the trees, and a sudden halt jolted the ship, water surrounding Luke and Artoo.
Luke took a breath of relief as he realised he hadn't died.
Artoo let out a rattled little beep which showed up on the translation screen.
"Yeah, I'm all right." He replied. "You still in one piece?... Good." He pressed the button to his commlink. "Kat? Kat, are you ok? Are you safe?" his heart skipped a beat when there was no reply and only a small buzz. He prayed to the Maker that only her communications had been knocked out, or his, and nothing more.
"Come on, I think we're sinking." He pulled a switch making his canopy open.
Luke stepped out of the X-Wing and surveyed the area. It was murky and muddy, the mist made it hard to see and huge, twisted trees, vines and bats were everywhere. It had felt like he was in some sort of hostile fantasy land.
Artoo let out a few short beeps, then wheeled himself forward, somewhat losing his balance and disappearing with a splash into the water along the way.
"Artoo!" Luke cried out. He panicked again as he frantically scanned the surface of the water until a small blue and white periscope popped up.
"Artoo," Luke scolded as Artoo looked up at him. "That way." He pointed towards the shore. The periscope turned in that direction and headed for the edge of the swamp.
Luke, on his way to the shore, felt a warming feeling within his stomach. He smiled at how he could feel that he hadn't actually lost Kat.
He could feel her life Force. She was alive, somewhere, but obviously not nearby.
Behind Artoo, an ominous black creature made its way to its next prey, in the hopes of getting a catch.
Whatever it was, it swam up behind Artoo and dived, creating a loud clunk and Artoo had disappeared. "Artoo!" this time loom took out his blaster pistol, not daring to shoot, just in case.
A few bubbles began to appear, and before long Artoo was shot out of the water, screaming as he was flung into the nearby foliage.
"Artoo?" Luke ran up to him. "Are you alright? Come on…" he hauled Artoo back upright as he beeped his response.
"If you said coming here was a bad idea, I'm beginning to agree with you."
Luke shivered slightly, feeling that the cold was starting to get to him and sat down next to the astromech.
"Oh, Artoo, what are we doing here?" Luke started to complain. "I dunno, it's like, something out of a dream or…" he started to clean the muck of the droid. "or maybe I'm just going crazy. I need Kat, wherever she landed."
Just as Luke had said that, Artoo spurt out mud and muck from his dome, as if confirming that something madder than him existed.
Luke had set up a camp near the swamp here his X-Wing was slowly sinking. He'd magaed to rig a transfer cable between his starfighter and the camp so he could charge R2-D2.
Luke no longer had his flight jumpsuit on, wearing an explorer jacket and hiking pants instead.
"You ready for some power?" he asked the little droid, which replied with many fast beeps.
He plugged the power cable into Artoo, then sat down on a supply container starting off on his rations pack.
"Now all I have to do is find this Yoda... if he even exists." He frowned. "But we need to find Kat and Seefor first. I'm fairly sure they're safe. Kat can survive on her own… I think." He grimaced at his ill-tasting food.
"This seems like a strange place to find a Jedi Master. Gives me the creeps." He took a bite into his food. "Still… There's something familiar about this place. I feel like..."
"Feel like what?"
Luke nearly jumped out of his skin as he reached for his blaster, turned around to see a tiny creature sitting behind him.
"Ah!" the little thing shielded himself with his arms.
"Like we're being watched." Luke concluded.
"Away put your weapon! I mean you no harm!" he spoke in the most peculiar voice.
The little, old… thing… was no more than two feet tall. When he moved his arm, Luke could see the old, glistening eyes of the creature, giving away a hint of mischief.
After some hesitation, Luke put away his blaster.
"I am wondering; why are you here?" the green creature tilted his head in confusion.
"I'm looking for someone." Luke cautiously said.
"Looking?! Found someone, I'd say, you have. Hmm?"
Luke tried his hardest not to laugh. "Yeah..."
"Help you, I can. Yes, yes."
"I'm looking for a great warrior."
"Great warrior?" the creature shook his head. "Wars make one not great!" he laughed in the strangest way as he used his stick to help him walk into Luke's camp.
"Get away from there…" Luke realised the situation he was in now as the little man picked up his food and started eating away.
"Hey, that's my dinner!" Luke took the container away from him before he could eat anymore.
"Peewh! How you get so big, eating food of this kind?"
"Listen, friend, we didn't mean to land here, and if I could get my fighter out of this puddle would," he took one look at the ration bar the creature took a bite out of and tossed it away. "but I can't. And I have no idea where Kat is, so..."
"Can't get your ship out? Lost your prancing cat, have you? Aww…"
"No, Kat's my- hey!" he turned around to see the crazy little man on top of a table digging through his supplies.
"Gimme that!" Luke managed to snatch an important power device before it was thrown to the ground. "Hey, you could have broken this…"
"Bah!" the nameless creature chucked away something else.
"Aw, you're making mess." Luke slung his shoulders low as the green creature found his new prized possession, shining the power lamp in his eye and claiming it his own.
"Give me that…"
"Mine!" the creature held it away from Luke. "Or I will help you not."
"I don't want your help." Luke grumpily explained. "I want my lamp back. I'll need it out of this slimy mudhole."
Artoo started extending one of his arms to reclaim the lamp.
"Mudhole? Slimy?" the creature sounded offended. "My home, this is!"
Artoo grabbed hold of the lamp, causing the two little figures to immediately engage in a tug-of-war over it.
The creature grabbed his stick off the table and started whacking Artoo with it. "Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!"
"Artoo, let him have it." Luke gave in. If Kat were watching this…
"Mine! Mine!"
"Artoo!"
The droid retracted, letting the creature have things his way. The little green man whacked Artoo one last time for safe measure.
"Now get out of here, little fella, we've got things to do."
"No, no! I'll stay and help you find your friend, and you're rogue cat, I will!"
Luke was fed up by this stage. "I'm not looking for a friend. I'm looking for a Jedi Master." He sighed. "And Kat is a person, I lost her on my way down."
"Oh, a Jedi Master." The creature's eyes widened. "Yoda. You seek Yoda."
Luke was surprised by the creature's knowledge. "You know him?"
"Take you to him, I will." He promised. "But now, we must eat." He started walking away. "Good food, I have. Come, come."
Luke stood up, scratching his head. "But… I need to find Kat before I get to Yoda."
The little man turned around to face Luke again. "Your prowling cat, come now, she will." He smiled.
"What?"
"Listen! Do you not hear?"
Sure enough, he could hear something faint, and before long, he could identify cries of his mad girlfriend rampaging through the wilderness.
Before he could comprehend, Kat was running around berserk, both blasters in her hands and randomly shooting at something, along with Seefor screeching behind her.
Kat did start running towards Luke, but halfway through the process tripped over a root and slammed her face into the ground.
She still wore her pilot suit, but it wasn't done up entirely and was hanging at her hips. It was just as well the tank top she was wearing was black.
"Kat!" Luke ran over to her and picked her up in his arms, letting her back rest against his chest and head slightly droop over his shoulder.
"Don't investigate that way." She pointed in the direction of where she came running from. "Some very not-nice things in that general direction."
Luke frowned. "Such as?"
Kat pursed her lips and swallowed hard. "Oh, you know… great big monster-thing. Yeah. Very big. Very scary."
Luke arched an eyebrow.
Kat looked away from Luke, suddenly speaking very fast. "Isawaspideranditwashuge." She shut her eyes tight.
Like sighed and ran a hand over her body, making sure she hadn't injured herself in her, yet another, tumble.
"Are you ok?"
"Everything hurts, so normal."
Luke shook his head as he kissed the tip of her head. She could face anything in the Galaxy with no fear and a straight face, but when it came to spiders, she would run away as fast as her little legs would take her.
Kat sat up by herself, and got her first glimpse at the little green creature who was staring at her wide eyed.
He came up to her. "Silver Girl," he spoke to her. "Heehee. Fly the galaxy, you shall. Help the Young Bloods, you will."
Kat squinted at the funny thing. "Are you mocking my hair?"
"Mock you?" he asked rhetorically. "Never. Never should one mock the Silver Girl."
"Well that, I have to say, is a first."
"Move quickly, we should," he said, already moving away. "Even the Shadow must eat as well." He laughed again.
Luke grabbed Kat under the arms and helped her up. "Well, he certainly mocked me a lot."
"I like him."
Luke looked down at Kat with yet another frown, shook his head, and gave her a small, but need, kiss on the lips.
"Where's your ship? Is it ok?"
Kat nervously scratched her head.
"Perhaps later." She suggested before running off to join the strange green man.
Ok, short boring chapter. I know. But I am soooooooooooooo excited for the next chapter I really can't wait because we're gettin closer to EVERYTHING! But I don't know whether to actually write the big thing that happens in this fic or let it remain mystery.
BUT SO MUCH TO REVEAL JUST ON DAGOBAH OHMYGOD.
I should get back to my essay.
I also think I've lost it a bit; one paragraph is about the Daleks.
- yoda-is-cool