Chapter 7
It was still dark the next morning when the knock came on the door. It was Tawny's warning signal. The guards were changing shifts. It was safe for them to go now. Jar Jar sat up groggily but quickly bolted for the door. But by the time he got there, she was already around the corner and gone.
Out in the labyrinth, the three made their way back the way they came. The sun was just starting to come up. Before they could get too far, Tawny appeared at one of the balconies.
"Jar Jar!" she hissed. "Jar Jar, where are you?"
He looked up. "Here!"
Tawny smiled. "Catch!" she said, throwing a small shiny object to him and blowing him a kiss. He caught it and held it up to look at it. It was her necklace. Her name was engraved across the center and small pearls decorated the boarder. He felt his eyes start to sting again, but when he looked up, the balcony was empty.
"Jar Jar?" Anakin took his arm. "Come on. We have to go."
When the finally reached the ship, Poten was still there, running tests to ensure all was in working order. Then he reported to Obi-wan.
"There are still a few more bugs to work out of the system. A couple more hours should do it. Not all the parts were an exact match but they'll get you where you're going."
Jar Jar was sitting and looking at the necklace. He turned it over and over in his hand until he noticed something strange and unusual about it. Then he had it. The pearls! That kind was only found near Otoh Gunga! He remembered what she'd said about having it since before she could remember. He also thought of when she'd told him she'd never seen anyplace outside of Tatooine. But that couldn't be right…
He gulped and looked toward the door. This was the proof he needed. He had to tell her now. But he had to be careful not to get caught. Where would she be right now? He had to get off this ship. He had to tell Tawny what she really was.
"Uh-oh." Poten said as a spark shot out of the tiny compartment he was working in. Anankin looked up.
"Is there a problem?"
"No- uh- I got it."
Anakin got up and went for a look anyway. He peered over the old man's shoulder and laughed. Reaching in, he pushed in one small chip that had come loose.
"Hey kid, don't- what?" The engine whirred. Poten looked at the boy. "Well I'll be." Anakin just smiled smugly and went back to his seat. Obi-wan chuckled at the two. He then became aware something was missing.
"Jar Jar," he said to himself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jar Jar peeked around the hedge. Yes. He knew she'd be there, weeding the gardens. Suddenly he smiled as he remembered- this was where they'd first met.
"Psst, Tawny," he hissed. She looked up from the flower she was tending and her sad eyes widened.
"Jar Jar!" she squealed, running to him and smiling.
"Shhh! Nobody know my is here. Tawny, meesa need a spake ayous. Yousa might wanna be sittin' down."
They sat on the stone bench by the pond and Tawny looked up at him. "What is it?"
Jar Jar sighed. "Yousa knows where my is from?"
"Yes, Naboo. One of those underwater cities, right?" The Master says he's been to one before.
Jar Jar stopped short. "He what?"
"He says he went to one once. He says I wouldn't remember because I was too small. But I think it was called something like- uh- something like-"
"Otoh Gunga," Jar Jar squeaked.
"That's it!"
For a moment, Jar Jar just stared back at her. Finally he blinked. "Tawny, yous da princess!."
"Huh?" She wrinkled her snout, confused.
He proceeded to tell her the whole story, about the Boss Nass going up and coming back without his daughter, about his suspicions, and about him finally declaring that he had no daughter. When he finished, he put his hand on her arm.
"Yousa understand now?"
Tawny had been looking at the ground. Now she raised her eyes to meet his. They showed hurt, but changed in an instant to anger. "Yes," she said. "I understand. I understand perfectly." She jerked her arm away and stood up. "What I don't understand, Jar Jar Binks, is why, if you are leaving and not planning on coming back, you couldn't at least tell me the truth!" She turned and started to run, but Jar Jar jumped up and caught her arm again.
"But- but Tawny, dat is da truth! Yousa necklace- da pearls- "
"Get your hands off of me and don't insult my intelligence!" she growled, whirling around and slapping him across the face. Then she turned and fled the garden, leaving Jar Jar stunned. "Just get out of my life!" She ran into the labyrinth and kept going until she collapsed on one of the grassy paths, sobbing uncontrollably. Finally she looked up and whispered to herself, "And get out of my heart."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"No! I didn't see him leave! Stop asking me!"
"Anakin, don't protect him. If you know where he is, you must tell me. He could get into trouble out there."
"And I'm telling you, I don't know! I can guess though, and I bet you can too!"
"Yes but he knows better than this!"
Obi-wan sat down and put his head in his hands. "What next?"
"Master! Someone's outside!" Anakin warned.
"Spoke too soon." Obi-wan grumbled to himself. "Poten, stay behind me. Anakin, guard that side of the door."
The door slid open and in sulked Jar Jar. Obi-wan, Anakin and Poten all breathed out sighs of relief. Obi-wan glared at the Gungan until he looked up.
"What?" His innocent eyes stared back at Obi-wan.
Poten shook his head and chuckled. "You guys-" he started, but thought better of it. "Well I'd best be going. I've had about as much excitement as an old fellow like myself can take." He hobbled to the door. Turning and bowing, he said, "It's been a pleasure."
"Thank you, Poten." Obi-wan smiled appreciatively. "We are grateful for your service."
After the old man left, Anakin turned on Obi-wan. "Why couldn't he have come with us? You can see how unhappy he is here."
"Because that would be kidnapping and that's not what we came here for."
"But he hates it here!"
"What would we do with him? We barely have enough supplies for ourselves."
Anakin knew he was beat, but still he had to try. "But," he swallowed hard, "but we can't just leave him here. Can't we- can't we just-?" He trailed off.
Obi-wan sighed. "No. I'm sorry, Ani. We just can't," he said, putting his hand on Anakin's shoulder.
Anakin gave up. He wasn't going to get anywhere. Obi-wan was right- even if it felt wrong. "Alright." His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. "Let's go."