"Obi-Wan!" Anakin whispered in the dark.
"Anakin shh! We can't talk right now."
"How about now?" Anakin whispered in his mind. Rolling his eyes Obi-Wan quickly answered back
"Anakin we are supposed to be hidden on this ship! It's the most secretive way that we could get to Naboo." After the negotiations went astray with the trade federation. Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Anakin stowed away on two different trade federation ships destined for Naboo. Because they were separated in the fight, Anakin and Obi-Wan ended up on the same ship with Qui-Gon on the other.
"Yeah I know I was just wondering how long this is supposed to take."
"It should only take about a half hour young one."
"Oh…will there be food on Naboo?"
Rolling his eyes to show his opinion on the matter Obi-Wan answered "Well there should be. I don't know if we'll have the time to dine though." The feeling of hunger and disapproval of the situation reached Obi-Wan at this statement and he softened a bit. "There may be some rations in my pocket if you want them. Just be careful not to make any noise when opening and eating them."
"You're the best Obi-Wan!" Quietly reaching into his back pocket Obi-Wan pulled out the ration bars. He reasoned that it wouldn't due for Anakin's stomach to rumble and give them both away.
Passing the bars to Anakin they continued to sit waiting for the ship to land.
Jar Jar was minding his own business finding food to eat for the day since he was kicked out of the Gun gan community food was hard to come by and the clams were the easiest source to find. He didn't ask for the large machines coming his way or to be kicked out of the community. He couldn't help the fact that he was clumsy there was nothing he could do about it and he had tried.
He looked up only to find many creatures and a long haired man running towards him and the sight of huge machines coming toward him at full force was enough to scare poor Jar Jar almost into madness. Seeing an opportunity for escape, as the long haired man passed by, Jar Jar jumped on him screaming all the time.
"HELP ME" but the long haired man wasn't pleased with him.
"Get off me!" Yet still the man saved him, pulling him into the dirt before the machine ran him over. So relieved was Jar Jar that he hugged the man.
"I loves yous!"
Angry still the long haired man brushed off his clothes "Are you brainless? You almost got us killed!""
Confused Jar Jar replied "I speak."
"The ability to speak does not make you intelligent now get out of here!" The long haired man started to walk away but old traditions forced Jar Jar to follow him.
"NO…no meesa stay…meesa your humble servant!" The long haired man looked surprised and a little annoyed.
"That will not be necessary." He didn't seem to understand so Jar Jar explained.
"Oh boot tis! Tis demanded by gun guns! Tis a life debt tis. Meesa called Jar Jar Binks!" At that moment Obi-Wan and Anakin came bursting through the forest followed by more machines shooting at them. The long haired man groaned.
"I don't have time for this!" But Jar Jar hadn't seen the two new arrivals yet.
"Say what?" but upon seeing them quickly panicked again "Oh noooooo weesa gonna..." but that moment Qui-Gon pushed him into the mud again lifting his head he finished the thought "DIEEEE!" Qui-Gon deflected the blasts from Obi-Wan and Anakin confused to why they were not fighting back as well rather than running. The two machines were taken out easily though and soon a breathless Obi-Wan explained,
"The water shorted out our weapons" handing Qui-Gon the lightsabers. Knowingly Qui-Gon looked at them,
"You two forgot to turn off the power again didn't you?" Anakin and Obi-Wan sheepishly looked down
"It won't happen again master we promise!" Anakin mumbled.
"I should hope not young ones, but it will recharge. This will be a lesson to you my young padawan. Let us go before more droids show up." Hearing this Jar Jar looked up,
"Mure! Mure did yousa say?" Curiously Anakin looked at Qui-Gon,
"Who's this master?" Quickly replying over his shoulder as they started to run
"A local come Anakin we must reach safety." But quickly the gun gan stopped the trio.
"Exqueeze meesa but the Otoh Gunga tis safe city. Tis where I grew up." Stopping Qui-Gon turned
"A city! Can you take us there?"
"Ahhhh, well on second taut, no not willy."
"No?!" all three chorused.
"Is embarrassing but…meesa been banished my bosses would do terrible things to meesa. Terrible things to meesa if I return."Soon a sound is heard off in the distance. With a gleam in his eye Qui-Gon uses this to his advantage.
"Do you hear that?" Jar Jar shakes his head yes in agreement. "That is the sound of a thousand terrible things heading this way." Chiming in Anakin adds to the story,
"When the find us, they will crush us, grind us into little pieces, then blast us into oblivion!" Alarmed Jar Jar replied.
"Meesa sees yousa point. Dis way! Hurry!" Casually Obi-Wan leaned over to Anakin.
"Crush us, grind us into little pieces, then blast us into oblivion?" Obi-Wan asked with a smirk.
"It worked didn't it?" Anakin replied with a grin.
After walking for quite a while, Anakin was beginning to grow weary and the two other Jedi could sense it. Finally upon arriving at a lake Qui-Gon asked,
"Much farther?" to which Jar Jar turned sheepishly and replied.
"Weesa goin underwater. Okeyday?" Calmly Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Anakin pulled out their rebreathers. And still trying to change their minds Jar Jar tried one last time to deter them. "My warnings yous Gungans no likey outsiders. Don't expect a warm welcome." Cheekily Obi-Wan replied,
"Well this hasn't been our day for warm welcomes anyways. Lead on!" With that the Gungan dived into the lake and the Jedi quickly followed suit. They quickly swam deeper into the lake arriving at a city incased by bubbles. Upon entering the city they encountered some guards. Nervously Jar Jar looks down.
"Heyo-dalee Cap'n Tarpals, meesa back!" The guard looked at Jar Jar disapprovingly,
"Noah gain Jar Jar. Yousa goin to da bosses. Yousa in big dudu this time."
Zapping Jar Jar the other guards hand cuffed him and led him away from the entrance. Slowly the three Jedi followed their guide. Arriving at the Boss's palace proved to be somewhat detrimental as an argument ensued between Qui-Gon and the Boss Nass
"Yousa cannot bees hair!"
"That droid army is about to attack that Naboo. We must warn them!"
"Wesa no like da Naboo! Un dey no like uss-ens. Da Naboo tink day so smarty den uss-ens. Dey tink day brains so big." Obi-Wan decided to step in. He was known for his negotiations skills anyway.
"After those droids take control of the surface, they will come here and take control of you." But Boss Nass refused to be persuaded.
"No, meesa no tink so. Meesa scant talkie with da Naboo, and no nutten talkie it outlanders. Dey no knowing of uss-ens." Obi-Wan tried again.
"You and the Naboo form a symbiont circle. What happens to one of you will affect the other. You must understand this." Still Boss Nass would not be persuaded.
"Wesa wish no nuttin in yousa tings, outlander and wesa no caring about da Naboo." Giving up Qui-Gon stepped in.
"Then speed us on our way."
"Wesa going to speed yous away."
"We need a transport."
"Wesa give yousa una bongo. Da speediest way to da Naboo tis goin through the core. Now go."
"Thank you for your help we go in peace." Bowing the three Jedi started to walk away before noticing Jar Jar still in chains awaiting his sentence. Noticing his former masters look Obi-Wan quickly intervened.
"We are short of time Master." Slipping into his old habits.
"We'll need a navigator to get us through the planet's core. This Gungan may be of help." Qui-Gon returned to Boss Nass. "What is to become of Jar Jar Binks here?"
"Binks has broken da noncomebackie law. He is to be punished."
"He has been of great help to us I hope the punishment will not be too severe."
"Pounded to death." Boss Nass proclaimed. At this Obi-Wan looked concerned. Qui-Gon quickly used Jar Jar to his advantage.
"We need a navigator to get us through the planet's core. I have saved Jar Jar Binks' life. He owes me what you call a life debt."
"Binks'" Boss Nass called "Yousa havin lifeplay with thisen outlander?" Timidly Jar Jar nods.
"Your gods demand that his life belongs to me now." Qui-Gon argued.
"Hisen life tis yours, outlander. Begone with him." But having heard of the dangers of the core, Jar Jar had some concerns.
"Count meesa outta dis! Better dead here than deader in da core!" But he indeed followed the Jedi out into the hall where they were then lead to their transport. Anakin leaned over to Obi-Wan.
"Is this how all Jedi missions go?"
"Well no Anakin though with being an apprentice to Qui-Gon yes. Somehow we always managed to find trouble on even the simplest of missions." Obi-Wan said with a grin.
"Really? So were all missions fun?" Obi-Wan's grin faded a little with past missions coming to mind, namely Melinda-Daan, but not wanting Anakin to sense his sadness he turned back with a smile.
"Well no not all but many involved lots of adventures." And Obi-Wan proceeded to tell Anakin of a fonder mission he had with Qui-Gon as a padawan. Soon Anakin was laughing with all the antics that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were involved in enough so that Qui-Gon turned around to see what was so funny. Upon learning what mission Obi-Wan was recounting he furthered the fun by telling Anakin of what happened next in the mission making Obi-Wan blush in humiliation. By the time they reached the bongo they were all laughing including Jar Jar though he somewhat nervously as the danger of the situation hung over his head.
Soon they reached the transport and the laughter died as they all crawled into the small cockpit. Into the water's depths they went. Getting bored Obi-Wan leaned over to his former Master poking fun at him.
"Master, why must we continue to bring pathetic life forms with us wherever we go. I thought it would end with Anakin." He said winking at the boy behind him.
"Hey I'm not pathetic!" Anakin cried indignantly.
"I beg to differ young one, I've tasted your cooking before."
"Just because I burned the chicken once…"
"Anakin you set it on fire. It was little more than charcoal by the time we put out the fire."
"Well it's not my fault that the oven has a flaw!"
"I think it's you who has the flaw. You were distracted working on that pet project of yours."
"C-3-P-O will be amazing when I finish him! Just you wait Obi-Wan."
"I know, I know and I wait for the day when that will happen with bated breath. Knowing your creations it will annoy me to kingdom come!"
"My creations aren't that bad."
"Must I remind you of my comlink?" With a smirk and a mischievous glint in his eye Anakin looked at Obi-Wan.
"…you think I did that by accident?"
"ANAKIN!" finally Qui-Gon stepped in.
"Boys quiet down and behave. Your bickering will send me to an early grave." Anakin quickly sobered down remembering his dream.
"Don't say that Master we wish you to live well into your later age." Anakin said quietly. Sensing the young one's distress, Qui-Gon reached a hand back to rest on Anakin's knee.
"And I will young one force willing. But if I do not, Obi-Wan will take care of you as he always does in my absence. And you can terrorize him to your heart's desire." In mock horror Obi-Wan put in.
"Oh please no! I have enough problems with my comlink! Imagine all the issues I would have with him as my padawan!" With that the tension died and the lighter mood returned. Handing the controls of the vessel to Jar Jar "Here you're the navigator." Nervously taking the controls Jar Jar said
"Yousa dreamin meesa hopin!" Qui-Gon placed a comforting hand on the Gungan's shoulders
"Just relax the force will guide us."
"OH da force!" Jar Jar said disbelieving "Wellen dat smells stinkowiff!" Deciding for a new topic Obi-Wan jumped in.
"What were you banished for Jar Jar?"
"Tis a long tale buta small part wouldabe meesa…oh…meesa aaa clumsy."
"They banished you for being clumsy?" Anakin chimed in from the back.
"Meesa caused maybe one or two lettal accidents…den banished." Suddenly the entire ship jolted. Looking back a huge fish had the ship in its tongue grasp. Qui-Gon quickly jumped in.
"Full speed ahead!" But in his panic Jar Jar put the transport in reverse and they flew back into the fish's mouth. Annoyed with the Gungan Obi-Wan took the controls and soon they became free.
"WESA FREE!" Jar Jar celebrated. Looking back Anakin saw the problematic fish getting eaten by a bigger fish, and Qui-Gon added his words of wisdom.
"There is always a bigger fish." Though it seems that they aren't out of trouble yet, water poured through the ceilings and Jar Jar wailed.
"Wesa goin die!" Quietly Obi-Wan interjects
"We're losing power!" as Jar Jar continues to panic, Qui-Gon steps in.
"Stay calm we're not in trouble yet."
"What yet? Monsters out dare! Leaking in here all'n sink'n and nooooo power! You nutsen! WHEN YOUS TINK WESA IN TROUBLE!" Fooling with the wires Anakin pokes his head in.
"Powers back on!" The lights then flicker to reveal a huge claw fish. Startled by the lights, they manage to escape the fish. Smartly,
"Wesa in trouble now?"
"Relax" Qui-Gon says putting his hand on the Gungan's shoulder. Promptly, Jar Jar falls into a coma.
"You overdid it master." Obi-Wan says smirking. Though they continue to be chased by bigger fish when Jar Jar awakens.
"Wesa out of trouble yet? And upon seeing the bigger fish chasing them faints again. Luckily Qui-Gon sees an opening.
"Head for that outcropping Obi-Wan." And the ship finally rises to the surface of the lake.
"Wesa done it!" Jar Jar says hopping out of the ship and kissing the ground beneath his feet. But it's not long before a battle droid sees them.
"Drop your weapons!"
A/N sorry this took so long! Anyway, I may write that mission up that Obi-Wan is recounting for Anakin as a short two-three chapter story later but for now it will remain a mystery my dear readers. Reviews are nice so if you feel so inclined please leave one for me :)