Alex Rider: Mission Jedi
Jedi Goat
Disclaimer: I don't own Alex Rider or Star Wars.
Author's Note: I decided to change the category to Alex Rider, as the story stars Alex. I hope nobody minds the change.
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Chapter 8: City Under the Sea
It only took a few minutes for Qui-Gon to find Alex and Obi-Wan. Alex had seated himself on the ground, cradling the blaster in one hand and his wounded shoulder in the other.
At the sight of the tall Jedi Master, he struggled to his feet. "We were attacked by droids," Alex explained wearily. "Our lightsabers malfunctioned."
Qui-Gon held out a hand and Alex offered him the charred weapon. He observed the lightsaber silently for a moment and then handed it back, nodding. "You forgot to turn off the power when you were in water."
Alex cringed, remembering falling into the swamp and losing one of his gadgets. "Yes, Master Qui-Gon."
"Recharging it won't take long, but you'll have to clean it up."
Alex hooked the lightsaber onto his belt. At least I've still got a blaster in case we run into trouble.
At that moment, an amphibious creature gamboled up. The lanky, humanoid creature had a duck-like bill and long, flapping ears. "Yousa friend of Quiggon, yousa meesa friend!" he declared, flinging his arms around Alex. Alex gasped, half in pain, half in shock.
Dislodging himself from the creature, Alex asked, "Who's this?"
"Jar Jar Binks. A Gungan. One of the locals." Qui-Gon paused, and Alex heard the rumble of more droid ships. "Let's go. Before more of those ships come by."
"More?" Jar Jar squeaked as Qui-Gon easily picked up Obi-Wan's limp form and started off. "More?!"
"Yes, more," growled Alex, hurrying to catch up to Qui-Gon's fast pace. Jar Jar was getting on his nerves.
Jar Jar raced after them. "Exqueeze me!" he called, "but the grandest safest place be Otoh Gunga. Tis where I grew up. Tis safe city."
Qui-Gon stopped. Alex refused the urge to make a rude comment. We don't need this idiot!
"A city?" Jar Jar nodded brightly, his ears flying around his head with the motion. "Can you take us there?"
Jar Jar stepped back uneasily, as if Qui-Gon's question was not allowed. "Well...on second thought...not rilly, no..."
"No?" probed Qui-Gon. Alex realized that going to the Gungan city might be their best option. After all, we'd be safe from the droids. And we need to revive Obi-Wan.
Jar Jar's eyes darted around nervously. "Well...meesa forgot meesa been banished. Da boss do terrible hert to meesa if meesa go back."
Alex stepped forward. His tone was threatening as he spoke. "You hear that?" The Gungan cocked his head to one side and listened to the thunder of the approaching ships. "That is the sound of terrible things – even more terrible than your boss – coming this way."
Jar Jar gulped, eyes rolling. "Oh oh."
"And when they come," Alex pressed, "They will crush you, grind you into tiny pieces and blast you in oblivion!"
Jar Jar's amphibious face seemed white as he thought this over. "Your point very gud one, gud indeed." Seeming to make up his mind, Jar Jar gestured frantically to the humans. "Dis way! Quick!"
Jar Jar raced through the field. Alex and Qui-Gon were quick to follow. When the surprisingly fast Gungan stopped, they had arrived in another swamp.
"Otoh Gunga be there," Jar Jar explained, pointing to the murky waters.
Alex stared incredulously at the swamp for a moment, and then he turned to Qui-Gon to see the Jedi Master fitting a device over Obi-Wan's mouth. Alex recognized it as an aquabreather.
"We're going in," said Qui-Gon, smiling slightly at Alex's shock. He pulled out his own aquabreather, inserting it in his mouth. Alex took out his breathing device and slipped it on, fitting it like a retainer in his mouth.
"Me warning yousa," Jar Jar commented uneasily, watching the Jedi. "Gungans no like yousa outsiders. Yousa no get warm welcome."
"Let's just go," grumbled Alex, wading into the water.
Jar Jar shrugged and dived gracefully into the depths of the swamp. Alex took one last look around at the forest before plunging in after the Gungan.
The Jedi followed Jar Jar's swimming form downward through the water. The light from the surface faded until Alex had to be practically touching his companions to find his way after them.
They swam for what seemed like hours to Alex. His limbs were aching and Alex was beginning to wish that MI6 had never sent him on this mission.
Suddenly, a new light burst forth a few yards in front of them. Alex stared as a city entirely ensconced in gigantic bubbles slowly came into focus. As they neared Otoh Gunga, he could see through the translucent bubbles into the maze of walkways that comprised the city.
Jar Jar swam up to the largest bubble in the center of the city, pushing against it with his hands. The bubble gave way, swallowing him whole without rupturing. Qui-Gon moved forward next, slipping through the barrier while still carrying Obi-Wan. Alex stuck out a hand. He watched in amazement as his hand slid through the jelly-like wall. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself forward and landed inside.
Alex blinked, taking a moment to absorb his surroundings. He and the others stood on a staircase that led down to a square below filled with milling Gungans. The whole place was illuminated by the bubbles' glow, an unnatural but cheerful light.
Jar Jar shook himself (Much like a wet dog, Alex thought as he moved out of range of the splattering water droplets) and then loped down the steps. "So gud to be home!" he declared.
A crowd of Gungans was gathering to see the outsiders. They had gasped when Jar Jar made his statement, and now they parted to let through two guards astride two-legged duck-billed creatures. Alex recalled them from his information file about Naboo: Kaadu. The Kaadus' riders carried electropoles pointed at the intruders.
"Heyday ho, Capt'n Tarpals," called Jar Jar cheerfully, approaching the first guard.
"Jar Jar Binks! Not yousa again," growled Captain Tarpals, "yousa go to da Boss Nass. He meybbe make yousa big trubble." At this, the Gungan grinned maliciously, barring his teeth.
Captain Tarpals turned to the Jedi and his eyes darkened. "Yousa bring outsiders, Binks! Yousa will be in big trubble!" The guard slashed forward with his electropole, jabbing Jar Jar fiercely. Jar Jar yelped as he jolted up in the air.
The guards took up positions on either side of their prisoners, leading them off through the crowd. Alex made sure to stay away from the electropoles, which the guards were not afraid to poke at them with.
"Yousa see dis bad, bad idea," Jar Jar whispered as they headed into the core of Otoh Gunga.
To be continued...
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