Again thank you for all the support! Don't forget to drop a review on your way out! :)
CHAPTER 12: Otoh Gunga
CORUSCANT
Padme knew she didn't look her best, but when the Gungans were suspected of collaborating with the Separatists, those things fell away. The worried face of Queen Jamillia appeared on a hologram, and Captain Panaka wore a similar expression in the background.
"I came as soon as I heard. What makes you think the Gungans are talking with the Separatists?" she asked before the Gungan representative, Quon Lumo arrived.
"We intercepted a transmission of one of their leaders, Rish Loo, asking Grievous for assistance for an invasion of Theed," Panaka answered. The door opened, and the Gungan representative entered.
"Good evening," he said, walking over to the chairs and taking a seat. "What have you called me at this hour for?" evidently he sensed the tension and worry in the room, and wanted them to explain it themselves.
"Republic intelligence has intercepted a transmission of one of your leaders asking the Separatists for assistance in the invasion of our capitol," Queen Jamillia explained, not letting her worry leak into her voice. The Gungan nodded.
"I see. The Gungans want nothing but peace with the Naboo. May I see the transmission in question?"
"Of course," Padme said, pulling the file from her holo. When it finished playing, the Gungan merely nodded.
"I cannot deny what this looks like. Allow me to contact the on-world government, I will sort this out," as the door closed behind him, the Naboo delegation waited in nervous silence. These negotiations are going to take all night, Padme thought to herself. Whatever it was that was getting sorted out in Otoh Gunga, it would move much faster if a Naboo were there to add some pressure.
"Queen Jamillia, I request that a delegation be sent to Otoh Gunga. I think that immediate contact with the Gungans is the best way to resolve this matter," Padme announced, suddenly shattering the silence.
"I agree Padme. You were the one to finally bring us to peace with them, you have the most experience and best odds. I'll send Lakshmira in your stead until you arrive on Naboo. And please bring a Jedi with you, for your protection and as an olive branch," Queen Jamillia added with a small smile.
"Thank you, your majesty. I will leave for Naboo at once," with that, the conference call ended, and Padme began a hologram to Master Yoda, requesting that a certain shaggy Jedi Knight accompany her diplomatic mission.
"Senator, sure you are that Skywalker is the best diplomat?" Yoda asked, unsure if his ears were finally failing him in his old age. If he remembered correctly, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were the only two Jedi to have direct interactions with the Gungans other than the pesky one that had been killed in the Battle of Naboo. This was of course, forgetting Skywalker's knack of finding himself in the middle of a firefight wherever he went.
"Yes Master Yoda. I understand Master Kenobi is busy with the war, and wouldn't want to distract him," she explained innocently.
"Your way, it is, Senator. At the hangar, Skywalker will be," Yoda bowed to the young Senator, before ending the call. Never one to understand politicians, Yoda sent a dispatch to Knight Skywalker.
NABOO SPACE
"Yoda must think I'm mad for specifically for you on a diplomatic mission," Padme joked in her silver spaceship. Anakin laughed, a sound she always missed the second it ended.
"Frankly I'm surprised you talked him into it," the Jedi responded.
"I don't think he likes arguing with politicians too much," she retorted, laughing as well.
"So remind me what the purpose of this mission is again," Anakin asked now that they were securely in hyperspace.
"Didn't you read the dossier?" Padme asked in an inquisitive tone.
"What's a dossier?" he half-joked half-asked.
"No wonder every mission you're on falls apart," Padme teased. "The Gungans have been unhappy with the Naboo ever since our ancestors first arrived to colonize the planet. Since they're naturally more aquatic and we're terrestrial, there's been an implicit peace. There's been some flareups, and since the Clone Wars began the Gungans have become more unhappy with us. Since I was the queen to make an official peace with them, Queen Jamillia think I'm best suited for the task."
"I see. So what you're trying to tell me is don't start a war?"
"That would be appreciated." The ship interrupted their conversation, announcing that they had two minutes until atmospheric contact.
"I probably should have asked this earlier, but where are we going to land if that Gungan city is underground?" Anakin asked, taking over the controls from the autopilot.
"Don't worry, we'll be docking at a transportation outpost and take an underwater ship from there, you do know how to fly those right?" Padme asked. Anakin had been raised on Tatooine and as far as she knew he hadn't had much experience with the water.
"Of course. And I even know how to swim," he said proudly.
"That's good, we may need to make a few trips to the other Gungan cities," Padme said as she buckled her seat-belt as the ship began to enter the atmosphere. The ship soon landed in the hangar, and after some arguing with the attendees that they were truly on official business, the Jedi and the Senator were able to commandeer some subsurface craft. Sailing, if that's what you would call it, to Otoh Gunga wasn't as exciting as Anakin expected. Honestly, it was a little boring. The ship was sluggish in the water, and the visibility and maneuverability was poor. Thanking the powers that be that outer space wasn't like this, Anakin began to steer the ship towards the docking area.
"Be careful!" Padme warned as they entered the shield. No longer suspended in a liquid, the ship slammed to the ocean floor, jarring the ship.
"I think they know we've arrived," Anakin joked, gesturing to the various members of the Gungan army who had appeared.
"I hope that's the security escort," Padme said to herself, opening the hatch and climbing out. "I'm Senator Padme Amidala, here to represent the Naboo. Jedi Anakin Skywalker is here with me in hopes that we can maintain the peace between our peoples that has lasted for so long," she said authoritatively, and loud enough that even the Gungans in the back could hear her. The one who appeared to be the leader, based on the more elaborate uniform, stepped forward.
"Senator Amidala, Jedi Skywalker, please follow me. We have been expecting your arrival," without hesitation, Padme and Anakin followed.
CORUSCANT
As soon as Obi-Wan heard that Anakin had been given the assignment to deal with the Gungans, he breathed a sigh of relief. Obi-Wan had seen enough of the Gungans to last him a lifetime, especially that blasted Jar Jar Binks. While he was never glad to hear of someones death, he couldn't exactly say his was torn up to hear of Jar Jar's fate in the Battle of Naboo. Still, he had no desire to think of the events that led to his master's killing, and avoided Naboo and Theed when possible.
Unfortunately, Yoda had made it clear to Obi-Wan that due to Anakin's 'diplomatic inexperience', he was to keep in touch with the young Jedi Knight daily. Finding it a little bit unnecessary and slightly tedious to keep tabs on a fully fledged Jedi, Obi-Wan resolved he would keep it to a nightly holo call to see how his friend was faring.
"Is the underwater city everything you dreamed it would be and more?" Ob-Wan asked as his former Padawan's image flickered on.
"Absolutely," Anakin responded, the slightest bit of sarcasm in his voice. "We got here, were led to a conference room, and haven't moved in five hours," Obi-Wan chuckled to himself. If there was anything Anakin hated, it was sitting around doing nothing.
"I'd hate to interrupt your boredom, I'll leave you and Senator Amidala to it then," he joked, slowly moving to end the transmission.
"No, wait!" Anakin protested.
"Oh no, I think I'm losing you Anakin," Obi-Wan teased, his finger almost on the button. Suddenly Anakin stood up, and Obi-Wan stopped. "What is it, Anakin?"
"The Gungan leader just walked in, I'll call you back," Anakin said bluntly, the transmission going blank. Well I'm glad he has something to keep him busy, Obi-Wan thought to himself. Some bizarre timing in the war had allowed Obi-Wan a significant furlough on Coruscant. Hell, if he wanted to he might be able to go off-world for a few days. Maybe that was what he needed, some time away from the ceaseless violence. Stretching, Obi-Wan got up and moved to pull his tea from the stove.
NABOO
Anakin's knee was bouncing up and down. Padme had been lead into a separate room with only the Gungan Boss, and they had not emerged for hours. The Force made him aware that there was a great deal of tension in the room, but no threats to the Senator. Padme had warned him not to barge in, as the Boss was very temperamental and already did not like the idea of a Jedi taking up a room in the city. He could honestly say he wouldn't be much more entertained by sitting a room to negotiate, but sitting outside a room of negotiations wasn't much better. He felt a sense of relief come over Padme, which only made him feel calmer, and he felt a similar feeling wash over Boss Nass. The door opening moments later, two smiling diplomats emerged.
"The Gungans will find whoever is plotting with the Separatists to invade Naboo," Boss Nass said in his booming voice.
"And the Naboo will help in any way they can to catch the culprits," Padme finished, a smile on her face as well. The two leaders parted, and Padme and Anakin headed down the hallway back to their rooms. "We caught this just in the nick of time," Padme said once the door closed. "Apparently an invasion force was on it's way from Geonosis, but Boss Nass managed to trick the Separatists into believing they were no longer interested," she wiped some sweat from her brow. "For a moment in there I didn't think he would fool them."
"Well, I'm just glad it's all over now," Anakin said, embracing her.
"You know, we can spend an extra day here," she mumbled softly, pulling him closer to her, "go up to the country house, swim in the lake."
"That sounds amazing," he answered, gently tucking her hair behind her ear.
CORUSCANT
As Anakin Skywalker exited his starfighter, he couldn't help smiling about the past twenty-seven hours he had spent solely in Padme's company. After the negotiations in Otoh Gunga, they had notified Queen Jamillia they had 'odds and ends' to attend to that required an extra day on Naboo. Those odds and ends had been each other. It had been so liberating to not hold anything back, and live as they wanted. When he freely spent time with Padme, he wondered how the Jedi could frown upon such relationships if it only made the people in them stronger. Another paradox he would never understand.
Damn straight I killed off Jar Jar.
