Conquer your fear

Lan Wu and Nemo stood before Hiccup and Rapunzel as they were briefed for their first mission. The two initiates had been taken off Punjam Hy Loo for an emergency that only they could help with. They were on a small drop ship flying over the ocean of a mostly aquatic world. Apparently there had been an orbital battle between some alliance ships and the Empire. Many alliance officers had been able to escape in pods that entered orbit to land in the ocean and wait for rescue. But one pod had been damaged in atmospheric entry, and when it had landed in the ocean it had taken on water and sunk beneath the waves.

The pod was equipped with a few breathing apparatuses that would provide them with air for an unknown amount of time, meaning they needed to be found and rescued immediately.

"Do you understand?" Hiccup asked the initiates. They nodded. "Good. Unfortunately the pod's beacon was damaged, so you'll have to rely on your Force senses to find them. There will be other rebels in the water searching but we're mainly counting on you two."

The teens nodded, understanding the severity of this situation. The ship stopped, hovering over the last known coordinates of the pod. The ramp opened, allowing the teens to look out at the expanse of water beneath them. Lan Wu couldn't help but gulp and quiver nervously. While Lan Wu was a natural swimmer...this water was deep. And big things lived in deep water.

"Everything ok Lan Wu?" Hiccup asked. Lan Wu gave a short nod. Nemo sensing her distress placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked to him, being encouraged by his smile. So with a breath she pushed her fears down and prepared to do what she must.

And with that they both leapt out and dived into the ocean waves. They kicked and swam down with their powerful limbs, all around other rebel officers in diving equipment were doing the same in search of their comrades, even Hiccup and Rapunzel were joining the search.

Lan Wu and Nemo went deeper, activating the lights on their head equipment so they could see into dark crevices. Lan Wu kept shifting her eye stalks about, almost expecting an attack from a big predator. She'd never forgotten what had happened to her mother, and it gave her fears of deep water. She stuck close to Nemo who swam a little more self assuredly.

Their eyes swiveled and turned about as they searched, but seeing as they were getting nowhere they paused and exchanged a glance. They nodded in a silent conversation and closed their eyes, extending their Force senses in search of the missing officers.

All around them they could sense life. Fish, the other rebels, aquatic plants, but they extended their senses further. They felt something, a faint sense of fear, distress, and panic. They opened their eyes and began to swim toward it, they eventually came to swim before a dark undersea cave. The lights from their headgear did little to to light the darkness of the cave, but they could sense people in their.

"Let's in there Lan Wu," Nemo said as he began to swim forward. Nemo paddled a few feet before stopping and glancing back. Lan Wu had remained on the spot, shaking as she stared into the blackness of the cave, which could be holding anything in there.

Nemo could sense her fear, he sighed. "It's ok Lan Wu. I'll head in there and check it out," Nemo assured her. Lan Wu looked down in shame but nodded. With a smile Nemo swam forward and into the cave, leaving Lan Wu to wait.

Nemo swam further in the dark cave, noting how it split off into smaller caves, he could sense other things in the cave, so he didn't want to stick around more than he had to. Eventually he found it. He saw the pod, trapped beneath part of the caved in ceiling. He swam toward it, coming up and peering into the pod. He saw the rebel officers, wearing space suits for insulation and air. They noticed him and waved frantically, pointing to their suits, likely to indicate they were almost out of air. Nemo gave a nod as he backed up. He had to clear the rubble first so they could get out of the hatch.

Before he did he called the other rebels, letting them know he'd found them.

Then with some concentration he extended his hands and began to channel the Force. The rubble began to shift and move as he attempted to clear it. The rebels inside suddenly began tapping on the glass, pointing behind him frantically.

Suddenly Nemo's senses went off, alerting him to danger as he whirled around and was met with gaping jaws and rows of teeth.

Outside Lan Wu suddenly sensed her friends distress. "Nemo! Nemo! Yousa okeeday?" she asked frantically.

Her comm went off, all she could make out was Nemo's sounds of struggled. She began to panic and fear for her friends life. She paddled forward, only to stop. The mouth of the cave black and imposing, like the jaws of a gaping monster. Lan Wu clenched her fists. Yes she was still afraid, yes she'd never forgotten what happened to her mother. But she wasn't going to let her best friend die.

She swam forward and into the mouth of the cave as fast as she could, extending her senses to locate Nemo. She eventually found him, wrestling and grappling with some kind of predator. It was about as big as a person, with a long body, a paddle like tail, fins for feet, and a long snout full of teeth. It had clamped down on Nemo's hand, his metallic hand. Nemo wrestled with it as it had him pressed against a wall, thrashing its head about as it attempted to rip into him.

Nemo growled and slammed his elbow down on it's head, making it momentarily release its hold before he managed to kick it in the face. It swam away temporarily, shaking its head before charging him again. As it opened its jaw to bite at him again it was suddenly thrown sideways by an invisible force.

Nemo looked to the side to see Lan Wu, hand out and focusing on the creature. She kept her focus on it, pinning it to the wall with the Force. She looked to Nemo, silently telling him to continue his task. Nemo nodded as he refocused on the rubble, causing it to shift and move before he was able to move it off the pod's hatch. The rebels inside were able to open it and finally get out. Nemo looked back to Lan Wu as she swam and fought with the predator.

She grappled with it, managing to push it away before hitting it across the face with one powerful kick. The rebels swam past her and toward the opening of the cave as Nemo came to back her up. Lan Wu drew her sword and waited, the predator began to swim around her in a circle, glaring at her dangerously.

Nemo swam up to her and patted her shoulder. She glanced back at him as he looked upward. Lan Wu looked up as well, taking note of more of the strange predators swimming out of the holes in the walls. It appeared they were pack predators and this cave was their territory.

Nemo swam back to place his back against Lan Wu's to guard her rear. He drew his sword and they waited.

Outside the cave Hiccup and Rapunzel had arrived as they and other rebels began escorting the missing officers to safety. The Jedi were about to swim inside for the younglings when they suddenly swam out. They smiled at them, swords in hand and looking proud.

"Good job you two. Anything happen?" Rapunzel asked curiously.

"Nosa. Wesa okeeday," Lan Wu said casually. The Jedi shrugged and ushered them along to follow. The younglings did, sheathing their swords as they eventually made it back to the ship.

The rebels were checked over. They were mostly fine. They thanked the Gungan and Mon Cala teen profusely and soon enough they were on their way back to Punjam Hy Loo.

As they went Nemo and Lan Wu sat together. He smiled and gave her a nudge with his elbow. She smiled but ignored him. He did it again, making her smile grow.

"I'm proud of you Lan Wu. I know you don't like deep water. But you really saved my butt back there," he said with sincere thanks.

Lan Wu smiled as she looked to him. She nodded in acceptance. A proud smile on her face as she conquered her fears.

Like a Jedi would.

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