Quest
"So, exactly why is it important that we find this Temple, Hali? You've never really explained it to us," said Li. The cook and healer of the team tugged on the kaadu bridle, urging the animal on as it reluctantly plodded on. The kaadus carrying the equipment were getting tired and more sluggish as they continued through the shrubbery. They were slowing the procession down. Hali was worried that Jar Jar and Kad may get too far ahead and was about to call them back when Li's question caught him off-guard.
"The Temple of Keyla will solve some answers that the Naboo and Gungan civilizations are seeking. There have been numerous conflicts between the human and Gungan race as to whether one or the other colonized this planet first."
"Why does it matter?"
"It would help either side immensely to gain more territory if they have natural ties to the land."
"And the monarchy of Theed? They're such peaceful people. Why would they want to expand? Or the Gungans?"
"It's not that they'll expand much. Just maybe a little to show either side who's boss. The two races have fought before. Then treaties were signed and now they simply live in distaste of each other. This debate over whether Gungans or Naboo are natives seems to be a new fad among the rulers of both races."
"Then why are we involved in this? Will finding the Temple really solve all this?"
"No. It will answer questions. We aren't peacemakers, unfortunately. We're archaeologists."
"So if anything, the information we find in the Temple will probably start a conflict?" asked Alexis.
"Possibly."
"So what good are we doing?" wondered Li.
"I'm not looking for the Temple simply because of this conflict. There's another reason."
Alexis and Li nearly stumbled over a blumbush shrub, intent as they were upon Hali's words.
"The race that originated in the Temple of Keyla has vanished. Without a trace. Of all the different races of Gungans, it is this one that Gungans today are proud to trace their ancestral lines to. The Keyla Gungans stood above all others in the skills of combat, knowledge of medicine, and crafting of precious metals and outstanding weaponry. They were the first to give technology to the race of Gungans - their own technology. It's different from the Naboo's. It allows them to live without affecting their environment harmfully, and in a complex ecosystem like this, that is truly an achievement. It's a fact that because of this technology combined with conservative skills and mindset of the Gungan race, that no species has ever been brought to extinction by them. I want to learn what happened to make their city fall apart. And where they went afterwards."
"Well, now that's a worthy cause, I think," stated Li. "I like it much better than simply trying to find out who was here first and all that ridiculous fiddle-faddle."
"I wonder if things will improve between Gungans and humans on this planet. Jar Jar and I seem to get along just fine," wondered Alexis.
"The Naboo, I think, show a different attitude toward Gungans than you do, Alexis. Did you notice how he was treated at the spaceport?"
"I remember. He looked so miserable, the poor dear," murmured Li. "Come on, now," she urged the lagging kaadu. "Mik! Give him a push, please."
"Allright, Li," the young man consented and putting his hands on the kaadu's flank, pressed the animal forward until it began walking a bit faster. Now they were making better progress. The shrubbery was getting thinner and forming into grassland. It was easier to walk through this than through scratchy undergrowth.
"Ow." Alexis carefully dipped her hands in the water, letting the coolness soothe her scratched hands. It had been a most unpleasant hike. The sun was directly overhead and burning down. Foilage was going to be scarce now that they were venturing into the swamp area. Dead trees stood like twisted shadows out of the pale grass-covered ground - if it was indeed solid ground at all. Alexis wiped the sweat off her forehead. Luckily, they had come across this watefall. Jar Jar had warned them that it would be a hot journey and that they would be needing to refill the waterbags.
Jar Jar crouched beside her and handed her a container full of a good-smelling substance. "Here, put dis stuff on yous. Itsa hep wit da sunburn."
"Thanks. What is it?"
"Woosha plant an mud."
"Excuse me . . . mud?"
"Uh huh."
"Mud?" Alexis repeated, now holding the container at arm's length.
"Yes . . . mud. It ken be wash-ed off. Trust my, yousa gonna need it ta keep da midges an fly-tings away."
"Okay . . . here goes."
Alexis started to apply the mixture to her arms and face. She caught a glimpse of Jar Jar trying not to smile. It was all she could do to avoid looking at her reflection. She did not want to know what she looked like. "Hey, if this is some sort of joke, I'm gonna use your haillu for polishing rags!" she warned, wagging a finger in his face. Jar Jar raised his hands in innocence.
"Come on, dammit, work," Kad cursed softly. The electronic device in his hands - the same one which he had told Jar Jar was a chemical-tracer - was refusing to send through his message. Either that or the communicator on his boss' end of the line was malfunctioning. Finally, after a few frantic minutes, the connection was established.
"Senator Rast? It's me, Kad Syres."
"How is your progress?"
"Slow. We have ourselves one hell of an idiot for a guide. Barely even knows what he's doing."
"Still blaming other unfortunate life-forms for your own short-comings, I see. None of the equipmen I sent you with is helping?"
"No . . . it is. I haven't come up with a definite fix on the location yet, but--"
"Don't give me that crap again, Syres. The technology you have now could find the Temple in seconds. I should have sent some one more experienced, I guess."
"No," Kad whispered frantically into the communicator. "I-I can do it just fine. I know I can find this place, and when I do--"
"Shut up. Tell me about the guide. If he's so stupid, why did Jonareh hire him?"
"Out of pity, is my guess. He says he's seen traps--"
"He's been there." It was more of a statement than a question.
Kad almost asked Rast how he was sure, but bit his tongue, avoiding making a costly mistake.
"I suggest you follow him."
"What if he's just leading us in one big circle?"
"Then he's smarter than you," was the icy reply.
Kad managed to twist his mouth into an appeasing smile. "I guess I'll just have to 'persuade' him to tell me the truth then."
Rast's eyes narrowed. "Do nothing rash. Not yet. If the guide's fooling you, let Jonareh deal with him. The important thing is the Dnomai. That energy stone is where your salary is coming from so I advise you strongly not to slip up, Syres." There was a flash and the screen went blank. Rast had cut the connection.
"Lexi?"
"Yeah, Jar Jar?" Alexis answered, drowsily. She was tired and wanted to just lay down in the sun and bask for a while, like a big lizard. Still, a nagging little voice inside her head urged her on, telling her that they might find the Temple at any moment.
"Yousa thinkin dis expedition not fun anymores, huh?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Yousa look mur bored den O3T. Dat droid has nothin ta talk about now dat wesa in grassylands."
"Thank the powers that be," Alexis murmured. She'd been so tired that she hadn't noticed how blessedly silent O3T had been for the past couple hours.
"Exactly whysa yous searchin for dis place? My nevva asked."
"We want to find out what happened to the Keyla Gungans. Why they left such a beautiful city."
Jar Jar shook his head sadly. "Den dis trip wasn' necessary. My couda told yous dat."
Alexis stopped in her tracks suddenly wide awake. Jar Jar walked on ahead then turned to look back at her.
"You know what happened?" she asked.
"Yes. Well, not ex-actly, no. Itsa legend my heard when mesa was a little gungan."
"So what happened?" Alexis hurried to catch up with Jar Jar as he continued walking.
"My be tellin yous. But itsa notta happy story."
There was a time the Keyla were thought of as the most beautiful gungan race on Naboo. They were not envied by other gungan races. Rather, they were revered as the direct descendants of the Gods. They built marvelous cities, most remarkably the city of Reiadmoss within the swamps of Keyla.
Skilled artisans, beautiful women, healthy children, and magnificent warriors filled the halls and streets of Reiadmoss. There was no poverty, no violence or crime, and no war. The only reason Reiadmoss had any warriors at all was to protect them from Vermonks or outside enemies, should they make any.
And there was one enemy. One enemy of the whole race that snuck in undetected and unchallenged. It was called Pride. Some say that a demon had unleashed Pride upon the Keyla race, but others argue, saying that the warrior's eyes were as sharp as their spears and that they would have seen any demon that dared approach their city. Pride had come alone and without any help. Ever so slowly, as slowly as the city had been built - brick upon brick - Pride began to pick apart the bonds between the Keyla.
Women became petty and vain, abandoning their children in pursuit of lost youth and beauty. Warriors that had once been part of a blood-strong brotherhood, now boasted about who was the greatest. Rulers tried to outdo the ones before them, rather than concentrate on keeping order. Even children ganged up on the weak whom they had once helped protect from the preying forces of nature.
It all began to spiral out of control. Now there were killings. In anger, one man would strike down his own son. In jealousy, a woman would poison her own daughter. Brother fought against brother, and sister fought against sister. The priests who had once prayed so peacefully now conducted horrific sacrifices of weak children or the old and frail. Anyone not beautiful did not belong to them. Anyone not perfect was born to be sacrificed to the Gods to redeem the Keyla race.
When all the work of the artisans - who had fled long ago - was stained with blood and when all the sun shined on was daily warfare, the Gods regrettably realized what they had to do. They had to stop Pride's madness the only way they could.
Plague filtered in through the strong walls of Reiadmoss, killing all. The beautiful, the weak, and the strong fell without discrimination. Those with any wits still about them fled the city. The others, still consumed with the fever of Pride, stayed behind with their wealth and possessions even as their children died before them. Finally, when the plague had passed, whoever had managed to survive it while staying within the city killed each other over the loot.
Those that fled were turned away from all Gungan cities for the story of their disgraceful corruption had traveled ahead faster than they could run. Diseheartened, they became nomads, traveling the planet's surface for a place to belong. No-one, to this day knows what became of the ones left of the Keyla race. Gungans are still proud to trace their lines back to the Keyla, even though the Keyla became corrupted by that very same pride. Their race was a beautiful one and it is sorely missed. The Keyla are no longer as scorned as they once were. We remember them for the memory of what they used to be.
"Da Temple tis de only ting left standin since da rest o Reiadmoss sunk into da swamp. Many tried ta find it an all failed maxi-bad. Tis a cursed place now, even though 'twas once sacred to da Guds. Tis believed dat anyting dat enters will nevva return or dat whoever enters an returns will bring da plague that killed out da Keyla. Dere are so-many beliefs of wat dat place tis naow . . . my go wan forevva."
Alexis was shivering despite the sun. "If it's such a horrible place, why are you coming in with us?"
"My banish-ed. Who my gonna bring da plague back to?" Jar Jar attempted to joke. Alexis knew better.
"Jar Jar. I'm serious. Do you feel that there's going to be danger?"
"Tis jus a legend."
"You believe in it."
"My seen da traps. Dat's de only danger wesa gotta worry about."
"Aren't you the least bit afraid of the curse?"
"Yes. My is. But my promis-ed not ta leave yous."
Alexis wasn't satisfied. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable."
"Den let me do wat I promis-ed," Jar Jar stated simply. Alexis knew then that she had lost whatever ghost of an argument they had just had. She sighed and linked her arm with his.
"Why do you men always have to be so stubborn?" She teased.
Jar Jar could only grin in response.
As Mik, Don, and Li unpacked the tents for the night, Jar Jar went over how far they had to travel still.
"Der's only a few mur miles dat we ken cover tamorrow. Den it get's tricky."
"Those traps you were talking about?" asked Hali.
Jar Jar nodded. "Der's no way my ken spring dem all cause my not sur whare ta looksee. Unless . . . wesa send somebotty ahead to cut a clear path."
"Did they look deadly?"
"Not rilly. Da skulls my saw belonged ta animals. Dey wer too small ta-"
"Hold up, wait. The skulls just belonged to animals?" Kad interrupted rudely.
Ignoring him, Hali motioned for Jar Jar to continue.
"Dey wer too small ta survive the clamp-traps. Got crushed."
"How recently were you there?"
"Say bout . . . five-so years."
Kad lost it. "Five years ago? We might as well just turn around now. It's probably on the black market by now --"
Too late, Kad realized his mistake. Hali's eyes narrowed. "What's on the black market?"
Kad remained silent. He glowered at Jar Jar, blaming the gungan for making his tongue slip.
"Answer me Kad. What are you after?"
"It doesn't matter. I'll find it myself." Hali grabbed a hold of Kad's arm. Kad yanked it away and broke out into a run. Hali took after him and lunged, grabbing the younger man's legs and bringing him down to earth. Kad struggled frantically to get away. "Tell me!" Hali demanded. "What are you really after?"
"Hali!" Jar Jar yelled above Kad's cursing. "Yous don need ta ask his. My kno what he's afta."
"Shut up, gungan!" The young man spat at him.
Jar Jar flinched. Even pinned down by Hali, Kad had a wild look in his eyes that made Jar Jar afraid. He looked like he wanted to tear the gungan limb from limb. It reminded him of Boss Nass' expression after he'd been fished out of Paonga dripping wet, his mansion ruined thanks to Jar Jar. Except Nass had, at first, wanted Jar Jar to be pounded to death. Kad looked like he wanted to do far worse and he probably would try after he heard what Jar Jar had to say next.
"Yur afta the Dnomai. Da stone dat the Keyla used ta make der technology work. Itsa worth a lot mur den yous kno . . ."
"I know how much it's worth," growled Kad.
"If it was real, yousa woud be as rich as a Gud."
It took a moment for the words to sink in. "What?!" Kad demanded. "You liar!" He struggled even harder to escape than before. Jar Jar stepped back a few paces.
"It's real and I'm going to find it! Let go!" Kad kicked Hali in the stomach, throwing him off. He rolled to his feet and ran into the darkness. Li, Mik, and Don watched, stunned.
Hali cursed softly, holding his abdomen in pain. Jar Jar and Alexis helped him up. "We're going to have to set a guard up. Most likely he'll come back for his equipment."
Or for someone who knows more than he does, Alexis thought, glancing at Jar Jar. The look he returned mirrored her concern.
"Damn them. Damn him. It's real, I know it's real. Senators don't blow this kinda money on wild-goose chases. 'Maybe he's smarter than you are,' ha!" Kad said, mimicking Rast. Rast . . . money . . . the equipment . . . How was he going to get it back? Hali would probably set up a night-watch. Kad would find a way. He had to find the Dmonai. Rast would break him in half if he returned empty-handed. The Senator had enough power to bury Kad alive and not recieve so much as a smudge on his records. There would be no escape - he was in far too deep this time. "If I don't find it then I'd better kill myself and save him the trouble," Kad muttered, heading back in the direction of the camp. He didn't know what to do or how he was going to do it, but he knew he had to try if only to save his own skin.
It's ironic, somehow, to think that Kad might've found a way to steal back his equipment and leave again undetected. Because the next step he took impaled him on a spear. Kad clutched the shaft of the spear, blood making his hands warm. It had passed through him like a ghost. He'd barely even felt it enter, but now it hurt so horribly he couldn't even scream. He let out a strangled gasp and fell backwards in a pitiful heap. He was dead as soon as he hit the ground.
A pair of hands loosened his grip on the spear-shaft and pulled it from his body. Kad's killer stood over him, eyes shining in the clouded moonlight. ((Little creatures such as this one shouldn't stray far from the herd,)) the creature spoke in his native tongue. A second figure joined the first.
((Too bad. If he hadn't whined so much, he might've made it farther.))
((He was weak, Kojo. And weakness is a sign of disfavor with the Gods. We'll leave him as a warning for the rest of his herd to see. But first, there's someone we must take a closer look at.))
Alexis heard Li and Mik conversing at the south end of the camp perimeter. In three hours, it would be their turn to sleep while she and Jar Jar took second watch. Jar Jar was sleeping lightly already. Alexis listened to his purring snore and wondered how he found the nerve to close his eyes after what had just happened.
She also envied him.
Alexis laid down with her back to Jar Jar and tried to think of other things. She needed three hours now or else, she'd be awake for six hours until her shift was over for the night. She was scared and she didn't doubt that Jar Jar was frightened. Although she knew Li and Mik were on guard, it was still difficult to close her eyes. When sleep did come, finally, it came heavily.
Two figures crouched next to them, hardly disturbing the mist. One, ever so lightly, pulled back the blanket covering Jar Jar. The gungan felt nothing and continued to sleep.
((He isn't strong either. I can sense his fear as he sleeps.)) Kojo whispered.
((Don't judge by appearance. You know as little of him as I do. I sense fear, but strength too. He came this far,)) answered his companion.
((I think his fear will make him weak in the end. It has for so many others. Why is this one any different?))
((Maybe he's not. But he could be. Let's go. Tomorrow we will see how far his strength can endure.))
Jar Jar stirred and opened his eyes, thinking he heard voices. He sat up looking about, trying to brace himself against the chills of anxiety that shook his body. There was nothing bigger than a blade of swamp grass within five feet of him, but the mist on the ground was swirling crazily.