***
CHAPTER NINE: It is Time! (For What?) The Merger! (The What?) The Merger! (What's That?) Never mind. Just Read the Chapter!
***
Author's Note: Hi, guys! Look! I'm on your computer!
***
CUE SURVIVOR MUSIC
Jeft Proast's voice comes in
"On our last episode: Yoda appears in the Sandburrow camp and starts breakdancing. Norub lost the immunity challenge and voted Gavin Darklighter off. Survivors are down to ten, but will the expected merger come? Who will be the ultimate… Star Wars Survivor?" *In low, background voice* "Can I go now? I have to use the bathroom… I mean, the bush. You got some toilet paper?"
END SURVIVOR MUSIC
***
Ten left. Five Jedi, one Sith, one Wookiee, one bounty hunter, one ambassador and one ex-smuggler. Who will be the one Survivor? (How would I know? That's the whole point of reading this, isn't it?) Yes! Now go away and start reading!
***
At the Norub camp, everyone was happy to hear that the expected merger would come soon. Besides, with Gavin Darklighter gone, there was more unity than the contestants ever saw so far. They didn't need to keep their alliance secret from Gavin, so they spoke freely throughout the days that came along.
However, they were almost out of rice. This Leia noticed when she started preparing breakfast that day. In fact, she estimated that their supply would last them roughly less than two days. Unless they found some more food, or the merger arrived soon, they would starve.
Leia was used to not having enough food to eat. Odds are, though, that this would be a major problem if she needed strength. She knew painfully well that no food, no win.
Where'd that saying come from?
Han arrived, downcast. "What's wrong?" Leia asked.
"It's Chewie."
"What about him?" Leia was worried now. She was used to that too, with all the bad stuff happening…
"It's his… body odor."
At this Leia burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Han was perplexed. He didn't even know what he just said was supposed to make you start laughing mad.
Leia tried to calm herself down as Jaina arrived. "What is it, Mom?"
"Nothing, nothing," she tried to assure them.
Jaina tried to… comfort her mother. "Mom? It's okay. We'll get some more food somehow." She hugged her. She thought her mom was going nuts.
"No, it's not that! It's Chewie!"
Han was quiet, obviously still trying to add one and one together and figure out how come his wife was laughing like this.
"What's with Chewie?"
"Two letters honey. 'B' with a capital 'O.'"
Jaina's jaw dropped faster than an ewok who didn't listen to his mother and tried to swing around without experience and of course lost his grip and fell. Her jaw dropped faster than the ewok FELL, of course, not the other parts when he didn't listen to his mother and went out, then found a vine…
Oh, you get it.
Leia counted down in her head. //Three, two one…//
And Jaina burst out laughing.
Now Han was even more perplexed at why his daughter was laughing too. Women. You can never seem to understand them.
"Can someone here tell me why you two are laughing so bad?" Han asked, scratching his head.
"Is Chewie okay?" Jaina managed to ask between breaths.
"Yeah, I guess so." Han replied.
"Then why does he have… body…" Leia was unable to finish her sentence due to an awful stench coming their way. She immediately covered the rice as if it had scent receptors and would disappear.
"Morning," Chewie growled.
Jaina tried to focus on something distant, and struggled to keep herself from using the Force to block out the smell. She wanted to win this thing, after all.
"Chewie," Leia managed, "uh, not meaning to be rude or anything, but, I think you need a bath."
Chewie grunted. "I know," he replied, keeping his distance as the CBS translator strained to interpret what he was saying. He shut the thing off. Grrrrr, riareg! (But the smell won't go away!)
"Did you use the soap we won?" Jaina asked, turning to her hairy uncle.
(Yes, but it won't work.)
"Got any idea as to why?" Han searched.
(I need a razor. Shaving season. Wookiees don't shave, they stink. Can't use the shaver we got. Too thin.)
It was silent for a moment until Han remembered something and reached into his pocket, then pulled a Swiss Army knife. "I think I've got a blade in there that'll do."
Chewie gladly took the razor. (Thanks,) he growled. He walked away, prompting Jaina to take a long, deep breath of fresh air.
"Dad," Jaina pressed, "where'd you get that thing?"
"I don't know," came the reply. "Guess the author knew Chewie's shaving season's coming up.
Leia sighed. "I do NOT want to see Chewie like that again…"
"Like what, mom?"
"Well, whenever Wookiees reach a certain age, they need a shaving season, right? So…ehm, last year… It wasn't as, ah…" She struggled to find the right words. "…not as pleasant, as we thought it would be."
"Oh."
"Rice's done." Leia finally announced. "Where's Bob?"
"I think he's still sleeping," Han said.
"Better not wake him then."
"Okay." They all started eating their breakfast, and they finished way before Bob woke up. He ate his breakfast, wondering where Chewie was until Jaina explained the rather embarrassing situation. Bob laughed as well, and Han scratched his head again, still wondering why everyone's laughing all of a sudden. The morning dragged on.
They skipped lunch, then Chewie arrived.
He was a pitiful sight.
Just think. A shaven Wookiee… not exactly beautiful. Huh.
Chewie quickly ignored the stares and walked to his tent.
At around 3:00 in the afternoon, the first rain on this show arrived. It was a light shower at first, but then the skies began to grow darker until it was an outright storm. Norub was camped near the shore. So just take a wild guess on what happened.
"Flood!" Han cried, trying to gather up equipment. Chewie was shivering under the rain, doing his best to help. You can't really blame him. A shaven Wookiee under a storm? Heh, I am so happy this is all fiction. Ha, ha.
Their campfire was put out by the ascending tide. The team members of Norub dashed towards the waterhole, which was roughly in the middle of the island. That, you and I know, is pretty stupid since the hole's gonna overflow anyway.
But they didn't. At least I didn't let them. It's so fun being the author of a fanfic! I can do ANYTHING I want with these sci-fi people, and I'm not even George Lucas! Or Rick McCallum! Or an executive producer at LucasFilm!
I AM SO HAPPY TODAY! I just saw the Episode II trailer for the one hundred and twenty-sith time! I mean, twenty-sixth time! But who's counting?
Anyway, back to my story. Jaina arrived first with a ton of stuff on her back. She spotted the flood and decided to stay away.
"Don't get any closer!" She yelled. "It's flooded!" By the time she noticed her feet were wet, the water was up to her ankles. "Sith spit!" She shouted, then withdrew. "It's flooded at the waterhole! Don't get any nearer! We'll lose our belongings!"
She met up with the rest of her team about two hundred meters back, all of them tired from running under the rain. They all took shelter under a large tree, watching helplessly as the storm that I put in here flooded their waterhole and drenched everything they had.
***
"Blaster bolts!" Jacen gasped. "It's coming nearer!" The flood was also tormenting the other team. This was a deserted island, of course, so they were camped at the shore too, which also was ascending at their end.
"Get all the food! The food!" Mara warned, panting. "We'll starve if they all wash away!"
"If I could only use the Force…" Luke grumbled to himself as he packed as quickly as he could.
Vader's cape was already clinging to his plastic armor--I mean, HEAVILY SHEILDED TITANIUM ALLOY BACK ARMOR—as he struggled to maintain his balance.
Anakin spotted a tin can of biscuits floating away. "No!" He cried loudly, as he dumped his knapsack off his back and made a run for the can, which was quickly being carried away by the current.
"HUTT BREATH!" He screamed. "My knapsack!" Before he knew it, his knapsack was floating away, too, and the only thing he could really do was wade through the tide as quickly as he possibly could.
"Anakin, come back here! We've got to make for higher ground!" He heard his aunt call.
"No! I've GOT to get that knapsack!" He was about two inches from it when the current towed it away. "NOOOOO!"
It was too far away now, too much into the deep waters. "Come on, Anakin!" His brother coaxed, "We've got to get out of here!"
With resentment he waded back towards the shore and picked up whatever he could find. "Let's go," he mumbled softly, though no one could hear him. They scrambled to find shelter.
Once they did, they were all panting, tired from the race with the water. Jacen turned to Anakin. "What was in that sack you were so worried about?"
Anakin shrugged. "Nothing, really."
"I know better, Anakin."
"So?"
"Stop saying 'so' to me. There was something really valuable to you in that bag, wasn't there?"
Anakin shrugged again. "Don't know. Why don't you go find out?"
Jacen ignored the sarcasm. "Come on, tell."
"We're on international Internet, Jacen."
"Come on, it's just a show."
"No."
"Why?"
"No!"
"What's wrong?"
"I SAID NO!"
None of the older people paid any heed to the two brothers. "I'll continue to annoy you if you don't tell me."
Anakin gave up his fight. "Fine," he started, massaging his temples. "My wallet was in it."
And Jacen laughed.
"What's in Anakin's wallet you're laughing about?" Vader asked, suddenly interested.
Jacen could barely explain, so he did between breaths. "Picture… of… friend… Tahiri."
"Who's Tahiri?"
"You haven't been reading the New Jedi Order books?" Jacen asked, now calmed down, but very surprised.
Anakin looked relieved, and he glanced at his aunt and uncle. Luke was napping, and snoring VERY loudly, mind you, and Mara was trying to do the same thing (napping, not snoring), but couldn't since her husband was too loud so she slapped his cheek and he immediately stopped his noise.
"I haven't read the uh, the Enemy Lines duology by the Greg guy. Or the what, Death Star by Star Destroyer?"
"No, silly. It's Star by Star. Stars that are still ALIVE. No death. Okay, maybe SOMEONE dies," he said, sparing a glance at his brother.
"Who did?" Vader asked eagerly.
"I really shouldn't tell you."
"Aww, PLEASE, pretty, pretty please?" He removed his helmet and did his best cute, sad, puppy dog eyes. Jacen looked away in disgust. The old Anakin Skywalker does not look ANYTHING like a little girl who wants candy. Okay, so neither does the young one.
"Maybe you should put that back on, Grandpa." Anakin was staring at the wet soil in front of him as his brother said this, motioning towards the old man's helmet.
"If I do, will you tell me?"
Jacen resigned. "Okay, okay."
"Alright!" Vader put his helmet back on and leaned on a tree trunk.
**WARNING: DO NOT READ THIS PART. MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD! DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW.**
**LAST CHANCE NOT TO READ THIS.**
**OKAY, THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE.**
**ALRIGHT, IF YOU INSIST.**
"Anakin."
Vader gasped, then looked at Anakin, who was simply observing the rain falling.
"Then who's Tahiri?" the older Anakin managed.
Jacen snickered, then announced. "His girlfriend."
"She is NOT my girlfriend!" Anakin suddenly said, getting up from his spot.
Jacen did not bother to argue. He simply waved his brother away and smiled.
Vader was wheezing through his mask.
"Grandpa, are you okay?" Jacen asked, not really concerned whether the old man died here or not because he knew was to be dead anyway.
"Can't an old man laugh these days?"
"Oh, sorry."
"I said, she is NOT my girlfriend!" Anakin defended.
"Then who IS she?" Jacen challenged lightly.
"She's my best friend."
"Ha, ha, I read Conquest, Anakin. You said, *in high tone, not to mention mocking* 'I LOOOOOOVVVVEEEE you, Tahiri.'" Jacen batted his eyelashes all girly-like, smiled sweetly at his brother, and hugged himself. Then he threw kisses into the air. "Ah, my Romeo…" He rolled his 'r'.
"Shut up, Jacen." Anakin slumped back in his place under the trees, his cheeks red.
The rain was slowing down.
"What?" Jacen asked innocently. "You keep an image of her in your wallet. I saw it."
Vader watched all this with amusement. Luke was snoring again, and Mara was watching the two brothers too, smiling faintly.
Anakin rolled his eyes and swatted away his brother's comment, then suddenly brightened up as an idea came to mind. "So, Jacen, if you could marry just ONE person, would it be… Tenel Ka? Or Danni Quee?"
Jacen's face was painted bright crimson.
"So… who'd it be?"
Mara was snickering softly.
"Don't ask me that."
"And why not? You humiliated me with the photo thing. At least I have only ONE girlfriend." Hee, hee.
Vader was wheezing again.
"Gee, and they HAD to put you on the show in my team," Jacen grumbled. "Wish I just had Jaina."
"You didn't answer my question yet," Anakin insisted.
"And I don't plan to."
"Guys, break it up," came Mara's voice. "Anakin, leave Jacen alone. Jacen, keep away from Anakin."
"But, Aunt Mara—" Jacen started.
"No 'buts'."
"Yes, Aunt Mara," Anakin replied dryly. Jacen simply nodded.
Mara burst. So did Vader.
That was sort of shocking, wasn't it? Blood and—oh, wrong story. They were laughing just in case you didn't know.
"What?" Anakin asked.
"Okay, I can't help it. It's just that—" Mara paused just for a quick puff of oxygen. "It's just so funny watching two young men talk about…uh…love."
Jacen knew his grand father was smiling behind his helmet.
"What?" Anakin asked again. "So?"
"Oh, nothing. Come one, the rain's gone. Let's find a new place to set up camp. By the way, who's Romeo, Jacen?"
***
"Rain's done," Leia announced. "We should camp right here. It's close to the waterhole but we're sure it won't flood."
"Okay," Han and Jaina grunted.
"Chewie, are you okay?" Jaina asked, concerned.
(Yeah, yeah. Let's go.)
Bob was using the bathroom.
***
The clearing was still damp with dew, and the teams each stood in their respective places, but everyone was perplexed at why Jeft wasn't there.
"Hey!" Bob shouted. "Where's the host?"
"He's sick!" I told everyone.
Luke came forward… again. Doesn't this guy ever learn? "Ben?"
"FOR GOODNESS' SAKE, LUKE, I'M THE AUTHOR! You won't be seeing any dead people in this fic!"
"But Haley Joel Osment did," Luke said.
"Well, this isn't 'The Sixth Sense', is it?"
"Uh, no…"
"Well, then, unless I put it in my story beforehand, like Yoda, you're not going to be hearing any dead people. Now go away."
When everyone was settled, I announced, "Okay, your host is sick, because he got diarrhea or something. So for now, I'm your host, got it?"
Nods were seen.
"Okay, then, you're all part of a team now. Think of a name, then make a flag, then move into your new camp. This is an individual immunity challenge, so whoever wins this thing cannot be voted out, but you may vote out anybody else you want. Your entire team will be at Tribal Council.
"Okay, I will have to materialize there, so hold on a minute."
Then I went into my own fic. Cool, huh?
Vader apparently gasped in horror. "You where correction lenses!"
"Yeah? So what?"
"Nothing, just…"
"Good. Don't waste my time. If ya look over there, there are straw targets. You will get a bow and an arrow, the arrowhead lit with fire. If you do not get the thing on fire, you are eliminated from this round. Whoever lights up the target is a winner. If we have a tie, we will simply go into a tiebreaker round where the targets are much farther. Okay, Luke, you're first."
"Me?"
"Yes, you! Come over here!"
"Alright, alright already."
Luke positioned himself at the starting line, aimed, then fired. It missed, and landed at the target's feet, in the damp sand.
"Sorry, Luke. Mara, you're next."
Mara did the same, only it did light up the target, and the former Sandburrow team members cheered.
"Cool. Next."
And so it went. Han missed, Chewbacca missed, Leia missed, *yawn* Bob missed, Anakin got it, Jaina got it, Jacen got it, and Vader missed.
"Okay, then, so, it's a four-way tie. Jaina, Jacen, Mara, and Anakin. Mara is up first again."
She missed.
"Anakin."
He missed.
"Jaina."
She got it.
"Jacen."
He got it.
"Ah, I've always wanted to see this. Brother versus sister. I REALLY want to see this. In this tiebreaker round, you will both go at the same time. Only shoot your arrow when I tell you to. Now, as you can see, the targets are much farther. Whoever gets it, or whoever is closest to it, wins.
"Take your positions. Ready, aim…"
Bows stretched.
"Fire!"
Fling! Jacen's arrow hit the ground prematurely, as did Jaina.
"Okay, according to the tape measure, Jaina wins."
Cheers erupted.
"See you guys at Tribal Council!"
***
Ten new team members entered, now a new tribe.
"Welcome, Survivors. Since the producers have no control over me, I do not have to say all the saliva wasting things Jeft is obligated to say. So here goes. Vote off anyone you do not like."
Ten members later, the author (me) emerged with the votes.
"Okay," I announced, "Darth Vader. Second vote, Darth Vader, Third, Boba Fett, Fourth, Boba Fett, Fifth, Boba Fett, Sixth, Darth Vader. So, Boba Fett, and Darth Vader, you two are tied. Next vote."
CUE SURVIVOR MUSIC
"Will someone shut that thing off?" The author complained.
CUE END SURVIVOR MUSIC
"Thank you. Jeez. Okay, next vote, Darth Vader. Eighth vote, eh, um… hold on a second… oh, okay. It says, Bounty Hunter. So that's Boba Fett. Ninth vote, Boba Fett, and last and deciding vote, Fett. Bob, sorry. You gotta go."
The bounty hunter stood and reluctantly took his torch. I've always wanted to do this!
And his fire was put out.
Nine Survivors left.
***
Alrighty, hope that chapter was cool. Thanks to Grand Admiral Jello for his suggestion for a challenge. Gonna use it soon! More reviews, people, please, and more suggestions for the reward/ immunity challenges! Appreciate it… Oh, whatcha think of this: Star Wars: The Amazing Race? Let me know what you think of it!
***
CHAPTER NINE: It is Time! (For What?) The Merger! (The What?) The Merger! (What's That?) Never mind. Just Read the Chapter!
***
Author's Note: Hi, guys! Look! I'm on your computer!
***
CUE SURVIVOR MUSIC
Jeft Proast's voice comes in
"On our last episode: Yoda appears in the Sandburrow camp and starts breakdancing. Norub lost the immunity challenge and voted Gavin Darklighter off. Survivors are down to ten, but will the expected merger come? Who will be the ultimate… Star Wars Survivor?" *In low, background voice* "Can I go now? I have to use the bathroom… I mean, the bush. You got some toilet paper?"
END SURVIVOR MUSIC
***
Ten left. Five Jedi, one Sith, one Wookiee, one bounty hunter, one ambassador and one ex-smuggler. Who will be the one Survivor? (How would I know? That's the whole point of reading this, isn't it?) Yes! Now go away and start reading!
***
At the Norub camp, everyone was happy to hear that the expected merger would come soon. Besides, with Gavin Darklighter gone, there was more unity than the contestants ever saw so far. They didn't need to keep their alliance secret from Gavin, so they spoke freely throughout the days that came along.
However, they were almost out of rice. This Leia noticed when she started preparing breakfast that day. In fact, she estimated that their supply would last them roughly less than two days. Unless they found some more food, or the merger arrived soon, they would starve.
Leia was used to not having enough food to eat. Odds are, though, that this would be a major problem if she needed strength. She knew painfully well that no food, no win.
Where'd that saying come from?
Han arrived, downcast. "What's wrong?" Leia asked.
"It's Chewie."
"What about him?" Leia was worried now. She was used to that too, with all the bad stuff happening…
"It's his… body odor."
At this Leia burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Han was perplexed. He didn't even know what he just said was supposed to make you start laughing mad.
Leia tried to calm herself down as Jaina arrived. "What is it, Mom?"
"Nothing, nothing," she tried to assure them.
Jaina tried to… comfort her mother. "Mom? It's okay. We'll get some more food somehow." She hugged her. She thought her mom was going nuts.
"No, it's not that! It's Chewie!"
Han was quiet, obviously still trying to add one and one together and figure out how come his wife was laughing like this.
"What's with Chewie?"
"Two letters honey. 'B' with a capital 'O.'"
Jaina's jaw dropped faster than an ewok who didn't listen to his mother and tried to swing around without experience and of course lost his grip and fell. Her jaw dropped faster than the ewok FELL, of course, not the other parts when he didn't listen to his mother and went out, then found a vine…
Oh, you get it.
Leia counted down in her head. //Three, two one…//
And Jaina burst out laughing.
Now Han was even more perplexed at why his daughter was laughing too. Women. You can never seem to understand them.
"Can someone here tell me why you two are laughing so bad?" Han asked, scratching his head.
"Is Chewie okay?" Jaina managed to ask between breaths.
"Yeah, I guess so." Han replied.
"Then why does he have… body…" Leia was unable to finish her sentence due to an awful stench coming their way. She immediately covered the rice as if it had scent receptors and would disappear.
"Morning," Chewie growled.
Jaina tried to focus on something distant, and struggled to keep herself from using the Force to block out the smell. She wanted to win this thing, after all.
"Chewie," Leia managed, "uh, not meaning to be rude or anything, but, I think you need a bath."
Chewie grunted. "I know," he replied, keeping his distance as the CBS translator strained to interpret what he was saying. He shut the thing off. Grrrrr, riareg! (But the smell won't go away!)
"Did you use the soap we won?" Jaina asked, turning to her hairy uncle.
(Yes, but it won't work.)
"Got any idea as to why?" Han searched.
(I need a razor. Shaving season. Wookiees don't shave, they stink. Can't use the shaver we got. Too thin.)
It was silent for a moment until Han remembered something and reached into his pocket, then pulled a Swiss Army knife. "I think I've got a blade in there that'll do."
Chewie gladly took the razor. (Thanks,) he growled. He walked away, prompting Jaina to take a long, deep breath of fresh air.
"Dad," Jaina pressed, "where'd you get that thing?"
"I don't know," came the reply. "Guess the author knew Chewie's shaving season's coming up.
Leia sighed. "I do NOT want to see Chewie like that again…"
"Like what, mom?"
"Well, whenever Wookiees reach a certain age, they need a shaving season, right? So…ehm, last year… It wasn't as, ah…" She struggled to find the right words. "…not as pleasant, as we thought it would be."
"Oh."
"Rice's done." Leia finally announced. "Where's Bob?"
"I think he's still sleeping," Han said.
"Better not wake him then."
"Okay." They all started eating their breakfast, and they finished way before Bob woke up. He ate his breakfast, wondering where Chewie was until Jaina explained the rather embarrassing situation. Bob laughed as well, and Han scratched his head again, still wondering why everyone's laughing all of a sudden. The morning dragged on.
They skipped lunch, then Chewie arrived.
He was a pitiful sight.
Just think. A shaven Wookiee… not exactly beautiful. Huh.
Chewie quickly ignored the stares and walked to his tent.
At around 3:00 in the afternoon, the first rain on this show arrived. It was a light shower at first, but then the skies began to grow darker until it was an outright storm. Norub was camped near the shore. So just take a wild guess on what happened.
"Flood!" Han cried, trying to gather up equipment. Chewie was shivering under the rain, doing his best to help. You can't really blame him. A shaven Wookiee under a storm? Heh, I am so happy this is all fiction. Ha, ha.
Their campfire was put out by the ascending tide. The team members of Norub dashed towards the waterhole, which was roughly in the middle of the island. That, you and I know, is pretty stupid since the hole's gonna overflow anyway.
But they didn't. At least I didn't let them. It's so fun being the author of a fanfic! I can do ANYTHING I want with these sci-fi people, and I'm not even George Lucas! Or Rick McCallum! Or an executive producer at LucasFilm!
I AM SO HAPPY TODAY! I just saw the Episode II trailer for the one hundred and twenty-sith time! I mean, twenty-sixth time! But who's counting?
Anyway, back to my story. Jaina arrived first with a ton of stuff on her back. She spotted the flood and decided to stay away.
"Don't get any closer!" She yelled. "It's flooded!" By the time she noticed her feet were wet, the water was up to her ankles. "Sith spit!" She shouted, then withdrew. "It's flooded at the waterhole! Don't get any nearer! We'll lose our belongings!"
She met up with the rest of her team about two hundred meters back, all of them tired from running under the rain. They all took shelter under a large tree, watching helplessly as the storm that I put in here flooded their waterhole and drenched everything they had.
***
"Blaster bolts!" Jacen gasped. "It's coming nearer!" The flood was also tormenting the other team. This was a deserted island, of course, so they were camped at the shore too, which also was ascending at their end.
"Get all the food! The food!" Mara warned, panting. "We'll starve if they all wash away!"
"If I could only use the Force…" Luke grumbled to himself as he packed as quickly as he could.
Vader's cape was already clinging to his plastic armor--I mean, HEAVILY SHEILDED TITANIUM ALLOY BACK ARMOR—as he struggled to maintain his balance.
Anakin spotted a tin can of biscuits floating away. "No!" He cried loudly, as he dumped his knapsack off his back and made a run for the can, which was quickly being carried away by the current.
"HUTT BREATH!" He screamed. "My knapsack!" Before he knew it, his knapsack was floating away, too, and the only thing he could really do was wade through the tide as quickly as he possibly could.
"Anakin, come back here! We've got to make for higher ground!" He heard his aunt call.
"No! I've GOT to get that knapsack!" He was about two inches from it when the current towed it away. "NOOOOO!"
It was too far away now, too much into the deep waters. "Come on, Anakin!" His brother coaxed, "We've got to get out of here!"
With resentment he waded back towards the shore and picked up whatever he could find. "Let's go," he mumbled softly, though no one could hear him. They scrambled to find shelter.
Once they did, they were all panting, tired from the race with the water. Jacen turned to Anakin. "What was in that sack you were so worried about?"
Anakin shrugged. "Nothing, really."
"I know better, Anakin."
"So?"
"Stop saying 'so' to me. There was something really valuable to you in that bag, wasn't there?"
Anakin shrugged again. "Don't know. Why don't you go find out?"
Jacen ignored the sarcasm. "Come on, tell."
"We're on international Internet, Jacen."
"Come on, it's just a show."
"No."
"Why?"
"No!"
"What's wrong?"
"I SAID NO!"
None of the older people paid any heed to the two brothers. "I'll continue to annoy you if you don't tell me."
Anakin gave up his fight. "Fine," he started, massaging his temples. "My wallet was in it."
And Jacen laughed.
"What's in Anakin's wallet you're laughing about?" Vader asked, suddenly interested.
Jacen could barely explain, so he did between breaths. "Picture… of… friend… Tahiri."
"Who's Tahiri?"
"You haven't been reading the New Jedi Order books?" Jacen asked, now calmed down, but very surprised.
Anakin looked relieved, and he glanced at his aunt and uncle. Luke was napping, and snoring VERY loudly, mind you, and Mara was trying to do the same thing (napping, not snoring), but couldn't since her husband was too loud so she slapped his cheek and he immediately stopped his noise.
"I haven't read the uh, the Enemy Lines duology by the Greg guy. Or the what, Death Star by Star Destroyer?"
"No, silly. It's Star by Star. Stars that are still ALIVE. No death. Okay, maybe SOMEONE dies," he said, sparing a glance at his brother.
"Who did?" Vader asked eagerly.
"I really shouldn't tell you."
"Aww, PLEASE, pretty, pretty please?" He removed his helmet and did his best cute, sad, puppy dog eyes. Jacen looked away in disgust. The old Anakin Skywalker does not look ANYTHING like a little girl who wants candy. Okay, so neither does the young one.
"Maybe you should put that back on, Grandpa." Anakin was staring at the wet soil in front of him as his brother said this, motioning towards the old man's helmet.
"If I do, will you tell me?"
Jacen resigned. "Okay, okay."
"Alright!" Vader put his helmet back on and leaned on a tree trunk.
**WARNING: DO NOT READ THIS PART. MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD! DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW.**
**LAST CHANCE NOT TO READ THIS.**
**OKAY, THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE.**
**ALRIGHT, IF YOU INSIST.**
"Anakin."
Vader gasped, then looked at Anakin, who was simply observing the rain falling.
"Then who's Tahiri?" the older Anakin managed.
Jacen snickered, then announced. "His girlfriend."
"She is NOT my girlfriend!" Anakin suddenly said, getting up from his spot.
Jacen did not bother to argue. He simply waved his brother away and smiled.
Vader was wheezing through his mask.
"Grandpa, are you okay?" Jacen asked, not really concerned whether the old man died here or not because he knew was to be dead anyway.
"Can't an old man laugh these days?"
"Oh, sorry."
"I said, she is NOT my girlfriend!" Anakin defended.
"Then who IS she?" Jacen challenged lightly.
"She's my best friend."
"Ha, ha, I read Conquest, Anakin. You said, *in high tone, not to mention mocking* 'I LOOOOOOVVVVEEEE you, Tahiri.'" Jacen batted his eyelashes all girly-like, smiled sweetly at his brother, and hugged himself. Then he threw kisses into the air. "Ah, my Romeo…" He rolled his 'r'.
"Shut up, Jacen." Anakin slumped back in his place under the trees, his cheeks red.
The rain was slowing down.
"What?" Jacen asked innocently. "You keep an image of her in your wallet. I saw it."
Vader watched all this with amusement. Luke was snoring again, and Mara was watching the two brothers too, smiling faintly.
Anakin rolled his eyes and swatted away his brother's comment, then suddenly brightened up as an idea came to mind. "So, Jacen, if you could marry just ONE person, would it be… Tenel Ka? Or Danni Quee?"
Jacen's face was painted bright crimson.
"So… who'd it be?"
Mara was snickering softly.
"Don't ask me that."
"And why not? You humiliated me with the photo thing. At least I have only ONE girlfriend." Hee, hee.
Vader was wheezing again.
"Gee, and they HAD to put you on the show in my team," Jacen grumbled. "Wish I just had Jaina."
"You didn't answer my question yet," Anakin insisted.
"And I don't plan to."
"Guys, break it up," came Mara's voice. "Anakin, leave Jacen alone. Jacen, keep away from Anakin."
"But, Aunt Mara—" Jacen started.
"No 'buts'."
"Yes, Aunt Mara," Anakin replied dryly. Jacen simply nodded.
Mara burst. So did Vader.
That was sort of shocking, wasn't it? Blood and—oh, wrong story. They were laughing just in case you didn't know.
"What?" Anakin asked.
"Okay, I can't help it. It's just that—" Mara paused just for a quick puff of oxygen. "It's just so funny watching two young men talk about…uh…love."
Jacen knew his grand father was smiling behind his helmet.
"What?" Anakin asked again. "So?"
"Oh, nothing. Come one, the rain's gone. Let's find a new place to set up camp. By the way, who's Romeo, Jacen?"
***
"Rain's done," Leia announced. "We should camp right here. It's close to the waterhole but we're sure it won't flood."
"Okay," Han and Jaina grunted.
"Chewie, are you okay?" Jaina asked, concerned.
(Yeah, yeah. Let's go.)
Bob was using the bathroom.
***
The clearing was still damp with dew, and the teams each stood in their respective places, but everyone was perplexed at why Jeft wasn't there.
"Hey!" Bob shouted. "Where's the host?"
"He's sick!" I told everyone.
Luke came forward… again. Doesn't this guy ever learn? "Ben?"
"FOR GOODNESS' SAKE, LUKE, I'M THE AUTHOR! You won't be seeing any dead people in this fic!"
"But Haley Joel Osment did," Luke said.
"Well, this isn't 'The Sixth Sense', is it?"
"Uh, no…"
"Well, then, unless I put it in my story beforehand, like Yoda, you're not going to be hearing any dead people. Now go away."
When everyone was settled, I announced, "Okay, your host is sick, because he got diarrhea or something. So for now, I'm your host, got it?"
Nods were seen.
"Okay, then, you're all part of a team now. Think of a name, then make a flag, then move into your new camp. This is an individual immunity challenge, so whoever wins this thing cannot be voted out, but you may vote out anybody else you want. Your entire team will be at Tribal Council.
"Okay, I will have to materialize there, so hold on a minute."
Then I went into my own fic. Cool, huh?
Vader apparently gasped in horror. "You where correction lenses!"
"Yeah? So what?"
"Nothing, just…"
"Good. Don't waste my time. If ya look over there, there are straw targets. You will get a bow and an arrow, the arrowhead lit with fire. If you do not get the thing on fire, you are eliminated from this round. Whoever lights up the target is a winner. If we have a tie, we will simply go into a tiebreaker round where the targets are much farther. Okay, Luke, you're first."
"Me?"
"Yes, you! Come over here!"
"Alright, alright already."
Luke positioned himself at the starting line, aimed, then fired. It missed, and landed at the target's feet, in the damp sand.
"Sorry, Luke. Mara, you're next."
Mara did the same, only it did light up the target, and the former Sandburrow team members cheered.
"Cool. Next."
And so it went. Han missed, Chewbacca missed, Leia missed, *yawn* Bob missed, Anakin got it, Jaina got it, Jacen got it, and Vader missed.
"Okay, then, so, it's a four-way tie. Jaina, Jacen, Mara, and Anakin. Mara is up first again."
She missed.
"Anakin."
He missed.
"Jaina."
She got it.
"Jacen."
He got it.
"Ah, I've always wanted to see this. Brother versus sister. I REALLY want to see this. In this tiebreaker round, you will both go at the same time. Only shoot your arrow when I tell you to. Now, as you can see, the targets are much farther. Whoever gets it, or whoever is closest to it, wins.
"Take your positions. Ready, aim…"
Bows stretched.
"Fire!"
Fling! Jacen's arrow hit the ground prematurely, as did Jaina.
"Okay, according to the tape measure, Jaina wins."
Cheers erupted.
"See you guys at Tribal Council!"
***
Ten new team members entered, now a new tribe.
"Welcome, Survivors. Since the producers have no control over me, I do not have to say all the saliva wasting things Jeft is obligated to say. So here goes. Vote off anyone you do not like."
Ten members later, the author (me) emerged with the votes.
"Okay," I announced, "Darth Vader. Second vote, Darth Vader, Third, Boba Fett, Fourth, Boba Fett, Fifth, Boba Fett, Sixth, Darth Vader. So, Boba Fett, and Darth Vader, you two are tied. Next vote."
CUE SURVIVOR MUSIC
"Will someone shut that thing off?" The author complained.
CUE END SURVIVOR MUSIC
"Thank you. Jeez. Okay, next vote, Darth Vader. Eighth vote, eh, um… hold on a second… oh, okay. It says, Bounty Hunter. So that's Boba Fett. Ninth vote, Boba Fett, and last and deciding vote, Fett. Bob, sorry. You gotta go."
The bounty hunter stood and reluctantly took his torch. I've always wanted to do this!
And his fire was put out.
Nine Survivors left.
***
Alrighty, hope that chapter was cool. Thanks to Grand Admiral Jello for his suggestion for a challenge. Gonna use it soon! More reviews, people, please, and more suggestions for the reward/ immunity challenges! Appreciate it… Oh, whatcha think of this: Star Wars: The Amazing Race? Let me know what you think of it!
***