Author's Note: Hey there! Here's another chapter! Hope everyone is enjoying the story so far! Please review if you have a moment. And a special thank you to Hellish Red Devil, meandmysharpie and Anakin's Girl! Your reviews have really meant a lot!
Padme's scream caught in her throat as their boat slammed to a stop, resting heavily on a stone outcropping which had been disguised by the rushing water just seconds before. Grabbing onto the sides of the boat, she watched as it slowly floated forward before falling another distance and catching on a second rocky shelf. After a few more of these bone-jarring occurrences, she felt the boat finally settle into a body of deep water as they reached the bottom of the waterfall.
Laughing in relief, she turned to find Anakin grinning at her as their hovering camera droid filmed the entire scene from above. Quickly, they grabbed their paddles and began making their way to shore. Once there, they hopped out of the boat and stood before the shimmering hologram.
A voiceover began to speak as the picture changed to show a perfect image of their ship. "Now that you've conquered the waterfall, board your ship and make your way to Sector 9A. Once you've landed, find the Great Rock for information on your next challenge."
Padme turned to Anakin as the image blinked off. Hearing another scream and a burst of hysterical laughter, they looked up to see another set of contestants working their way down the waterfall. Realizing they'd better head out if they wanted to keep their lead, they began to run, Artoo rolling along behind them.
LANDING FIELD - SAME TIME
Sweating, Obi-wan started across the grassy field, his arms loaded down with heavy stones. From far away, he could hear screams and shouts of relief as the other contestants made their way down the giant waterfall. With a grimace, he released his hold on the stones and watched as they came to rest on top of the others.
"Hurry, Dake!" Mace commanded, as he sprinted forward with another load of rocks. "We can still regain our lead!"
"If you haven't noticed," Obi-wan replied, his tone a touch sarcastic. "We're the only ones who chose this horrible option and we've been working for several minutes without making a dent in that blasted pile!"
Shooting him a glare, Mace hurried back to the large rock pile, scooping up another load as he barked, "That's beside the point! Move!"
Furrowing his brows, Obi-wan hauled up another armful of the heavy material and started across the field, his legs beginning to scream with protest. His jaw dropped as he saw Anakin and Padme emerge from the far end of the field, their eyes dancing with delight, hair damp from the water. Quickly, they scrambled up the ramp and disappeared into their ship. Within seconds, he heard their engines start up and watched as their ship made a clean break for the sky.
With a fresh surge of energy, Obi-wan and Mace began another arduous trek across the field.
KOJAH - SECTOR 9A
Anakin gently set the ship down and opened the exit doors. Seeing another ship doing the same, he moved to follow Padme and Artoo as they surveyed the surrounding area. Almost immediately, his eyes came to rest on a large rocky outcropping that seemed to reach straight for the clouds. Nudging Padme gently, he jerked his head towards it questioningly and she nodded her head in agreement. Walking quietly, they started towards the structure, chagrined when the other couple noticed and followed them.
Sure enough, a hologram was waiting for them at the top and it began to speak as they approached, "Welcome to the Great Rock. You have reached a Blockade - a task only one person can perform. Now, who doesn't mind a little mud?"
Recalling Padme's love for gardening and all things outdoors, Anakin looked at her expectantly. She nodded and stepped forward, as did the other female contestant. Sensing the movement, the hologram began to speak again.
"Contestants must make their way across a ceremonial mud pit. This passage is representative of an annual Kojahian celebration; one that is meant to symbolize the struggle of day-to-day life throughout the Galaxy. As in the real ceremony, this mud pit is inhabited by Pol'an, snake-like creatures who try to cast out any intruders. Your goal is to make it to the other side, where you will receive your next clue."
With a look towards Anakin that clearly said, you owe me, Padme shed her travel cloak and boots, leaving her in a long sleeved tunic and soft blue pants. Taking a moment to clear her mind, she made her way across the top of the Great Rock and spotted the giant mud pit below. Without a moment's hesitation, she began to run and jumped as far as she could, landing in the mud with a rather undignified splat. Almost immediately, she disappeared from view.
With a shriek, the other contestant froze in her tracks as she saw bubbles form where Padme had gone under. Feeling his heart drop to his toes, Anakin started forward, preparing to dive into the murk. Padme! his mind screamed.
Suddenly, there was a commotion a few feet from where Padme had disappeared. Focusing his attention on that area, he felt a rush of relief as his wife surfaced, gasping for air as the mud dripped down her face. I'm okay, Ani! With a grim sense of determination, she started towards the far side, moving in slow motion through the thick mess. Dimly, she heard another splat as the other contestant finally joined her. Moments later, Anakin spotted something slithering through the mud and Padme began to struggle, trying to pull herself free of the Pol'an's grip. She could feel herself tiring, but her fierce resolve never faltered. Finally, she broke away and pulled herself forward once again. As she approached the far end, another Pol'an broke the surface and started towards her. Taking a deep breath, Padme dove into the mud, barely slipping past the creature. Anakin was there to grab her hands as she surfaced, pulling her out of the pit.
Instantly, their clue popped up as Padme reached for a swatch of soft fabric that had been set out for the contestants. "Congratulations! You have completed the Blockade. Now, proceed to Sector 13P for the final instructions for this leg of the race."
With another swipe at the mud on her face, Padme slipped her boots on and wearily started down the rocky path, following Anakin to the ship.
SHIP OF DAKE AND TARV - SECTOR 9A
Hardly waiting for the ship to touch down, Mace was already out and running for the large rock he had spotted in the distance, now easily identified by the other contestants surrounding it. Obi-wan hurried behind him, suddenly catching sight of someone positively dripping with mud, as she trailed Anakin back to the ship.
Wait - was that-? Padme? What in the-! Oh, she is going to single handedly demote the entire Council when this is over...
"Dake! Hurry up!" he heard Master Windu yell. On instinct, he quickened his pace and jerked to a stop in front of the hologram, a move that almost had Threepio colliding with his back. After the instructions had been read, he hesitated a moment before realizing that Mace was looking at him with flinty eyes.
Blast!
"Very well," he sighed, pulling off his boots.
SECTOR 13-P
"We're here!" Anakin called as he eased the ship down into a large crater.
Quickly, Padme tossed aside the towel she'd been using to dry her hair and pulled on a clean pair of boots. In one smooth motion, she gathered her hair into a loose knot and tied it off with a leather band. Seconds behind her husband, she scrambled down the ship's ramp and came to a halt next to Artoo.
"There!" she called triumphantly, spotting the telltale signal of the hologram. Jogging over, the voiceover began in earnest as they approached.
"You've reached another divergence. You must choose your path - Climb or Time." The hologram changed to show the cliff that lay in front of them. "In Climb, contestants will need to work together to climb up the face of this steep cliff. The task should go quickly, but is very physically demanding."
After a brief hesitation, the picture morphed into a pathway, winding back and forth. The explanation continued, "In Time, teams will take a lengthy hike around the rim of the crater. The task is fairly simple, but the distance is far and will take some time to complete." As the image faded away, Anakin studied Padme, fully aware of the exhaustion she was feeling - he could sense it through their bond.
"Climb," she blurted, her eyes sparkling.
"Are you sure-" he started, his words trailing off as he saw her marching towards the cliff. Grabbing a solid handhold, she pulled herself off the ground. Shaking his head in sincere admiration, Anakin followed.
Closing her eyes, Padme tried to shield her face from the dust that was flying up as another ship prepared to land. She could hear Anakin's thoughts begin to merge with her own. It's okay. Take your time.
Realizing she'd come to a spot where she couldn't find another handhold, she looked up to find Anakin extending his hand. I've got you. With a grateful smile, she accepted the help and clambered up a few more feet. Stopping to catch her breath, she suddenly felt Anakin pushing her from behind.
"Kaide!" she admonished. "Really!"
"Sorry, sorry-" Anakin apologized, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice. "I thought you needed more help."
"I'm fine - just resting!" she insisted. A blush crept along her cheeks as she realized the hovering droid was once again silently recording their every move. She said a prayer of thanks that she had at least remembered to call Anakin by his alias. Once again, she started to climb, working in tandem with Anakin as they navigated the steep face of the cliff. Almost there, love! Finally, they pulled themselves up and over the edge and sat on the rocks for a moment as they looked out over the giant crater. Shielding their eyes, they saw the two Jedi Masters rush from their ship, Obi-wan's hair still wet from a quick rinse. Threepio had apparently given up trying to follow them – instead, they were now being followed by a small, black camera droid.
Surprised that they were ahead of their friends, Anakin and Padme quickly stood and made their way towards the large dwelling where they could see the host droid awaiting their arrival.
"Welcome to the First Destination! You will now have a full day to rest, eat and interact with the other contestants!" the droid intoned, his voice booming against the walls. "And now, Liri and Kaide, it is my pleasure to announce that you are team number one!"
With a cry of joy, Padme threw her arms around Anakin and he spun her in a circle. Setting her back on her feet, they hugged once more before facing the droid as he continued, "As winners of this first leg of the race, you have been granted a ship upgrade. Your ship will now be outfitted with a fresh supply of clothing and meals. Congratulations!"
"Thank you," they replied simultaneously. Kissing Padme on the forehead, Anakin gently led her to the side as they watched the other teams file in. Vaguely, he started to worry when he didn't see Masters Windu or Obi-wan after the first six teams. Finally, he spotted the two men sprinting for the host droid.
"Welcome, Tarv and Dake," the droid greeted. "You are team number seven."
"Unacceptable," Master Windu snapped. "Dake, I told you we should have done the waterfall-"
"What?" Obi-wan cried as they walked away. "I suggested that, but you wanted to stick close to the ships!"
"Now is not the time for reevaluating our choices..." Mace's voice faded away as they headed through the door. Suppressing a burst of laughter, Anakin and Padme followed.
