The droning grew louder as the minutes ticked by. The RS 14's were very good in tracking down its quarry, no matter how small. But the craft did not get too far before a bolt of laser whizzed out from somewhere in the forest, missing the craft by a hair's breath. A second warning shot followed before the craft veered back over the mountains and out of sight.
"Do you think they'll come after us?" Anakin asked as he looked after the retreating scouting craft.
They wouldn't dare!" Amidala said. "At this point they can't afford to make more enemies. The Capa are proud warriors who value their freedom. Generally neutral in matters outside their valley, the Capa are a peaceful people over all, but if challenged they make a formidable enemy." She paused for a moment looking after the retreating craft as it disappeared into the distant clouds.
"One thing they will NOT tolerate are trespassers on their territory and any interference in their local affairs," she said turning to look at him."
"Even now this jungle must be teeming with their warriors. Venturing into it without a permission letter from the chief himself will be courting certain death. The Capa have a tendency to strike first then ask questions-at least that's how the Naboo see them." She said with a lopsided smile.
"Well that's another reason not to anger your bodyguard-without me you've dead, I mean what can one woman do against an army of shadowy barbarous warriors. Now I'm sure they're smart enough not to tangle with a Jedi." Anakin said as he smugly smoothed the sarong with his fingers.
"Actually this is one place where your Jedi training will be quite redundant. In this case YOU will need MY help to cross this unruly land. "
Anakin sat up slowly from his relaxed stance. "You! Protect me?" He said in disbelief.
"Do you really think that you can actually blast your way through here! Amidala said, "The Council certainly wouldn't approve you know, since YOU are the trespasser. Besides Jedi code requires that you respect local laws and customs." She added.
Anakin nodded. "So you are going to use diplomacy to get us across."
"This is my ticket through Capaland!" She said slipping out one of her numerous rings and holding it up.
"You see the chief is a personal friend of mine and he gave me this ring, saying that it would practically identify me as one of his daughters and would assure my protection in Capa territory."
Amidala went on to explain how she became friendly with chief Wakabu.
"The Capa guard their family values and customs jealously. They have their own laws and regulations and are fanatically loyal to their ancient rites and customs. But the Naboo government thought some of the laws too harsh and inhuman, they sought to challenge these savage laws and get the Capa into mainstream Naboo society."
The Capa for their part had opposed them with all out war, which dragged on for several years till Amidala had come into power when it was finally solved according to the wishes of the Capa people. They were granted autonomous rule and a promise of non-interference.
In exchange the chief promised military assistance to the central government in the event of an external attack on Naboo, as the Naboo central army was too small to protect the capital alone.
Amidala ran her hand through hair in a futile attempt to tidy it.
"We have been at peace with them for the last ten years or so," she went on.
"So you have kept in touch with the chief all this time?" Anakin asked.
"Chief Wakabu attended the celebrations after the Naboo victory over the trade federation. After that he visited Theed just once to celebrate my twentieth birthday. He presented me with this ring, a very special ring."
"Can I see it?" He asked.
She slipped it out of her finger and handed it to him, rather reluctantly.
"It's beautiful! I have never seen a stone like this before," Anakin said as he intently observed the small, smooth translucent gem.
"It's a very rare gem found in certain oyster shells that thrive in the depths of the fresh water lakes of the Capalands." The darker it gets the stronger the gem glows."
"You'll still need me to protect you, your highness!" Anakin said as he turned the ring around in his hand.
Amidala gave him a puzzled look. Cocking his head to one side he continued.
"According to an ancient law, called..." He paused to think for a while, "Ashana, I think. Well according to this law unmarried women found wondering outside the village perimeter without a male relative or guard were considered the property of any warrior who claimed them. If two or more should claim her then it would be decided through an honorable duel between them.
"Who told you that?" Amidala said with a grimace on her face, "How awful!"
Anakin reached into his robe's pocket and held out her datapad that she had placed there unconsciously when she had borrowed his cloak during their journey.
"They have an Interesting culture! I read a little while I was waiting to trap my prey back there in the jungle." He said.
"Your highness, you might also want to know that Capa laws apply to all members of the tribe equally-chief's daughter or not." Anakin was very smug, his tone of speech bordering on insolence.
Amidala shrugged " With this ring I don't think I have to worry!" Saying that she reached out to take back the ring, instead Anakin held her hand in his and was about to slip the ring onto her slender fingers when she suddenly retracted her hand with a jerk!
"Anakin!" she shrieked. The ring fell and rolled away right to the edge of the ledge. Anakin's quick reflexes saved the ring from the abyss. He held it out to her, placing it on his palm this time. She grabbed it from him unceremoniously. Glaring daggers at him.
Anakin was at a loss for words at her sudden change of attitude, but before he could ask for an explanation of how he had offended her Amidala jumped to her feet.
"Anakin please dress up! We should be leaving now!" She ordered in an icy cold tone.
Anakin stared at her as she walked away towards the speeder bike. He just couldn't understand women.
"Do you think they'll come after us?" Anakin asked as he looked after the retreating scouting craft.
They wouldn't dare!" Amidala said. "At this point they can't afford to make more enemies. The Capa are proud warriors who value their freedom. Generally neutral in matters outside their valley, the Capa are a peaceful people over all, but if challenged they make a formidable enemy." She paused for a moment looking after the retreating craft as it disappeared into the distant clouds.
"One thing they will NOT tolerate are trespassers on their territory and any interference in their local affairs," she said turning to look at him."
"Even now this jungle must be teeming with their warriors. Venturing into it without a permission letter from the chief himself will be courting certain death. The Capa have a tendency to strike first then ask questions-at least that's how the Naboo see them." She said with a lopsided smile.
"Well that's another reason not to anger your bodyguard-without me you've dead, I mean what can one woman do against an army of shadowy barbarous warriors. Now I'm sure they're smart enough not to tangle with a Jedi." Anakin said as he smugly smoothed the sarong with his fingers.
"Actually this is one place where your Jedi training will be quite redundant. In this case YOU will need MY help to cross this unruly land. "
Anakin sat up slowly from his relaxed stance. "You! Protect me?" He said in disbelief.
"Do you really think that you can actually blast your way through here! Amidala said, "The Council certainly wouldn't approve you know, since YOU are the trespasser. Besides Jedi code requires that you respect local laws and customs." She added.
Anakin nodded. "So you are going to use diplomacy to get us across."
"This is my ticket through Capaland!" She said slipping out one of her numerous rings and holding it up.
"You see the chief is a personal friend of mine and he gave me this ring, saying that it would practically identify me as one of his daughters and would assure my protection in Capa territory."
Amidala went on to explain how she became friendly with chief Wakabu.
"The Capa guard their family values and customs jealously. They have their own laws and regulations and are fanatically loyal to their ancient rites and customs. But the Naboo government thought some of the laws too harsh and inhuman, they sought to challenge these savage laws and get the Capa into mainstream Naboo society."
The Capa for their part had opposed them with all out war, which dragged on for several years till Amidala had come into power when it was finally solved according to the wishes of the Capa people. They were granted autonomous rule and a promise of non-interference.
In exchange the chief promised military assistance to the central government in the event of an external attack on Naboo, as the Naboo central army was too small to protect the capital alone.
Amidala ran her hand through hair in a futile attempt to tidy it.
"We have been at peace with them for the last ten years or so," she went on.
"So you have kept in touch with the chief all this time?" Anakin asked.
"Chief Wakabu attended the celebrations after the Naboo victory over the trade federation. After that he visited Theed just once to celebrate my twentieth birthday. He presented me with this ring, a very special ring."
"Can I see it?" He asked.
She slipped it out of her finger and handed it to him, rather reluctantly.
"It's beautiful! I have never seen a stone like this before," Anakin said as he intently observed the small, smooth translucent gem.
"It's a very rare gem found in certain oyster shells that thrive in the depths of the fresh water lakes of the Capalands." The darker it gets the stronger the gem glows."
"You'll still need me to protect you, your highness!" Anakin said as he turned the ring around in his hand.
Amidala gave him a puzzled look. Cocking his head to one side he continued.
"According to an ancient law, called..." He paused to think for a while, "Ashana, I think. Well according to this law unmarried women found wondering outside the village perimeter without a male relative or guard were considered the property of any warrior who claimed them. If two or more should claim her then it would be decided through an honorable duel between them.
"Who told you that?" Amidala said with a grimace on her face, "How awful!"
Anakin reached into his robe's pocket and held out her datapad that she had placed there unconsciously when she had borrowed his cloak during their journey.
"They have an Interesting culture! I read a little while I was waiting to trap my prey back there in the jungle." He said.
"Your highness, you might also want to know that Capa laws apply to all members of the tribe equally-chief's daughter or not." Anakin was very smug, his tone of speech bordering on insolence.
Amidala shrugged " With this ring I don't think I have to worry!" Saying that she reached out to take back the ring, instead Anakin held her hand in his and was about to slip the ring onto her slender fingers when she suddenly retracted her hand with a jerk!
"Anakin!" she shrieked. The ring fell and rolled away right to the edge of the ledge. Anakin's quick reflexes saved the ring from the abyss. He held it out to her, placing it on his palm this time. She grabbed it from him unceremoniously. Glaring daggers at him.
Anakin was at a loss for words at her sudden change of attitude, but before he could ask for an explanation of how he had offended her Amidala jumped to her feet.
"Anakin please dress up! We should be leaving now!" She ordered in an icy cold tone.
Anakin stared at her as she walked away towards the speeder bike. He just couldn't understand women.