Chapter Two
'He'll need these when this is over.' Nyla thought tucking Yoda's diminutive robe into the pocket of her robe. They found a quiet corner of the Hall, in a curtained alcove to hide the Contender to the Throne until the appropriate time to speak up. Nyla was casually looking around trying not to look concerned; tug, tug, she felt on her robe. She looked down to see a clawed green hand reaching out from under the draped table beside her. She turned and faced the wall, pulled out the small robe and handed it down to its waiting owner.
"Don't, ever, do that again!" She ordered.
"Worked, it did." He said smugly.
When the time came and the call went out for any Contenders to the Throne the young man stepped forward and announced. "I, Matin Garn, Have a better claim. I have proof of my claim. I am the rightful ruler."
The hall erupted in chaos, people had been told many things about Garn, none flattering. The guards were concerned because they had allowed him to get in, if his claim didn't hold up they were going to have to answer for their mistake. The Heir Presumptor was upset because his ceremony was being interrupted. The Presumptor's backers knew who the Contender was and his claim was greater, but he wasn't a person to be manipulated as the Heir Presumptor was. The Master and Padawan stood on either side of the Contender lightsabers in hand under their robes so as not to cause any more friction than was already there.
The court officials halted the proceedings and turned to the Contender. "Who are you? What is your claim?"
"My mother was the second wife of Handar the Second. I am the last surviving son."
"All Handar's sons were killed in the Eugenics war." Another official said.
"When the war started I was escorting my mother to her home planet for a visit. Travel off planet was suspended so I could not return. Communications was halted so I could not reply to the Challenge of Rulership. Erican was crowned before I was able to get back. As you know no Contenders are allowed after the coronation ceremony. I was told I would be executed if I returned before the next Challenge went out. Now we are again at a Coronation ceremony and I petition the court to look at my documentation. Here is my Certificate of Birth, my Official Identification Certificate and my Declaration of Contention. Please hear my case."
A scribe came and took the documents to the court officials who adjourned to the back alcove to inspect them. The Heir Presumptor was fuming his crown was being ripped from his head. There was a nervous murmuring in the hall everyone trying to look supportive of 'neither' side in case the other won. Momentarily the court officials returned and announced. "Yours is the better claim. You shall be the next King. Law is law. No one can stop a legal Contender once he has been declared Heir to the Throne. All hail the Contender to the Throne."
There was a momentary silence then everyone cheered. "Long live the King. Long live the King."
Now that the Contender had been legally established the guards ushered the now disclaimed Heir Presumptor out of the Hall. "By what name shall we call you, Your Highness?" The officials asked.
"Handar the Third, in honor of my father." He said in his most regal voice.
"Long live Handar the Third." The backers of the Heir Presumptor put on their best loyal face and called out louder than the rest. The pomp and ceremony continued the fight was over for now, at least the fight with lightsabers.
At the banquet following the coronation Handar the Third awarded Master Kotn Moth, Nyla Rian and the Great Yoda, the Seal of Ascension. Proclaimed them Friends of the Court and awarded them Citizenship of Klondan in appreciation of their helping him to achieve his rightful place as king.
"Great, I am," chimed Yoda. "Recognized Yoda as great he did."
"Oh! No! We'll never get him to settle down now." The Master said shaking his head.
"I thought he was bad before." Nyla replied.
After a few days to insure things were settled down the threesome set out on their next mission or at least the Master's and Padawan's. They had managed to get an infant bed and modify it for their new guest. He had picked out foods he could eat from the market and Nyla selected some material more appropriate for a Jedi companion for him some new robes, less spicy. On arriving back at the ship they found a small bundle of Yoda's things propped up against the ship. He unpacked them in the small storage compartment assigned to him including his Wookie fur blanket and a carved wood figurine of a Wookie family with a Yendell. /Thanks friend it worked./
"How long before training starts?" Asked Yoda impatient to begin.
"I've already told you, without the Council permission no one can train you. We have one more assignment before we can go back to Coruscant where the Temple is. It will be about three months before we get there. The first thing a Jedi has to learn is patience that will have to be your lesson for now." The Master scolded.
"Sounds like Yaren, you do. Everyone wants Yoda to wait. Waste time to wait. Things to do." Yoda mumbled.
Just then Nyla heard a familiar burring and came running to save the troll, as the Master had started to call the guest, only to find he had cut the handle off of the broom, handing it to Yoda he said. "Here sweep out the ship."
Nyla thought, 'Hey I've been promoted that was my job.'
"Yes, sounds like Yaren." Yoda mumbled.
oOo
"What trying to do?" Yoda asked as he watched Nyla trying to lift pieces of fruit and maneuver them to the appropriate bins.
"Practicing." Nyla answered shortly almost loosing her concentration and dropping the fruit.
"Help you I will." Yoda chimed lifting several pear-like pieces and deftly maneuvering them to their appropriate bin.
"You are doing much better." Said Master Moth coming in to check on her progress. "Your concentration has improved."
"Wasn't my concentration that improved." Growled the disgruntled Padawan. "The Great Yoda strikes again."
Yoda sat grinning from ear to ear and that's saying something for a Yendell.
"What else can you do Yoda?" Asked the Master.
"Many things. What you do?" Yoda said innocently.
"You first youngling." The Master said shaking his head.
"This Yoda can do." He said closing his eyes and lifting the Master's chair into the air, Master and all. "And this." He said turning one upset Master upside down in mid air, chair and all, leaving the Master's hair hanging down from his head and his robes around his knees.
"Can you put me down?" Growled the perturbed Master.
Yoda swiftly spun him back over and deftly set him down. The Master got up and went to his quarters growling under his breath leaving one puzzled Yoda. "What I do wrong? Not drop."
"How did you get along with a Wookie for all those years?" Asked Nyla.
"Easy, irritate Wookie, he lock in room. Learn quick, not irritate Wookie." Yoda explained.
"Well let's pretend the Master is a hairless Wookie, irritate him and he will space you." Nyla instructed the non-student. "Let's go study the star charts that should be a safe pastime for you."
"Already know star charts. Tarbocca teach, five years we travel." Yoda bragged.
"Well Jedi star charts are more complete. You have to start all over. By the way stay clear of the Master before he has his morning meditation. Bad Wookie mood."
oOo
Nyla sat in the crew's common area working on her lessons when a bored Yoda stuck his head in. "What now?" Nyla sighed.
"Learned star charts. What next?" Yoda said carefully.
"You have learned all the star charts, in one month?" She said unbelievingly.
"No, only had to learn what was different from Tarbocca's." Yoda explained.
"I pity whoever trains you." Nyla smiled at the grim looking elf. "Come sit with me and I will show you my lessons for today. Just don't show up the Padawan." Nyla said in vain as he picked up the maneuver to quickly.
"What did the Council want Master?" Nyla asked as Master Moth got off the Holo-vid.
"They want us to forgo the trip to Felipé for now. We are close to Naboo and there is an outbreak of a fever on the planet. There are two sentient species on the planet, and they suspect that the fever has jumped from one to another. So they need a healer to go help and may also have a problem separating the two species so a Jedi maybe needed also." Explained the Master.
"Healer! That I could learn." Yoda piped up.
"If you were being trained. The rules remember." Said the exasperated Master. "For now you must wa--"
"Yoda knows, wait, wait, wait. Everyone says wait. Time passes, no get back." Yoda mumbled.
oOo
As they arrived at the infirmary Master Moth approached an official looking man and said. "You called the Jedi Council for help, I've been sent to assist. What can I do?"
"You are a Jedi Healer?"
"Yes, Master Kotn Moth and this is my Padawan Nyla Rian. She is training to be a healer as well." He made the introductions.
"My name is Ettoré and this one?" The Administrator said pointing to Yoda.
"He is just traveling with us. He's not a Jedi or a healer, but would be happy to help in non-medical ways." The Master explained. "His name is Yoda."
"Soren." The administrator called a nearby med tech assistant. "Show our little helper where the supply closet is and show him how to restock the exam rooms and wards." The administrator instructed.
"Yes, Sir." Said the med tech's assistant. "Follow me. How you are going to get anything off the top shelves I don't know." She mumbled when she thought she was out of earshot of the administrator.
"Problem, I won't have." Yoda snickered.
"Now Master Moth, is your Padawan able to work on her own or does she need to be supervised by someone." Asked the ever-efficient administrator.
"Fevers, pain-relief and minor illnesses she can work alone. With injuries, major illnesses and complicated procedures she needs supervision. Answered the Master just as efficient.
"Delī, show the Padawan Nyla to the Moderate Ward." He said to a tall blonde-headed blue-eyed woman. "These are lighter cases, usually people stronger to begin with, so not so life threatening, but must still be treated vigorously or they could deteriorate." He said to Nyla and her Master.
As they started toward the Moderate Ward Delī introduced herself and said. "I am a med tech in training. There are a few things you need to know about the Naboo people."
As they left Ettoré said to the Master. "As Delī was telling your Padawan there are a few things you need to know about the Naboo people that are different from most humans. The Naboo have a higher concentration of magnesium and the fever depletes it causing pain, dehydration and digestive problems. In the more difficult ones the fluid imbalance throws off our ability to re-hydrate them. The form of mineral water we use to treat fevers hasn't worked in this form and actually makes the older, young and more extreme cases worse. We are going to lose a lot of people if something isn't found to help.
As they entered the Extreme Ward they saw rows of beds, the older patients on the left, the younger patients on the right and the infirmed straight ahead. They walked over to the first bed, a young mother trying to get her young son to drink some of the new mineral water formula. "Come on just a little more, Luka." She pleaded but he shook his head weakly.
"They also have a sore throat which makes it harder to get them to drink." Whispered Ettoré.
"May I?" Asked the Master and placed his hand on the child's forehead and concentrated for a few seconds. The child seemed more at ease, took some of the bottle and rested.
"This is different from anything I've seen before." The Master asked quietly. "We'll need an army of healers to handle this if we don't get a handle on the cause. Do you know how it started?"
"Yes, another species on the planet, a semi-aquatic one we have always avoided from olden times came ashore for a festival and some of the local boys slipped off to watch it. These were the first to come down with it but we don't know how it was passed on to people they never came in touch with. The Gungans are a reclusive people living under the sea in a bubble city. We know nothing of their physical and chemical make up."
"Can I request their permission to examine one of them?" Asked the Master cautiously.
"The Queen passed this law this morning." He said showing him a piece of paper. "No citizen of Naboo is allowed to approach within one mile of any known Gungan territory." He quoted. "This is going to hinder learning what caused this." Sighed Ettoré.
"I'm not from Naboo." Master Moth said smiling sneakily.
"They are sure to be more isolationistic than before and I don't know if they will let you near them. If anyone asks, I do not know where you are going." Ettoré said handing him a key to a speeder, showed him where it was and walked away.
Moth looked at the law decree, it clearly showed the off limit areas on a map of Naboo. He took the speeder and headed off to a secluded forest area indicated in the decree, looking for clues to the strange illness. On arriving he found a large meadow well trampled by the large gathering. He eventually found human footprints leading to an abandoned container of strange underwater fruit and some hull of eaten fruit. The Force confirmed his suspicions; the fruit was somehow the culprit. He took some of the fruit and placed it into a sealed container and hurried back to the speeder. There was no time to loose, people would soon be dying.
"I think the boys ate some of this." Master Moth told the lab tech, who took the fruit sample cautiously, not asking any questions about how he got it. He placed the container in a large glass box with glove sleeved openings in the sides and opened the container. He took samples and started running test on them.
"There are organisms in it that I haven't seen before." He said shortly. "This may take a while. I have more tests to run to find out how to kill them and not the patients. We still need to know how the other people got infected." Then he trailed off into what was clearly murmuring to himself.
"I'll go to the ward and help those I can and ask questions of those that can answer. Call me if you get any results." Said the Master to the tech already lost in his tests.
The Master entered the Extreme Ward and approached an older woman in distress, who by the position of her bed showed she was one of the first patients. He asked permission and placed his hand on her forehead. A couple of seconds later she seemed more at ease. Did you come in contact with the children that went to see the Gungan or the small yellow fruit they ate?"
She weakly said. "One of the children is my grandson, I helped clean him up afterwards. No, I didn't eat any of the fruit. How is my grandson, they won't tell me?" She pleaded.
"Not good I'm told." He said honestly. He always felt honesty was better than not knowing. "I'll go to him next." He walked over to a curtained area where the three boys were struggling. Slowly he stopped at each one touching their forehead for a few seconds and they seemed less agitated afterward.
"Did you give any of the fruit to anyone else?" He asked each one of them.
"No!" They each said in turn.
"Did you go straight home afterward seeing the Gungans and eating the fruit?"
"Yes." They were too weak for more questions so he let them rest.
A couple of minutes later the lab tech came in and said. "It's confirmed all the patients have the organism in their saliva. I'll start testing different compounds to see which one will stop the organism." He spun around and left before Master Moth could ask any questions.
"Keep me informed." He called to the vanishing tech. Hours passed as Master Moth went from bed to bed. He was getting exhausted, the healing was draining on his system and the patients kept increasing.
"Master, I brought you some soup." Nyla said dragging him into the med techs lounge. "Come sit, you've been at this for hours." As he washed his hands sat on the couch and started sipping the soup, she continued. "I checked with the lab, they have some promising results. The organism eats magnesium so they have to find a way to cut its food supply without hurting the Naboo, who also need the magnesium. As he finished the soup Nyla placed her hand on his forehead and he closed his eyes and slept. She put his feet on the cot and covered him in a blanket from the cart nearby.
oOo
The next thing he knew the sun was coming in the window and there was the sound of a commotion coming from the hall. The door popped open, Nyla and Delī came in bubbling. "Master, we've found the common factor of how everyone was exposed to the organism…"
"The boys stopped at the reservoir for a drink and the organism got into the water supply…" Delī excitedly interrupted.
"The waters high concentration of magnesium compared to the ocean where the Gungans live caused it to grow out of control. It spread to all the people." Nyla finished.
"Low doses of potassium stops it and won't hurt the people. We just have to include it in the mineral water." Bubbled the blonde med tech assistant Delī.
"The worst cases have been treated and the water supply is being treated…" Nyla bubbled in turn.
"So no more new cases." Delī piped in.
"How did you find out how it spread?" Asked the puzzled Master Moth.
"One of the patients in the Moderate Ward remembered seeing the boys at the reservoir..." Nyla bubbled.
"So we tested the water…" Delī piped in. "And it was contaminated." Nyla concluded, then both girls looked at each other giggling in unison.
"What is wrong with you two?" Asked the confused Master, not enough awake for the on-slot of hyper energy bubbling out of the two girls.
"Sleep depravation." Said one. "Sweets." Said the other, and then they both giggled in unison.
"I think we need to separate the two of you. You go over there and sleep. And you go over there and no more sweets until you've slept." He ordered the now giggling wildly girls. "Now!" He demanded.
They straightened up, biting their lips to keep from grinning, and went to cots on opposite sides of the lounge. He shook his head and went out the door, as it closed hysterical laughter erupted from the room behind him. 'And they wondered why I didn't want a girl Padawan.' He thought.
Some of the extreme cases would still need his help so he went back to help. By the time the 'hyper-twins' woke the worse was over. Everyone had been treated and many of the moderate cases had been able to go home. The extreme cases were resting comfortably without the Master's help. The Infirmary's Administrator Ettoré thanked them for all their help and said he had already contacted the Jedi Council to thank them for sending such fine Healers. The girls hugged and agreed to keep in touch, much to Master Moth's displeasure.
"What are the rules about attachments?" He instructed.
"There are no rules about not making friends, Master." Declared the Padawan boldly.
Master Moth smiled then changed the subject. "Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?"
"Forgot Yoda, you did." Came a cracklely voice from the ship.
"I tried." Answered Master Moth. "How did you fair?"
"Never want to see another gown or bottle of mineral water again." Yoda said emphatically.
"Let's check in with the Council for our next assignment before we leave." Said Master Moth heading to the cockpit.
oOo
"I've reported to the Council about our mission here. The Infirmary Administrator Ettoré had already thanked them for sending the 'three' helpers. He said the little green Yoda was especially helpful to the nursing staff. I had to explain what a Yoda was and why they had sent one. They want to meet you even though I told them you were only two feet tall. They don't think you are a candidate for training but you could be in one of the Corps." The Master explained after he had set course for their trip back to Coruscant.
"Corps?" Asked Yoda.
"The corps are non fighter trained fields, such as healers, explorers or farmers." Explained Nyla.
"Healers you are, and Jedi?" Asked the upset Yoda.
"It would be difficult to convince an opponent to get on their knees to fight and I don't think you can talk a Wookie into carrying you around forever." The Master explained.
"See we will. See we will" Answered an all to calm Yoda.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" The Maser said.
The rest of the trip was quiet, no pestering or pranks from the troll as the Master had sometimes called him. He just sat quietly and watched Nyla's lessons and the Master's instructions.
oOo
On arriving at Coruscant some of the Council came out to meet them at the spaceport. On the walk back to the Temple they wanted to observe the Yoda.
"Yoda this is Master Lemuel Poof, Head of the Council, Master Vanek Bria, and Master Gael Freene of the Council. Masters, this is Yoda." Introduced Master Moth. Poof was a male Quermian with a long neck, two brains, one in his head and one in his chest, he also had the ability to read minds and place images in the opponent's minds.
"Where are you from?" Asked Master Poof getting right to the point. Since Moth hadn't been able to get the information from Yoda, he thought the weight of the council and his abilities would open Yoda up.
"Planet far, far away. Name unknown to outsiders. Not like visitors." Explained Yoda boldly.
"I understand everyone on your planet has your abilities?" Asked the skeptical Master.
"No, most better, Yoda still young." Yoda answered proudly.
"How old are you?" asked Master Poof growing more perturbed at his inability to read Yoda's thoughts.
"Twenty five winters when left home. Five standard years since left. About thirty-four standard years, am I." Yoda bragged not knowing that put him over the age of trainability.
"I hear you can move things with the Force?" Asked Master Bria and Moth cringed hoping he wouldn't pull one of his pranks.
Yoda Force picked a flower from the nearby planter and floated it to Master Freene the female Master, who smiled at the gesture.
'Little flirt.' Master Moth thought.
"Have you ever been trained in fighting?" Asked Master Poof.
"No wars on my planet, no need. Traveled with Wookie after left, no need. Know parlor tricks, Master Moth says, use head instead of saber, move cactus, lose clothes, no need to fight." Yoda Bragged.
It was evident to Master Moth that this wasn't what the Council members wanted to hear. "We will call you in when Council has made their decision." Master Poof said disapprovingly.
Moth was surprised at how calm Yoda was waiting for the Councils answer. He could only guess that Yoda had no clue as to how bad the meeting had gone. Yoda sat with his hands folded in his lap, looking like a small child, in one of the chairs in the hall outside the Council chamber. One by one members of the Council came by headed to the Council chamber, observing Yoda as they went by. Moth was called in first to inform the Council of the mission and Yoda's actions.
Finally Yoda was ushered in, Moth had a bad feeling about the outcome. A few questions were asked to try to clarify a few things. Yoda still refused to tell the Council where he was from, much to the Councils displeasure.
"Because of your height, age and refusal to tell us where you are from the Council does not think you are a candidate for training. You may stay and assist in the Corps; Healing, Exploration and Agri Corps depending on your abilities." Master Poof declared in his most official voice.
"No, Jedi, I will be." Yoda said confidently, almost naively.
"Then Master Moth, you may take Yoda back to where you found him, the Council has no more business with him." Master Poof decreed and went on with the next order of business.
oOo
A/N: "Feed Lea-El needs. Give it to her you will." Yoda says waving his hand in front of you.