Title: Escourch - The Water Planet
Author: Hannurdock
Rating: PG-13
Beta: Lea Devon
Summary: AU - Takes place after The Phantom Menace and two years before the start of the Attack of the Clones. Qui-Gon defeated Darth Maul and has two Padawan - Obi-Wan and Anakin.
Author comments: My first complete fiction in the Star Wars universe. Please read and review. Let me know if you think its any good!
Disclaimer: George Lucas (c) Star Wars. The characters of Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, Yoda, Anakin the terms Jedi/Sith/Padawan do not belong to me. However, the races of the Olathons, Cashmions, Rooan, Astor and the planets of Astphoria, Rooan, Escourch are products of my own imagination.
----
"Are you ready for this, Anakin?" Qui-Gon asked as the three Jedi walked carefully past the assembly of different beings from all different races.
There were all manner of creatures here. From all ranks of life. Olathons walked past the human trio - their large and graceful ears perked up, their wide eyes quite beautiful in the dim light of the Cruiser and their white fur made ever more lovely by the simplicity of their Jedi robes. Cashmions were also here - the opposite to their Olathon brothers, but from the same planet. In contrast, they were reptilian and had short ears. They were green in colour, and resembled a very worn out Yoda. The most graceful of them all were the Astor, the almost elfin race from planet Astphoria. These were the flowing, gentle beings with a healing touch.
All these creatures were from different planets and different races, but they held something very dear in common. They were all Jedi.
"I'm ready, Master." Anakin confirmed, watching the other creatures with awe. "Its just a party, after all."
"This is no party, Anakin" Qui-Gon smiled at his young Padawan. "This is a meeting of minds from all over the galaxy."
Anakin eyed the table with the flowing wine and nudged Obi-Wan. "A meeting complete with alcohol and music. Why can't they ever just admit they want a good time like the rest of us?"
Obi-Wan laughed. "We have a reputation to uphold, young one. Don't spoil it for them."
Anakin laughed loudly, startling a couple of Rooan Jedi. The small and uptight beings walked away at once, causing further giggles from Anakin and Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon shook his head fondly and walked away to find someone he knew.
"What is it with the Rooan?" Anakin whispered to Obi-Wan.
"Anakin, you really should study your planets more." Obi-Wan grumbled. "The Rooan are a race of dwarflike beings who populated the planet by force two hundred years ago. At least, it would have been by force if only there had been an adversary. Someone in the Rooan Intelligence got it wrong - the planet's dominant species was sea slugs."
Anakin giggled. "You know, they are so stuck up their robes are frozen in place."
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan flashed a glare at the young man. "You are here as a guest just like everyone on this Cruiser. You will show some respect."
Anakin lowered his head, shamefully. However, the thought of the indignant Rooan attacking sea slugs kept making him laugh involuntarily.
Anakin and Obi-Wan edged through the ever-growing crowd of brown-robed beings. Qui-Gon was standing in a circle of his peers - Master's Mace and Yoda were also among them. Standing respectfully at a distance, Obi-Wan and Anakin awaited their invitation to the group.
"Anakin? Obi-Wan? Come here!" Qui-Gon signalled for them to approach.
"What's going on?" Anakin asked as they entered the closed circle. His Jedi senses told him something was amiss.
"Distress call from Escourch, there has been. Very disturbing, it was." Yoda confirmed.
"A distress call? From whom?" Obi-Wan asked.
"That information is not known at present." Mace confirmed.
"Who is going down to the planet to check it out? We aren't that far from it." Anakin asked.
"Definitely not you two." Mace said sternly, watching Obi-Wan and Anakin intently.
Yoda raised his hand for silence. "A good idea, that is. For Obi-Wan and Anakin to check out this call, they must."
"Why them?" Mace whispered. "You know what a terrible pair they make. Always joking around together."
"Responsibility, they must learn." Yoda said simply, nodding towards Anakin and Obi-Wan. "Leave immediately."
"I will answer for my Padawan and for Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon said confidently, brimming with pride, as Obi-Wan and Anakin left the group.
The two Jedi made their way towards the small shuttle. "Master Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked. "Isn't Escourch a water planet?"
"Yes, young one." Obi-Wan confirmed.
"Just checking." Anakin grumbled, a little upset at having to leave the party.
-----
The small shuttle barely made a noise as it skimmed the water elegantly. Anakin was at the controls, which was unnerving Obi-Wan.
"Did I ever tell you, I hate flying?" Obi-Wan shouted at the younger man.
Anakin laughed and veered the shuttle sharply to the right, causing Obi-Wan to clutch his seat and glare angrily at the mischievous Jedi.
"This planet is nothing but Ocean. "Anakin observed. "Where was the call made?"
Obi-Wan studied the holo-screen in front of him. "Veer left, Anakin. There is a structure built on top of the water. We should be seeing it shortly."
Anakin saw the immense grey structure coming into view. "I'll land at the rear of this complex."
The shuttle splatted in the water ungracefully, causing Obi-Wan to further clutch at his seat. He was turning deathly pale.
"Thank the Force for a safe landing."
"Have faith, Master. I wouldn't harm us." Anakin smiled as they both exited the small craft and walked towards the entrance of the complex.
"There are no welcoming parties, either our presence here is an inconvenience ... or something terrible might have happened to those who lived here." Obi-Wan mused aloud as they entered the complex.
Silence greeted them.
Anakin walked over to the console and punched a couple of instructions into the holo-screen. "It seems there were a number of beings who lived here. Scientists from all over the galaxy. They were conducting experiments on the variety of aquatic lifeforms found in this world."
"I wonder if they found something they shouldn't have," Obi-Wan mused again.
"If they did, it should be in the system somewhere ..." Anakin searched through the records. "Aha, an experiment did go wrong ... but ... it was fifty years ago!"
"Why are we getting the distress call now?" Obi-Wan moved to Anakin's side and looked at the holo-screen.
"Seems as though they never got to press the button to transmit the call. Something did that two days ago." Anakin shrugged.
"Someone must be alive here." Obi-Wan breathed.
Anakin caught movement in the corner of his eye. He rose, bringing his lightsabre to full power with the flick of a switch. "Not someone. Something."
Obi-Wan followed Anakin's gaze. "Sith!"
----
Mace was bored.
It was safe to assume a party was no party without the two mischievous Padawan. They would have livened it up somehow. Their intimate circle which included himself, Yoda and Qui-Gon seemed as quiet as a corpse.
"Bad feeling, I do have." Yoda said, drawing close to Mace. "Something terrible, I sense."
Mace grimaced. "I feel it too."
Qui-Gon seemed distressed. "I'll take a shuttle and go find them both."
Mace perked up. This was an ideal opportunity to leave this disastrous event. It was no wonder the Jedi didn't meet up very often. "I'll go with you."
----
"Master Obi-Wan!"
The lightsabre soared through the gloomy grey and cut a path of brilliant light.
Obi-Wan ducked and let the sabre pass over his head, cutting up the creature that had almost taken said head off.
"What are these things?" Anakin called, his sabre a flash of light as he masterfully drove it in arc's around his body.
"Looks like the doomed experiment ... with extra teeth!" Obi-Wan replied, cutting three monsters simultaneously with his sabre.
"They are big. Like a worm with fangs." Anakin commented as one monster slithered past him and tried to chew his footwear. He killed the creature swiftly.
"At least we know what happened to the scientists." Obi-Wan said.
Anakin grimaced with disgust. "Yes! Worm food!"
Obi-Wan darted elegantly to his left, dislodging a monster that had sunk its teeth into his shoulder. "We need to reach the exit, Anakin. Before we are overwhelmed!"
"The exit is blocked" Anakin observed, backing up.
"There is a duct over there, and it leads to the ocean. We can dive into that and come up near the shuttle." Obi-Wan said, now back-to-back with Anakin.
"Do they swim?" Anakin asked.
"We are about to find out ..." Obi-Wan said wryly, as both men dived into the duct.
----
Mace and Qui-Gon touched down next to the other shuttle.
"Looks like our boys have company." Qui-Gon quipped as they observed the other shuttle being ripped to pieces by a worm-like creature.
Mace activated his lightsabre. "Open the shuttle. I'll go in."
"Wait!" Qui-Gon breathed as he saw bubbles forming on the water's surface. "Something is coming up from underneath."
"What the sith is it now?" Mace grumbled.
----
Obi-Wan opened his eyes painfully.
Yoda was standing to his left, and Mace was over by another gurney. Anakin lay motionless upon it.
"What the sith happened to us?" Obi-Wan moaned, his hand raking his hair back from his head nervously.
"You decided to dive into the monster's egg-sack." Mace laughed. "You were covered with little worms with big teeth, all dug deep into the flesh. It took us a while to get them all off."
Obi-Wan sighed. "Is Anakin all right?"
"Tired, he is." Yoda confirmed. "Live, he shall."
"Both of you will be quarantined until further notice. Then, we need to talk about punishment." Mace said.
"Punishment?" Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon questioningly. "What did I do?"
"What you both did, Obi-Wan. You've infested the Cruiser with small worms with big teeth. Not one Jedi can return home until they've been decontaminated!" Mace shook his head. "Only you two could have done it!"
"Rest easy, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon placed a reassuring arm on his shoulder. "Both of you will be just fine."
"At least Anakin didn't miss the party." Obi-Wan grinned and closed his eyes, letting the comforting pressure of Qui-Gon's hand send him into a deep and reassuring sleep.
THE END.