Chapter 3 A Local

"Come on, Jesse, we need to find Obi-Wan." Jesse hurried after Qui-Gon, but his legs were much shorter than the Jedi Master's and he lagged behind.

Qui-Gon slowed. "Sorry, we just don't have much time." He took off again, this time at a pace Jesse was able to keep up with.

So this is what a mission is like. Jesse thought as he ran. Could be worse.

The sound of artillery echoed through the swampy woods. Jesse and Qui-Gon both looked back to see troop transports making their way through the fog. Animals ran ahead, trying desperately not to be trampled beneath the heavy machinery.

"Now we really don't have time." Qui-Gon said and took off again only to run smack into a frog-like creature standing stupidly in the path of the transports.

"Hey, help me! Help me!" it screamed, clinging to Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon struggled to extricate himself from the creature's grasp. "Let go!" he yelled, but the creature just struggled harder.

"Master Qui-Gon!" Jesse yelled, but it was too late. He watched in horror as the transport rolled over the two.

"No!" Jesse whispered, but when the transport rolled away, the creature and Qui-Gon stood up on the muddy ground. Jesse leaped forward, but the frog-like thing was quicker than he was, embracing Qui-Gon, who just stood there, looking thoroughly exasperated.

"Oyi, mooie-mooie! I luv yous!" he exclaimed.

Jesse raised an eyebrow.

"Are you brainless? You almost got us killed!" Qui-Gon pushed him away.

"I spake." The creature protested.

"The ability to speak does not make you intelligent." Qui-Gon retorted.

"Yeah, just ask me." Jesse interjected.

Qui-Gon looked over at him. "Are you alright?"

"Fine. You were the one who got run over."

"Good. Let's go." They started to move off. The creature followed.

"Yes?" Qui-Gon turned to face him.

"No...no! Mesa stay...Mesa yous humble servant." He explained.

"That won't be necessary." Qui-Gon brushed him aside.

"Oh boot tis! Tis demunded byda guds. Tis a live debett, tis. Mesa culled Jaja Binkss."

Jesse snorted in laughter at the look on Qui-Gon's face. Just then, Obi-Wan burst into the clearing, being chased by two staps.

"I have no time for this now..." Qui-Gon drew his saber.

"Say what?" JarJar cocked his head to the side, surveying his new 'master'. Jesse almost burst out laughing at the quizzical look on his face. That look turned to one of horror as he caught sight of Obi-Wan and his pursuers.

"Oh, nooooo! Weesa ganna..." he began, but Qui-Gon pushed him down. Jesse dropped to the ground too.

"...dieeee!" JarJar put his head back up and practically wailed.

"Don't you ever follow directions?" Jesse muttered into the mud.

Blaster shots rang out and Jesse looked up in time to see the staps explode. Obi-Wan stood panting beside Qui-Gon.Jesse and JarJar stood up.

"Sorry, Master, the water fried my weapon." Obi-Wan explained, giving Qui-Gon his burnt out saber. Qui-Gon inspected it.

"You forgot to turn your power off again, didn't you?" he asked.

Obi-Wan nodded sheepishly.

"It won't take long to recharge, but this is a lesson I hope you've learned, my young Padawan." Qui-Gon handed it back to his apprentice.

Jesse didn't even realize he was smirking until Obi-Wan asked, "What? Like you've never done that before?"

Jesse shook his head triumphantly. "Nope."

"Like you've ever had the chance."

"I've never known a padawan not to make that mistake." Qui-Gon broke into the discussion. "Take it as a lesson too, Jesse."

JarJar figured this the perfect place to interrupt, "Yousa sav-ed my again, hey?"

Obi-Wan surveyed the creature. "What's this?"

"A local. Let's go, before more of those droids show up." Qui-Gon answered, anxious to get rid of JarJar.

But JarJar would not be gotten rid of. "Mure? Mure did you spake?" he ran after them. "Ex-squeeze me, but da moto grande safe place would be Otoh Gunga. Tis where I grew up...Tis safe city."

Now he had Qui-Gon's attention. "A city?" he stopped, and, at JarJar's affirmative nod, asked, "Can you take us there?"

JarJar backpedaled. "Ahhh, will...on second taut...no, not willy."

"No!" All three Jedi exclaimed.

"Then why'd you even bring it up?" Jesse demanded.

"Iss embarrissing, boot... My afrai my've bean banished. My forgoten der Bosses would do terrible tings to my. Terrible tings if my goen back dare."

Jesse squinted, trying to get what he was saying through his extremely unusual speech pattern. Qui-Gon rolled his eyes and pressed closer.

"You hear that?" he pointed back the way they had come. Rumblings could be heard in the distance. "That's the sound of a thousand terrible things heading this way..." he paused dramatically.

Obiwan took up the tirade, keeping a perfectly straight face, "When they find us, they will crush us, grind us into little pieces, then blast us into oblivion!"

"Or worse." Jesse couldn't resist adding.

JarJar's eyes widened, "Oh! Yousa point is well seen. Dis way! Hurry!"

"That's more like it." Qui-Gon muttered as they followed JarJar deeper into the swamp.

Jesse struggled to keep up with the swift pace, wishing for the millionth time his legs were longer. At least he was getting better at his Force-enhanced run. Finally, they stopped at the edge of a lake.

"Much farther?" Qui-Gon asked as JarJar and Jesse tried to catch their breaths.

"Wesa goen underwater, okeyday?" he said then leaped into the air, turned a somersault, and dived in.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan pulled out breathers.

"Here." Qui-Gon handed one to Jesse. "Luckily, I've got an extra."

They waded into the water, and dove under the surface. JarJar proved to be even faster underwater than above, and Jesse, already winded, couldn't keep up. He reached forward and grabbed onto Obi-Wan's ankles. Obi-Wan looked back, and then kept swimming while Jesse kicked. After a few minutes hundreds of large glowing bubbles on platforms came into view.

Wow. Jesse thought, as he gazed breathlessly at the underwater city. Boy was he going to have a story when he got back to the Temple. If he ever got out of solitary confinement that is.

As they approached one of the bubbles, they swam through the wall and into the bubble, which was full of air. More JarJar-like creatures stared at them from a safe distance, while four guards, riding some other strange creature stepped forward.

"Heyo-dalee, Cap'n Tarpals, Mesa back!" JarJar greeted them enthusiastically.

"Noah gain, Jar Jar. Yousa goen tada Bosses. Yousa in big dudu this time." The guard glowered at JarJar, then herded them toward anther bubble-like room

"Qui-Gon, what are these creatures?" Jesse asked, staring openly at them.

"Gungans. One of the two tribes that live on Naboo."

"The other is the Naboo."

"Exactly. The two don't get along very well."

"Why not?"

"I'm not sure what the exact reasons are, but I'm sure it has something to do with the numerous differences between the two tribes."

Jesse was still thinking about that as they stood before Boss Nass, the Gungan leader.

"Yousa cannot bees hair. Dis army of mackineeks up dare tis new weesong!"

Jesse frowned, but try as he might, he couldn't understand what in the world Boss Nass was saying. And he thought JarJar was bad.

Qui-Gon, however, got the point. "That droid army is about to attack the Naboo. We must warn them."

"Wesa no like da Naboo! Un dey no like uss-ens. Da Naboo tink day so smarty den us-ens. Day tink day brains so big." Boss Nass thundered.

So the Naboo think they're better than the Gungan's. Jesse mentally translated. Well, that answers my question.

"After those droids take control of the surface, they will come here and take control of you." Obi-Wan tried to explain.

"No, mesa no tink so. Mesa scant talkie witda Naboo, and no nutten talkie it outlaunders. Dos mackineeks no comen here! Dey not know of uss-en."

All Jesse understood of that twisted bit of grammar was the defiant tone.

"You and the Naboo form a symbiont circle. What happens to one of you will affect the other. You must understand this." Obi-Wan tried again.

"Wesa wish no nutten in yousa tings, outlaunder, and wesa no care-n about da Naboo."

That was plain.

Qui-Gon was getting more than a little impatient. He waved his hand. "Then speed us on our way."

"Wesa gonna speed yousaway."

Jesse tried not to smirk.

"We need a transport." Qui-Gon continued.

"Wesa give yousa una bongo. Da speedest way tooda Naboo tis goen through da core. Now go."

"Thank you for your help. We go in peace." Qui-Gon turned.

"What's a bongo?" Jesse asked.

"A transport, I hope." Qui-Gon answered, stopping when he noticed JarJar, looking pitiful in chains. He turned back to Boss Nass.

Obi-Wan recognized the look. "We are short of time, Master."

"We'll need a navigator to get us through the planet's core. This Gungan may be of help."

Jesse broke into a grin. Sure, JarJar was annoying, but he was irresistible.

"What is to become of JarJar Binks here?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Binkss brokeen the nocombackie law. Hisen to be pune-ished."

JarJar groaned.

"He has been a great help to us. I hope the punishment will not be too severe."

"Pounded unto death."

Jesse and JarJar both flinched.

"We need a navigator to get us through the planet's core. I have saved JarJar Binks' life. He owes me what you call a "life debt."" Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows at Boss Nass.

Boss Nass looked doubtful. "Binks. Yousa havena liveplay with thisen hisen?"

JarJar nodded eagerly. Jesse thought he would have said he had 'liveplay' with a sith at the moment.

"Your gods demand that his life belongs to me now." Qui-Gon waved his hand slightly, just to be sure.

"Hisen live tis yos, outlauder. Begone wit him." Bos Nass looked happy to be rid of him. In actuality, Jesse couldn't blame him.

Suddenly JarJar was protesting. "Count mesa outta dis! Better dead here, den deader in da core...Yee guds, whata mesa sayin!"

Qui-Gon just shook his head and steered JarJar towards the bongo. Obi-Wan and Jesse followed, looking amused.