Chapter 10: Gungan General
Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter. Sorry about the wait but I really wanted to nail this one and I think you'll really like the big surprise I have in store for them in this chapter. Please Review and Enjoy.
In a jail cell, Shun groans in pain as he slowly woke up feeling the pain in his head from where he was struck.
"Ugh Hondo I hate you." Shun groans.
"And it appears the first has awoken." Shun opens his eyes to see Dooku sitting across from him.
"Dooku!" Shun jumps taking a fighting stance but Dooku held up his hand.
"I suggest you wait young Padawan. You wouldn't want your masters to get hurt." Dooku said.
"Huh?" Shun looks down to see the two of them were tied to Anakin and Obi-Wan who were lying unconscious. "What is this?"
"I warned you these pirates were stupid." Dooku said.
"Oh shut up Count. It's your fault we're even here. I learned about you from the Temple. You're a traitor to the Jedi and abandoned your Master and allies." Shun points.
"That is only one side of the story my master showed me that the Republic will fall and I intend to be on the winning side." Dooku said.
"Your Master? But Master Yoda is your Master." Shun said.
"My Jedi Master, I have a Sith Master now and Darth Sidious will purge the galaxy of all Jedi." Dooku declared.
"Darth Sidious?" Shun said interested.
"Don't bother trying to get any other information. Not even I've seen him face to face." Dooku smirks.
"Wow hard to believe a big ball like sunshine like you was ever a Jedi." Shun deadpans.
"So who's Padawan are you?" Dooku asks.
"For your information, I am Master Obi-Wan's padawan." Shun said causing Dooku to smirk.
"Then that makes me your senior by default because I trained Kenobi's master." Dooku said.
"You trained Qui-Gon?" Shun said surprised when Obi-Wan and Anakin started to groan.
"Master? What happened?" Anakin groans.
"Well, I guess that pirate brew is stronger than we thought." Obi-Wan groans.
"I only took a sip." Anakin said.
"We were drugged, obviously." Obi-Wan said.
"Why would they risk losing the ransom?" Anakin asks.
"The deal appears to have changed. They must be trying to triple their payday." Obi-Wan said.
"More like quadruple." Shun said getting their attention.
Looking over they saw Shun and Dooku tied to them as well.
"Oh great, he's here." Anakin glares at Dooku.
"You will notice our shackles are bound together. I have tried to separate us, to no avail." Dooku said.
"It's bad enough to be in the same cell, but could you at least spare me the sound of your constant chatter?" Anakin asks.
"And while I hold my tongue, the three of you will devise a brilliant strategy for getting off this godforsaken planet?" Dooku asks.
"Yes!" Anakin, Obi-Wan and Shun said at the same time.
"Excellent." Dooku said.
"Alright Shun, this is why you're here. We got no weapons so we'll need your help more than ever." Obi-Wan said.
"I'll do my best Master." Shun nods as he bends his bracelets turning them into knives before cutting him, Anakin and Obi-Wan free.
"What about me?" Dooku asks.
"What about you Dooku?" Anakin scoffs.
In Hondo's chamber, the door opens to reveal Turk.
"I told you kidnapping the Sith Lord was a stroke of brilliance." Hondo said.
"I can almost smell that spice now. It'll be worth twice as much to us on the black market. But I think we could've gotten a bigger ransom from the Separatists." Turk said.
"You fool. Sometimes I wonder why I bother to keep you around. If we tried to ransom Count Dooku off to the Separatists, they would simply send their droid armies here to wipe us out. As my sweet mother always said, Son, if one hostage is good, two are better. And three or four? Well, that's just good business." Hondo explains leading him down the hall.
"How much do you think they'll fetch?" Turk asks.
"Don't you worry about how much you'll get your cut? Just see to it that the Republic's ransom gets here. Once we get the ransom for the Sith, then we'll get the ransom for the Jedi. Thank you, mom." Hondo said.
Narrowing his eyes, Turk walks away to meet with another pirate.
"The spice is on its way. Hondo asked me to go out and meet the Republic Senators and bring them here with the ransom. But I want you to intercept that ship and force it down. Be careful. I want that spice intact." Turk orders.
"It's too risky. What about Hondo?" The pirate asks.
"That nitwit couldn't kill a nuna. He depends on me for that. I'll tell him the ship was destroyed with everyone on it, including the spice. By the time he finds out the truth, we'll be long gone." Turk grins.
Meanwhile a Republic Shuttle is flying towards Florrum carrying Senator, Kharrus, Representative Jar Jar Binks, Commander Stone and three other clones.
"The last time I went on one of these random missions, I spent three weeks in a dungeon." Kharrus said when he noticed Jar Jar struggling to get into his seat. "Representative Binks, stop fooling around. We're landing. Secure yourself."
"Mesa trying. Itsa stucken." Jar Jar said.
Little did they know coming up behind a pirate ship flew in and blasted them.
"We're under attack!" A Clone said.
"We've been betrayed." Kharrus gasps.
As the ship flies in it fires two missiles.
"Missile closing! Bank left!" As they tried to steer out of the way, Jar Jar who wasn't strapped in flailed around before landing in the cockpit.
"What the… Jar Jar, what are you doing?" Mack asks.
"Ooh! Sorry, mesa fix it." Jar-Jar said.
"Mack what's going on back there?" A clone asks.
"Sir you must get out of the cockpit." Mack said when the missiles hit them.
"We're hit!" The clone said.
"Sir you must leave. Get back in your seat." Mack said as he pushed Jar- Jar off.
Getting out of his seat Senator Kharrus strapped Jar- Jar in before the ship crashed down, unfortunately the crashed caused his seats landing gear to break causing the senator to fly out.
In the jail cell, Shun was standing in front of the bars before taking a stance.
"You can't seriously think you'll open this? Those bars are too strong for a Master much less a Padawan." Dooku said.
"Prepare to eat those words count. Do it Shun." Anakin said.
Smirking Shun rips the door open with his metalbending shocking Dooku as they walk.
"Sorry what was that about being too much for a Padawan?" Shun smirks.
"How did you do that?" Dooku asks.
"You see Count we came prepared. Since Anakin and I couldn't bring our weapons we made sure Shun came along to do the fighting for us." Obi-Wan said.
"We gotta be extra careful." Shun said lifting up his shoes and the metal slid back so his bare feet could touch the ground and feel the vibrations on the ground.
"What are you doing?" Anakin asks.
"Listening to the earth. We better move fast." Shun said.
'Hmm first the cuffs and now this…so this is the one Ventress told me about.' Dooku thought.
At the crash site, Jar- Jar, Stone and the remaining clones are seen walking out of the crash.
"Mesa no see Senator Kharrus." Jar Jar said looking around.
"Pilots are dead." One clone said looking into the cockpit.
"Sir, over here. I found the Senator." Another clone said as they saw the senator's lifeless body.
"Oh, no. He can't be dead." Jar Jar said sadly.
"We've got to figure out a way to contact Coruscant." Stone said.
Back at the Pirate Base, Dooku was leading them through the hall.
"We do know where we're going, don't we?" Anakin asks.
"Hush, Anakin. We do know where we're going, don't we?" Obi-Wan asks.
"This better not be a dead end." Shun said.
"Quiet. I was brought this way when I was captured. It was open then." Dooku said when the door opens revealing a pirate. Moving in Dooku whacks the pirate unconscious.
As he rummaged to get the key, he didn't notice Hondo's lizard monkey.
Watching the creature tried to sneak away to warn his master when it smacked into a small rock wall.
"Nice try you little rat." Shun said grabbing Anakin's lightsaber that it was still holding onto.
"How did you know it was there?" Anakin asks.
"Earthbending trick. Look what I got." Shun said holding up the lightsaber.
"Good work." Anakin said taking it back.
As Shun looks around he noticed something out the window.
"What the?" Shun looks out and sees what he thought was the coolest ship ever. It was a small freighter barely bigger than the Twilight. It was round and white. "Cool."
"Shun come on we gotta move." Anakin said as they turned around and made their way down the hall.
At the Republic Shuttle, they were hard at work trying to get the ship working while Jar Jar was giving the Senator a proper burial.
"Any luck repairing the homing beacon?" Stone asks.
"No sir." A clone said.
"Yousa find rest, Senator. Those with good in their heart always passen too soon." Jar Jar said.
"Sir, with the death of Senator Kharrus, are you now in command of the mission?" A clone asks.
"Technically no." Stone said.
"Then who is?" He asks.
"Representative Binks is the highest-ranking person here." Stone said looking at him.
"We be missing you, Senator." Jar Jar said.
"Sir, this place is dangerous. Look, those geysers are spitting out acid." A clone said showing some acid his arm and slowly ate away at his armor.
Nearby some Skladers ran away from a geyser just as it exploded.
"These beasties don't like the geysers neither." Jar Jar said as the clone walked up to Stone.
"What is it, Sergeant?" Stone asks.
"How are we going to deliver the ransom to the Jedi and Count Dooku back?" The Clone asks causing Stone to smirk getting an idea.
Later, as Jar Jar and the Clones were working on the homing beacon the Gungan heard something.
"Whasa dat?" Jar Jar asks they turn to see Turk and some of his pals heading towards them on speeder bikes.
"Think this is trouble sir?" A clone asks.
"They could be the ones we're supposed to deliver the ransom to." Stone said.
"Or theysa the ones that be shooting us down." Jar Jar said as the pirates started shooting at them.
"You're right, Binks. Incoming! Form a circle!" Stone said as they ran to avoid fire and circled up but the pirates drove around them and moved to the shuttle.
"There's not enough cover out here. They are cutting us off from the shuttle." A clone said as the pirates threw explosives at them.
"We need to regroup!" Stone said.
"Follow me. Let's hide." Jar Jar said the explosions made a cloud of smoke.
"Come on men!" Stone said as they leaped down into the geyser.
When the smoke clears, the pirates saw they were all alone with the ship.
"Where'd they go?" A pirate asks.
"I don't know. Maybe they fell in the crater. Find the spice." Turk orders.
"Should we look for the clones in the crater?" The pirate asks.
"Get back here! Once that geyser goes off, they're broiled." Turk said not caring.
Inside the crater, they catch their breath.
"We're not gonna last long in here." A clone said.
"Don't worry. As long as those beasties are up there, we're safe. When they run, we run." Jar Jar said as they look up to see the Skalders nearby. "See? Mesa knew it was safe since the beasties are nearby."
Just as Jar Jar said that the Skladers ran away as the geyser started to shake.
"Uh oh." Jar Jar said as they quickly scrambled to get out of the geyser.
"Come on let's go." Stone said as they run back to the shuttle only to see the pirates were already gone along with the ransom.
"Commander you were right. The ransom is gone." A clone said.
"Hmm. I suggest we stay here and wait for the Republic to send the rescue party." Stone said.
"Wesa can't wait." Jar Jar said.
"We don't have much choice." Stone said.
"Ani and Obi are waiting for us to deliver the spicen." Jar Jar reminds.
"Those pirates are on speeders. How are we gonna catch them?" Stone asks.
"Mesa be haven idea." Jar Jar smiles.
At the Pirate Base, a few pirates were drinking in the halls when suddenly their drinks were flung out hitting them in the face.
"Hey!" One said as they got up only for Obi-Wan to Force Push a crate into them knocking them out.
Coming out of hiding, Shun pulls Dooku as Anakin and Obi-Wan took the lead.
"Hurry it up Dooku." Obi-Wan said.
"You should be more patient, Master. After all, the Count is an elderly gentleman and doesn't move like he used to." Anakin smirks.
"I suppose you're right." Obi-Wan agrees.
"Even Master Yoda moves faster than this guy." Shun points.
"I would kill you three right now if didn't have a way to escape." Dooku growls in anger when suddenly an alarm went off.
"Oh no." Shun looks to see some pirates running in. Thrusting his hand forward Shun makes a gale of wind blow them all away and smash into the wall while Anakin ignites his lightsaber. "Let's move!"
"Man I am really glad you're on our side." Anakin smiles.
Not too far away, Jar Jar and the clones are riding on the backs of Skalders chasing after the pirates and avoiding the geysers.
"Look, there they are." Stone points.
"Giddyup." Jar Jar said kicking his Skalder to move fast.
As the clones started firing at them the pirates turned around and tried to fire back. However, they couldn't concentrate on the road and ended up either getting blasted by fire or hit by the geysers causing them to drop the spice.
"Dammit. Time for plan B." Turk growls racing away.
"Let them go, we have the spice." Stone said as they came to a stop.
Back in the base, Shun was blasting them a path through the base knocking pirates away left and right when they turn right and find themselves in the main bar where Hondo was waiting.
"Well I guess this means we're no longer friends." Hondo said as they all pointed their weapons at them. "Such a shame. I thought we could be civilized." Hondo said walking up to them.
"Like you're one to talk about being fair you sneaky little rat! I should burn you and your entire base to the ground! In fact!" Shun held out his hands and flames came out alarming Hondo and all the pirates.
"Whoa, whoa! Take it easy boy, we're friends." Hondo said holding out his hand and Shun noticed a device under his sleeve with cards in it.
Moving in Shun grabs Hondo's arm and pulls him into a hug.
"You're right we're pals, right Hondo? We don't need to have things get ugly." Shun said as everyone looked at him confused before Hondo smiles.
"What's he doing?" Anakin whispers.
"You're asking me?" Obi-Wan asks.
"Must you always get the crazy Padawans Kenobi?" Dooku asks.
"And as friends, I say we settle this the civilized way. You want the chance to make more money so what do you say you and I make this interesting?" Shun asks.
"How interesting?" Hondo ask as Shun looks around and noticed the round white ship on the docking bay.
"That ship, whose is that?" Shun points.
"My ship. A Corellian YT-1300f light freighter but I have a special name for it." Hondo said as Anakin looked over.
"What a piece of junk." Anakin said.
"Its hideous appearance hides its skill. It is the best ship in my fleet." Hondo said.
"How about we settle this with a game of Sabacc? If you or any of your pirates can win we'll have the republic pay triple what we were gonna offer for Dooku and us." Shun smirks causing them to smile. "And if I win we get that ship."
"Hmm how do I know you plan to stand by it?" Hondo asks.
Holding out his hand Shun yanks both his lightsabers, Obi-Wan's and Anakin's lightsabers.
"Here's my starting ante." Shun said slamming them down.
"Hey! That's mine!" Anakin said.
"You wouldn't even have it if I wasn't here." Shun points out.
"Shun can you even play?" Obi-Wan asks.
"Yeah I play with the Clones all the time." Shun said.
Seeing this Hondo grins. "Set up a table. Put the Count back in his cell. I want the Jedi to have a front row seat to this."
As they unlocked Shun and allowed him to walk to the table, Dooku was taken away as Anakin and Obi-Wan were given seats.
Sitting down Shun, Hondo and a few other pirates entered as well.
"What are you doing?" Hondo asks.
"Four lightsabers are being wagered. I want it." One said.
"No it's mine!" Another said.
"First you guys have to win them off me." Shun points causing Hondo to laugh.
"Finally, a Jedi who understands business." Hondo said before Shun started shuffling the cards before dealing them. "Let's begin."
In the fields, the clones were tying the spice to the Skalders while Jar Jar and Stone were looking for the base.
"Right. Now that we have the spice, we need to find the compound. Anything to the south?" Stone asks as they climb back on.
"Nothing, sir. Who knows where that pirate stronghold is from here?" A clone said when he noticed something in the distance. "Well, look at that. Power lines! They must lead somewhere."
"There'sa power, there's be people, too." Jar Jar said.
At the base, the Sabacc game was in its final round as only Shun and Hondo remained with both holding big piles of gold and loot. Luckily Shun still had all the lightsabers.
"Well my friend, that right there is enough to buy a ship off any of my men plus you would keep the lightsaber if you fold now. But if you call. I'm gonna clean you out and put you all right back in that cell." Hondo said as all the pirates laughed.
"Hmm." Shun looks over to the ship and then to Hondo. "Your ship, you said you gave it a name. What is it?"
"The Millennium Falcon." Hondo declares.
"Ooh good name." Pausing Shun looks at his cards before smiling. "I don't know I'm feeling pretty lucky." Shun said going all in causing everyone to mutter.
"You really have it bad for the Falcon, don't you?" Hondo chuckles.
"It's mutual, trust me she's tired of you." Shun smirks as Hondo tosses the keys to the falcon in the pile.
Chuckling Hondo moves his hand under to try and get his ace but for some reason nothing was coming out. 'What? I thought I loaded this thing.' Hondo thought.
"Everything alright Hondo?" Shun asks.
Seeing he didn't have a way to cheat his out Hondo moves his hand up and reveals a high card.
"Whoa good hand." Shun said as everyone cheered. "But if only you had…this card." Shun said holding the card that was up Hondo's sleeve. "You would have beat this!" Shun slams the winning hand down winning them the game.
"Whoo! Oh yeah! I never doubted you Shun!" Anakin said taking the gold and their lightsabers back.
"Sure you didn't." Obi-Wan said as Shun took the control key to the Falcon.
"Pleasure doing business with you Hondo." Shun smiles when Turk ran in.
"Captain." Turk calls out.
"Well, Turk, did the Republic arrive with my spice?" Hondo asks grumpily from the loss.
"The Republic deceived us! They didn't send a ransom. They sent an army. They ambushed us in Doshar Field. I suggest we counterattack with tanks." Turk said causing the three Jedi to gasp.
"What? No that can't be right." Obi-Wan said.
"So…you deceived me and then think you can leave with my prized ship?" Hondo growls standing up.
"We swear we have no idea what's going on." Anakin said dropping the gold.
"And I won this ship fair and square." Shun said.
"Are you calling me a liar?" Hondo asks narrowing his eyes.
"Seeing as how you've done nothing but lie since we got here. Yes." Shun said.
"Not a good time Shun." Obi-Wan said as the three of them ignited their lightsabers.
Outside, near the base, Jar Jar sees the tanks coming towards them.
"There be some bombad clankens coming this way." Jar Jar said.
"What? Bombad Clankens?" Stone asks confused as Jar Jar shows him through the binoculars. "Oh! You're right. Bombad clankers. Representative Binks, we're going to need your services for this part of the mission."
"Whosa? Mesa?" Jar Jar asks.
"Yes, sir. You are the Senate Representative. We need you to go out there and negotiate with the pirates." Stone points out.
"Mesa no liken this idea. But I think itsa what Senator Kharrus woulda dosa." Jar Jar said walking out.
"He's probably gonna get himself killed." A clone said.
"Don't worry, he's smarter than he looks." Stone said.
Approaching the tanks, they came to a stop in front of Jar Jar.
"What are you supposed to be?" A pirate asks.
"Mesa Representative Binks. Mesa coming to deliver the spicen." Jar Jar said.
"Where's the army Turk reported?" The pirate asks looking to the other tank.
"Don't know. Let's fry this one and look around." The other pirate suggested.
"No. If he's a Representative, he might be worth something as well." He grins before turning to Jar Jar. "You! Representative Bink! We'll take you to your Jedi friends so you can, uh, negotiate."
"Okey dokey." Jar Jar said before climbing aboard the tank only to slip and crash into the pirate causing him to steer his tank right into his friend sending it crashing into the power lines and destroying it.
Inside, before any could do anything the power went out in the whole base surprising everyone.
"What happened to the power?" Hondo asks.
Seeing this chance, Shun metalbends a cable yanking Hondo in so Anakin could point his lightsaber at Hondo.
"Approach us, and he dies." Anakin threatens as they exit the building.
Little did they know since the power was out Dooku used this chance to break out on his own.
"Release me at once and I might let you live." Hondo orders.
"You are in position to bargain with us." Shun said when two tanks came in.
"Looks like your forces were destroyed, Jedi." Hondo said arrogantly.
However instead of his men, they look to see Jar Jar and the clones emerge from the tanks.
"Ani! Obi!" Jar Jar said.
"Jar Jar?" Anakin said surprised.
"Mesa have arrived with the spicen." Jar Jar said.
"Excellent, Jar Jar. Assuming the Pirates still have Count Dooku to trade." Obi-Wan said as they saw Dooku take off in one of Hondo's ship.
"Well that answers that question." Anakin said.
"So what now, Jedi? You're going to arrest me?" Hondo asks.
"No. Anakin, release him." Obi-Wan said surprising them.
"What?" Anakin asks.
"Captain, you have nothing we want. And since we're not prisoners anymore, you have no bargaining power." Obi-Wan asks as Anakin let go.
"Hold. Hold. Jedi, after everything, you're just going to walk away?" Hondo asks.
"We have no quarrel with you and we seek no revenge." Obi-Wan said.
"Very honorable, what about my ship?" Hondo asks as Shun and Anakin walked towards the Millenium Falcon.
"What about it? I won it fair and square." Shun smirks.
"Don't get too attached to it. One day I'll win it back." Hondo glares.
"Maybe someday. Oh, Captain, you will find that Count Dooku does not share our sense of honor. And he knows where you live." Obi-Wan said as they made their way in.
Entering the Millenium Falcon, Anakin and Shun look around.
"Hmm maybe it's not a piece of junk after all." Anakin smirks.
Making their way to the control room they sat down.
"We didn't get Dooku but this is pretty cool. I could even fit Haya in this thing." Shun smiles.
"Come on, let's get outta here." Anakin said as they started the engine and took off leaving Florrum and Hondo behind.