Disclaimer: Naturally I own none of this.
A/N: The idea was floating around and once I started doodling Wikus with a lightsaber, I simply had to. This takes place along the Clone Wars timeline. Speech within / \ indicates Poleepkwa. Comments, reviews, input is always welcome.
Chapter Two
Earth, District 10
"What is this eh?"
The frightened prawn chirped nervously, watching the MNU guard circle the poorly constructed fence. Assembled primarily of debris plucked from around the camp the fence blocked off a square between two tents. Inside the perimeter of scrap wood and tin the earth had been tilled into neat rows. Here and there among the rows a sprout had pushed its way into the air. Wikus had been proud seeing that yesterday morning. The sight of those small green shoots had given the prawns involved with the project a rush of hope. And in the years they'd been on Earth, WIkus had come to learn that hope had been in rare supply.
Now the MNU guard was yanking back on the handmade gate, tearing it off one hinge. Wikus watched helplessly. The guard shouldn't have paid much attention to the garden. There was nothing prohibiting the prawns from cultivating food. At least, no official prohibitions because the prawns hadn't seemed interested in self-sufficiency. The guard stepped into the small garden and with one booted toe kicked at one of the sprouts. Looking up at the prawn he made a tsk sound shaking his finger in the direction of the prawn huddled at the far edge of the garden.
"You trying to grow something, something illegal I bet," the guard said. Wikus, watching from a safe distance, scowled. They would be lucky if all MNU did was destroy the garden.
/No. We are growing food.\ the prawn said, finding a streak of rebellion.
"Food? You think we don't give you prawns enough food?" the guard said. The man kicked at another of the shoots. He seemed to pace randomly in the garden, though he always seemed to find were those seedlings were growing and kicked or stamped at them.
Don't mouth off, Wikus thought to himself, staring hard at the prawn. Don't -
/No. Our children are starving. What are we supposed to do?\
"I work to feed my family, and you expect handouts?" the guard asked incredulous. He took one step closer to the prawn, the muzzle of his gun coming up just enough to make the creature flinch.
/We are willing work too.\
Wikus sucked in a breath, the tentacles at his mouth moving as he did. The guard stepped back, laughing. He turned to his companions, five other armed men, keeping the curious prawns at bay with their sheer presence. A few yards away the big MNU transport vehicle was idling attended by two more armed guards. The other guards joined in on the laughter. The prawn clutched at its hands, the long tentacles working nervously. When the humans laughed the situation was very bad.
"Hear that? They want to take our jobs too," the guard chuckled. He pressed the muzzle of the Vektor R5 against the prawns chest plate. "Who else is helping you with this?"
The prawn looked from side to side. There was no escaping the guard.
"Eh? Who. Is. Helping. You." The guard gave the prawn a shove with the gun. The prawn, taller than the guard by more than a foot and undoubtedly stronger, fell back a step.
/No one. Only me.\
Wikus felt his chest tighten, fear sinking its claws completely through him. The feeling rippled through all the watching prawns. He picked it up on the air, his antenna twitching as the subtle changes altered the air. The guard considered the answer for a moment that seemed to crystallize and draw out to long.
"Prawns working," the guard snorted. Abruptly he turned and left the prawn standing in the ruins of the garden. He rejoined his comrades. Yet Wikus didn't fully relax until the unit climbed back into the vehicle and continued towards the gate. Once upon a time he'd looked at those soldiers, if not as friends, than as protectors against the savages infesting District 9. He sagged, expelling a breath and moved with the other prawns to the garden. There was a touch at his shoulder and he turned to see a familiar face.
/It was a good idea\. the prawn, John Fields, told him with a conciliatory smile.
/They won't let us have anything!\ Wikus growled. John shrugged.
/It has been like this for twenty years. We are used to it.\
Wikus blinked, looking at John then at the ruined garden. Had MNU really been treating the prawns this badly for twenty years? He tried to turn his mind away from the thought. But it pestered at him. Other prawns were already in the garden, sifting through the kicked up soil and delicately saving the tender sprouts. John was watching him.
/I need some time.\ Wikus mumbled. He turned and left the area, crossing between the tents and the piles of rubbish to reach his own shelter.
Poleepkwa, Palace of the Hive
/Where were the Jedi twenty years ago when we lost our mining ship?\ Queen Mald inquired. The question addressed this to both Jedi, but it was Brpen her gaze settled upon.
They had been invited to join the queen for an evening meal and had passed it with the small talk reserved for diplomats and politicians. The room was intimate, a circular space of high arched windows and dark stone. Beyond the windows the landscape was bathed by the glow of seven moons. Inside, the room three diners were seated around a stone table whose high backed chairs made a barrier to the lovely view. When the last of the meal had been cleared away by unobtrusive workers Maeyn had delicately brought up the real reason they were all there.
"I don't believe a formal request was ever made to us regarding your missing ship," Maeyn responded now, glancing at Brpen who nodded confirmation of this. It was the first time she had even heard a ship had gone missing. Though it certainly wouldn't have been the first one, it was a big and dangerous universe and any planet looking to do business beyond its own borders ran the risk of losing the occasional vessel.
/That is my point Master Maeyn. We have never needed the Republic - or the Jedi's assistance.\ Mald responded. /Poleepkwa can manage its own affairs.\
/The Separatists will not allow you the luxury of remaining neutral.\ Brpen said.
/Then we will fight them. You have not forgotten that our soldiers are the finest in the galaxy I hope.\
"They will overcome you with a sheer force of numbers your Majesty. For every Poleepkwa foot soldier you send, they will send dozens of droids," Maeyn argued.
Mald leaned back in her chair, her eyes thoughtful. /The Hive is against your offer. They worry this is a ploy to install a permanent military base on our homeworld.\
/We give you our word that is not the intention of the Republic.\
/And after the threat of the Separatists is gone, what then? Will the Republic be willing to relinquish the power they have gained during this war? Power is a strange and controlling mistress and she does not release us so easily.\
"You make an excellent point your majesty," Maeyn said with a polite dip of her head. "And …. Perhaps there is no guarantee of that. We Jedi know well what happens when one cannot let go of power. As long as we continue to counsel the Republic however, you may be assured that the Jedi will never encourage the Republic down that path."
/But not even the Jedi are above the seductive allure of power.\
-.-.-
/Never!\
Maeyn and Brpen were strolling through the gardens, taking their time in returning to the apartments. They had left the queen on good terms exchanging the necessary diplomatic formulas required by the situation. It had seemed by the end of the meeting that they were on the best of terms. But the Jedi, too familiar with politics knew better than to believe what things seemed.
"I'm not suggesting she's working with them," Maeyn said. "But I did not like her reference to Jedi who have – given into power."
Brpen was silent, gazing across the gardens and the dark shapes of the city rising beyond the palace walls. He worked over Maeyn's suggestion that the Sith had contacted the queen. Initially shocking, Brpen began to see his friend's idea had some merit.
/Perhaps it is as you say. But, if there is a Sith here, then I have not sensed them.\
"Nor have I," Maeyn admitted. She took a deep breath smelling the air fragrant with the thick blossoms surrounded them. They had walked along a crushed gravel path leading a large fountain at the center of the garden. Each of the Jedi regarded the cascading water rushing over the carved stone figure of another Poleepkwa queen.
"Not that we shouldn't be cautious."