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If Jake had to guess how long they had been going from cover to cover, dodging past enemy patrols and seeing time and time again POWs escorted away to God knows where, he would of thought days rather than hours. Truth was it was probably only an hour since he found Ahsoka and Prince Lee Char after the short lived revival of going on the offensive, despite the Republic's newly arrived reinforcements. The dark watery scenery only added to the dull, hopeless mood descending on them.
He hid with the two youngsters under a T junction of a glass tube complex, floating in front of the duo as he lead the way to mask their position by hiding behind structures and rock formations. A steadily growing rumble built up above their heads at a platoon sized strength of Separatist water robots swimming in the tubes, splitting into two teams down each tube to no doubt find their valuable charge.
"We can't hide forever" He heard the Prince say in frustration.
"The Gungan Army was the last of the Republic's reinforcements, there won't be any more" Ahsoka grimly informed them, frowning over the piece of bad news.
"The failure is mine, not the Republic's"
"Get back!" The marine instructed the pair waving his handed back, taking cover behind the support beam. No more than 15 metres away a band of prisoners made up of Gungan and clone soldiers were being lead away by the Separatists, their hands bound behind their backs.
When they swam out of view Jake gave one last scan around the area, seeing the coast was clear as far as he knew.
"Come on, this way" He lead the other fugitives to another more concealed part of the tube complex, giving him enough of a clearing to check for enemy movements.
"If my father were here he would unite with Nossor Ri and the Quarren" The Prince spoke again. Seeing the waters free for the moment of enemy troops Jake turned to the Prince as he continued "The Mon Cala and the Quarren's relationship has always been a difficult one, but it was respectful. Until Riff Tamson arrived"
"And broke your peaceful coexisting?"
"Correct Corporal. Once that Karkarodon got inside his Nossor Ri's head, the alliance between the Mon Calamari and the Quarren fell apart" The royal explained, swimming into more darker waters away from the complex.
Jake fell in behind Ahsoka and the Prince who was now leading the way, remaining alert as they swam through the green water and yellow glowing from hostile constructions. Other than being on the run from the now occupying force who had taken control of the city and protecting the fish people's only hope of fighting against the would be conquerors, another problem was now hampering the Corporal.
He felt his energy began to reduce and tiredness was starting to take control of his body, no longer able to cope with the excessive moving around the ocean kingdom. It was already out in the open he was ill but now his sickness was causing more liable signs of deteriorating his abilities to carry on. So far he'd been ignoring it but he knew it was only a matter of time before his body couldn't take any more and starting shutting down.
"I know what I must do. I must reunite the Mon Cala and Quarren" Lee Char told him and the Padawan of his easier said than done plan. They swam up to a small sized building illuminating the glass panels running from top to bottom to ti's right side, just in time as an octo-sub swam passed their position.
"Alright, I like your thinking but what's the strategy?" Ahsoka asked, saying exactly what he was thinking.
"Count all the prisoners. Mon Cala , Gungans, clones. If we all fought together we'd outnumber our opponent"
"For this to work your Highness, your people will need to know and have to be ready for when the timing is right to attack" Jake added in getting a nod of agreement from the Jedi teen.
"We need Captain Ackbar and I think I know where to find him" They were once again on the move, trailing behind the Calamari as he lead the way to wherever the Captain was being held with the other prisoners.
Jake kept a lookout for trouble like he had been doing since the others were taken to prison camps, hiding as best he can the draining effect taking over as he swam slower than he had since their arrival on Dac. Another concern he thought about was the air supply he and Ahsoka had left, not to mention the others having to have an oxygen tank to assist them on this endeavour.
"Hey kid, how much oxygen do we have left?"
"A few hours worth. Hopefully this will all end before we start having to hold our breath" He felt somewhat relieved and impressed from her reply, seeing that the scuba tanks back home would of ran out long ago.
Up front he saw the Prince appeared to be searching something, peering down at the seafloor and rocky coral formations below. It wasn't until he took a sudden stop and pointed downward at a group of machines and their prisoner entourage.
"There, quick let's follow them" Doing as he said they shadowed the Separatists and POWs. They came upon a large underwater cave shining out more of the same shade of yellow used over the capital and the jellyfish monsters, the sides of it's mouth covered in tall strands of black and red seaweed hanging and swaying out brushing against the captives.
They weren't far behind tailing the small convoy entering into the cave too, staying close to the sides. Up ahead Jake saw the source of the light coming off from a huge electronic barrier covering an entire pocket of the cave, crackling and sparking everywhere preventing anyone or anything from passing through. He swam next to the Ahsoka who was taking cover behind a pile of boulders alongside the Prince, watching the robots take the captured troops over to the barrier.
"It's a prison camp" Lee Char stated what the marine was already starting to all assume.
"How can you be sure Captain Ackbar is inside?" Ahsoka questioned him, sounding a little more sceptical over his plan of action.
"There's only one way to find out" He swam closer, sticking to cover before he or the kid could say any more.
"I'm starting to not like this plan" Jake said to her, shake her head sighing then joined the Prince. A large lump sticking out from the side of the cave gave them adequate cover as they snuck closer, giving them a better view of the electricity barrier being powered by some metallic, sphere device in the centre.
One of the robots floated over to the object and began typing into the device while the others guarded the POWs. Jake caught the Prince drifting too far out from cover and dragged him back in, in the nick of time as he caught sight of the robot turning it's head around. He and the other two pressed their backs up against the wall in hope they weren't seen. For an agonising few seconds he rested his finger on the trigger of the speargun, waiting for the machines to suddenly switch their focus over to their spot.
A loud beeping noise and the crackling sound ceased showed this wasn't going to happen to their relief, peeking back behind the cover the see the barrier gone for the minute and the guards and prisoners go through the now electricity free zone. They hurried over to the empty pocket before the barrier sparked to life again, clipping passed one of the sphere objects just as the yellow electric returned to block the way.
Staying out of sight he kept his placed on the royal Calamari's left side, hiding from the still lingering robots transporting new unfortunate troops to this temporary camp. He heard a few mumbling voices up ahead amongst finding it to be coming from a small group of other Calamari captives sitting on top a big oval rock, their faces all understandably glum.
One of them spotted their approached and swam over.
"Prince Lee Char, you are a prisoner here as well?" He asked him, the rest of the group joining them too.
"I am here but not as a prisoner" He told his fellow Calamari in a hushed tone "I come with a message. As your future King, I have not lost hope. The time is coming when you'll be free again, I will not fail you"
"We want to believe but how can this be possible" The same one from before quizzed him but his answer had to wait as a familiar Kiwi accented voice intruding in.
"Commander Tano"
"Monnk, boy am I glad to see you" She smiled at the clone.
"Yes Commander but you'll have to come with me, you will attract too much attention. And there's someone who'll be happy to see you"
"Prince, pleased don't leave us here" One of the Calamari pleaded as he was about to go with the clone Commander.
"Have courage. the next time I'll appear to you, I will appear as your King" He said with deep devotion boosting the confidence in the prisoners, their eyes lightening up with a new glimmer of hope.
"Come on you Highness" Jake inclined his head for Lee Char to go after Monnk and Ahsoka.
As they all swam further down the crowd of POWs the marine could see a whole mix of emotions on the faces of three different species. Though the clones were helmeted he was sure they too shared the same looks of shock, astonishment and relief at the Prince's appearance before them all. Reaching the end of the line of gathering prisoners he saw where the clone officer was taking the Prince, to two familiar faces they had been searching for.
"You're alive!. Captain you were right" The Calamari Senator said gently shaking the visible injured Ackbar who slowly opened his eyes to the Prince swimming over.
"Prince, I knew you would survive the battle" A small smile formed on Ackbar's face, obviously relieved to see the youngster alive and well.
"Captain I need your help, I have a plan. I know how we can win this fight"
"The battle is over young Prince. I'm afraid we have lost" Ackbar closed his eyes and sighed in defeat.
"No. in truth we outnumber our enemy. We can overwhelm them" Lee Char said in hope of convincing him.
"But we are prisoners. If we revolt thousands will die" The Senator told him, needless telling of the outcome of such an act.
"Not if the Quarren struck first and aided in our attack"
"Prince how can you say this, the Quarren betrayed us. They assassinated your father" The Captain said in complete astonishment at his plan, a plan Jake too thought was a little far fetched but worth a try.
"No Captain. Riff Tamson murdered my father, I'm sure of it" He told the older Calamari of the true culprit, to the Captain's disgust.
"The Quarren are being used I've seen it before. Count Dooku has deceived them" Ahsoka added into the debate. Jake then heard more muttering amongst the crowd surrounding the covert meeting.
"I'll find Nossor Ri, he was my father's friend. I know he'll listen"
"How can you be certain of this?" The Senator questioned the improbable step of the plan.
"I can't but it's time for me to lead, and this I feel is my only course of action"
"I will ready our people Prince" Ackbar declared in shaky painful voice, still feeling the effects of his injuries.
"But Captain, you are injured"
"I will be ready to fight" He told the worried Senator "With our future King" Jake saw Lee Char's eyes widen for a split second, appearing to be taken aback by the Captains word which he knew had help increase confidence and morale in the young Prince.
"I'll assemble the remaining clone and Gungan forces. What will your signal be?" Monnk came in with the next question.
"When the Quarren attacks our enemy, that'll be your sign" Fast movement all around them caused Jake to spin round and find a whole load of robots circle their position, hitting aside those in their way.
"You are under arrest" One of them spoke in a droning, mechanical voice, pointing it's weapon at the Prince. Jake readied the speargun and pointed it at the closet warbot with Ahsoka next to him igniting her sabers, taking up defensive positions around the Prince.
"No" The Prince patted their shoulders "Stay your weapons my friends. I'm Lee Char, leader of Mon Cala people and I demand to speak to your superiors" He instructed to the machines.
Two pairs of the droids swam over to him and Ahsoka, pulling his and her weapons out of their hands and slapping on metal handcuffs to his wrists.
"This better bloody pan out right" Jake felt one of the machines poke his gun into his back, pointing for him and the other two to follow in their direction.
Cries and shouts could be heard as he was lead away with the others to meet whoever was leading the Separatists invasion force. The robots escorted him and the two youngsters out of the cave turned prison camp and back toward the city, where more machines waited to greet them outside the entrance.
"Yes?" The marine heard a faint comm voice emitting from the robot in front of him.
"We have located the Prince and have him in custody. He has requested an audience with the leadership" It spoke down into its comm. Seeing no visible communication device on it's steel person, he assumed it must of had one built in somewhere.
"By all means, bring him to me. I shall meet you in the Throne Room" The comm conversation then ended, the droids resuming to poke them every now and then to hurry up.
Jake glanced around the battle scarred capital city now devoid of organic life other than themselves, noting dead bodies floating about or resting on top of buildings still yet to be disposed of. More jellyfish remained floating lazily across the landscape, catching a few corpses in their tentacles and zapping a few with bolts of electricity.
After passing down what he could only describe as streets they stopped in front of a large glassy building guarded by droids, Quarren and to his disbelief more of those shark people.
"Wonderful, more of those Karky sharks" He said rolling his eyes as three of the creatures came over, armed with the same type of speargun he had lost when captured.
One of them grunted and the droids grabbed each of their arms chucking him and the other two over the sharks, who roughly threw them forward and rammed the sharp tip into each of their backs. Like Ahsoka and the Prince he let out a small yelp at the spiky end being used to herd them into the building like cattle, feeling the spear puncture through the diving suit and cut into his back.
A droid lead the way through the corridors of the supposed palace of the Calamari people, the sharkmen still taking sadistic pleasure in poking them with the spearguns every minute. By the time they finally reached the throne room Jake was sure his back probably looked more like a dart board from the excessive poking, angering him more on the rough treatment they were giving the kid and Prince.
With one last ram of the spear they ushered them in front of the leaders of the opposing side, the last stab fuming him further.
"You poke me or my friends with that again, I'll shove it so far up where the sun doesn't shine you'll be tasting chrome for the rest of your fucking life!" The Corporal growled at the smirking shark who only swam round, taking up guarding position behind the Riff Tamson and a squid he guessed to be this Nossor Ri Lee Char had been talking about.
"Greeting Prince" Tamson welcomed him, chuckling afterwards "We meet again. I must admit you were more difficult to apprehend than I anticipated. You have my respect, as hunter to his prey" He mockingly bowed to Lee Char
"I do not seek or want your respect, I demand you release my people" His statement only got another sneering laugh from the creature.
"Your people. You are mistaken Prince, they are my people and under my rule" He spoke down to the royal, coming off the throne and swam over to the Prince "They, like you, are nothing more than slaves"
"Your rule isn't recognised here Tamson. My people are all those who live in these seas, whether they be Mon Cala or Quarren" He declared choosing to remain defiant to the brute hovering over him, doing his best to intimidate the Prince. For a brief second there was an exchange of recognition between Lee Char and the Quarren leader, who Jake could see was surprised at the Prince's choice of words.
Unfortunately it clicked also to Tamson what he was trying to do.
"Surely you haven't come here seeking the aid of Nosso Ri" The shark swam back over to the throne "Do you really think he'll trade his position to join you"
"The Quarren are already slaves, though they may not see it. Nossor Ri you knew my father, whatever differences our people had in the past you must know we can work together to make Mon Cala whole again" He pleaded to the squid who at sat silent through the whole exchange "Dooku and Tamson only wish to exploits. To leave our cities in ruin and resources depleted. Then what will be left for the Quarren"
"The kid's one hell of a speaker" Jake whispered to Ahsoka, nodding in response.
"Silence!" Tamson shouted in his direction, rapidly swimming over to him "I know of the Jedi and Senator Amidala and even that fumbling amphibian I have as my high valued prisoners alongside the Prince. You however, are an enigma. State who you are to and your business here, human" He spat floating right in front, nearly face to face with his razor sharp teeth bearing a little too close for comfort.
The marine knew he couldn't give his real name and world so thought of something quickly that came straight to his mind, preventing a laugh and smile from breaking out once he gave his answer.
"Ambassador Matt Tennant of Gallifrey" Jake really was struggling to keep a straight face, catching the Jedi teen beside him raise an eye marking.
"Gallifrey?, I have not heard of this world"
"Nor would you of"
"What is your business here, Ambassador Tennant?" He snarkily carried on questioned him.
"Supporting an oppressed people" His response got another mocking laughter from the Karky Separatist.
"It would appear you have failed" Tamson swam back over to the still silent Quarren leader "Well Nossor Ri, would you like to join this pitiful little fish and his dead father?"
Nossor Ri look over at the Prince then closed his eyes in shame, lowering his head in submission to the arrogant occupier to their dismay but to no real surprise.
"There you see. What good would there help be anyway. The Quarren are more gutless than your people" He sneered at them both.
"As long as I live, I will always give hope to all the people of Mon Cala hope to fight another day" The Prince challenged Tamson, who stopped swimming around the room and stopped in front of the royal, folding his arms and giving a smile which could only mean bad news.
"Hmm, hope. We are of the same mind Prince, which is why I have scheduled for you have a public execution. Take them away!" The sharks from before started shoving him and the other two out the door.
"Nossor Ri, there is still time. Unite and we will defend our home!" Lee Char pleaded to him once more, only to see the expression of defeat on the squid's face.
"There's no point your Highness, he's under their thumb now" Jake frowned feeling the sharks push him violently out of the Throne Room.
They were dragged all the way out to the top of the city, to a yellow lit circle with a small podium centre in the middle where the sharks separated the Prince from himself and Ahsoka. He was brought to the open stands surrounding the circle next to a smiling Tamson and ashamed Nossor Ri floating not far from the podium.
A crowd gathered all other the arena like place, droids bringing over captured allied forces and Quarren to bear witness to the Prince's execution. Calamari, Gungan and clones were positioned around the venue with guards behind each part of the crowd, all their hands bound as a reminder of their submission. The next to be brought up was the Corporal and Ahsoka along with the other Jedi and Senators, all in unusual constraints.
Padme and a Gungan were held by two pods holding their arms and legs with pincer like hands, the former had some kind of brown gooey stuff stuck to her cracked helmet. When Jake saw the Fisto and Skywalker he raised a brow at the way they were oppressed to. Both were stuck in the middle of a trio of very long and greenish/blue electric eels locked together in a collar strapped around their necks, wiggling and snapping their teeth at anything nearby.
He saw the crowd grow bigger and bigger, seeing familiar faces appear amongst them like Captain Ackbar and the Calamari Senator. The shark guards from before left him and Ahsoka be, swimming over to the Prince circling around him like vultures would once they found a carcass to pick from.
"Good job protecting the Prince" Skywalker sarcastically said to his Padawan, behind the crackles of turquoise coloured electricity running up and down the eels' bodies.
"All part of the plan Master"
"I was hoping you were going to say that. Anything I can do?" A somewhat relieved look appeared on his face.
"It's out of our hands now, General" Jake informed the fellow captive.
"I don't think I like this plan at all" Both he and Ahsoka shrugged, turning back to the would be execution of the Dac Prince.
"For crimes against the Separatist State, I command the execution of the Separatist State of former Prince, Lee Char" While everybody watched in horror at the Lee Char being taunted and intimidated by the shark people swooning around him, Corporal Matthews observed a Quarren guard talking to Captain Ackbar and handing a stick like object over to him behind the Calamari's back.
The guard then swam away and returned to his post beside the Quarren leader, Nossor Ri who gave a subtle nod over to the Captain.
"Kill him!" Tamson order the fellow members of his species. The three circling him lined up a few metres from the Prince, giving a ruthless smirk over the barbaric style of ending his life.
Just as they charged at Lee Char everyone, including himself, witnessed Nossor Ri speed over to the Prince and released a cloud of thick black ink, halting the sharks advance who all looked around confused. The Quarren pulled the Prince over to safety waving a Quarren guard over to break off the cuffs, handing him a speargun.
"Fight Quarren, fight for Prince Lee Char!" Nossor Ri rallied his kind whilst Lee Char fired at his would be executioners, cutting each one of them down with a crimson bolt.
One after another the Quarren turned on the robots and smashed the cuffs off each prisoner, handing over guns to the now free men and women. The machines fell in droves from the surprise attack, being struck down by all types of weapons from the respective allied soldiers. Next thing he knew Ahsoka swam and did a backwards dropkick, somehow loosening her cuffs, into the robot guarding them's head, causing it to drop her lightsabers which she grabbed almost instantly after.
The Jedi proceeded then to slice through the eels freeing Skywalker and Fisto from the nasty form of imprisonment, the now electric fish falling down dead to the floor. Handing one of sabers over to her Master, Ahsoka went to him and pressed the plasma blade in the middle of the metal handcuffs freeing out of the constraints .
"Cheers kid, let's get stuck in" A nearby Calamari threw him a speargun, this one of their more elegant and better grip design.
More robots arrived and didn't waste time attacking the now freed allied troops joined by the defecting squids. Jake fired at two of the water bots coming toward him and Ahsoka, hitting one with rapid firing blue rounds blasting into his steely torso as Ahsoka decapitated the other.
The battle intensified far quicker than he had personally ever experienced in his years of service. The numbers from both sides swelled and the whole place was thick in laser fire and bodies of soldiers fighting it out for didn't causes. Quarren mini subs blasted away at squads of droids who were attempting to outmaneuver a mixed unit of Calamari and Gungan troops, destroying them all at the cost of one sub and it's driver.
The battle was turning into a tight close quarter contest, to a point where even he was having to use the speargun more as a melee weapon rather than pulling the trigger. The Earth born human drove the tip of the gun down into the neck of the machine that tried to charge him, twisting it until it's red eye faded then pulled the gun out ripping off it's head in the process.
A mechanical roar drew him to the sight of an octo-sub emerge out of the chaos, going in full circle around the battle then join the fray. It span around and ram itself into a section of allied troops knocking a few out and left some dazed, only for them to regain their focus seconds later and go for the sub. A dozen of them attached themselves on to the enemy sub and jammed their weapons into amber lit windows of the vessel, the glass cracking up with little to no time from the assault.
As soon as the glass collapsed water washed in and the innards of the doomed sub started to explode, sending it spiralling out of control and crashing into a nearby building. Throughout the battle Jake's finger rarely left the trigger, shooting at anything that steel for flesh and a blinking light for an eye until he spotted the Prince taking down machine after machine like an experienced soldier.
A small group of Calamari troops gathered around their future King heading over to the visibly angered Tamson, watching his forces being decimated right before him. A squad of machines then appeared next to him and began firing at the troops surrounding Lee Char, keeping them occupied leaving the Prince and the shark to face off on their own.
Jake shot at a droid before it could get a shot in at him and swam over to the Prince who was already standing off against the Separatist. Tamson then pulled out dagger shaped objects from his belt, stabbing four allied soldiers who happened to be close. To Jake's shock each soldier stabbed suddenly exploded into a gory mess, blood and pieces of organs and flesh floating where they once were.
"Prince Lee Char" The shark smiled growling his name.
"Your rule has ended before it has started, Tamson" The Prince charged at the creature.
Seeing it as a predictable move Tamson easily dodged the charge, grabbing hold of the Lee Char's speargun and pulled it from his grasped. He followed up with a combo of punches to the Prince's face, slamming fist after fist into his head then brought his hands to his neck choking him.
"I killed your father without pity or mercy" Tamson took sick delight in his omission, draining the life out of the Calamari.
"Then allow me to return the favour" Jake intervened, smacking the sharp butt of his gun into the shark's head as he turned to face him.
"Argghh" He reeled going back a couple metres from the marine's strike, revealing a huge cut on the side of his face once he moved his hands from the injured part looking very pissed.
"If you want the Prince you'll have to come through me, you fucking animal" Jake challenged him, putting himself between Tamson and Lee Char.
"You'll just be nothing more than another gutless corpse" He roared swimming toward him at heart pounding speed.
Before he could reach him and tear his teeth into his person Jake swung the gun at him again, managing to get another hit to his head causing him to knock off course. Once recovered stared him down with his dull, black lifeless eyes and went at him again but this time grabbing hold of the speargun. Both he and the shark tussled for the weapon, the Corporal throwing the first punch into the cut side of his face then received one back colliding into his glass protected helmet.
Due to his already weakened state Jake lost grip from the second punch with worrying signs of his helmet cracking. One large but thin crack appeared looking like a tree from all the 'branches' forming from the impact. He saw the sadistic smile on Tamson's face as he pointed the gun at him but it soon disappeared when Jake kicked it out of his hands. Adrenaline ran through him, the feeling tiredness and sickness temporary forgotten as he battles the shark in hand to hand combat.
He moved aside from another punch and sent an uppercut into Tamson's chin, getting the right satisfying connection as he flopped his ugly head back. Another one connected into his cheek but then the next strike Jake threw Tamson caught, retaliating with a swift and hard punch to his cramp plagued stomach. The wind was knocked out of him and pain coursed his body from the heavy attack, stunning him as an elbow smashed into his back.
A rough pull on his shoulder brought him back face to face with his opponent again who sent a trio of punches into his helmet, rendering half of it useless to him as he heard the faint sound of the helmet crack. Shaking off the strike he caught glimpse of something floating under him, recognising exactly what it was and kept it in a closed fist. A strong hand wrapped on to the front of his throat as his bruised body could no longer help supply the energy needed to combat against the Karky, locking his chilling eyes onto his own.
"Any last words before I end your pitiful life, Ambassador of Gallifrey?" He gave a vicious victorious smirk, thinking he had won. Jake gave a small cough fit then turned it into a chuckle, seeing the confusion in Tamson's eyes as he frowned obviously wondering why he found his imminent death funny.
"Smile, you son of bitch" Using up everything he had the marine slammed the object he held in his hand into Tamson's neck, piercing through his skin leaking his black coloured blood then booted him away.
Tamson swam back trying to rip the explosive dagger out of his neck to no success. The red light on the explosive blink faster and faster and both he and Tamson knew what came next but then it looked as if the shark had no intention to die without taking him along too. He swam over to him with a predatory grin, feeling to Jake as if the Grim Reaper himself was coming for him.
However it seemed death was not going to snuff him out just yet. A loud whine and a flash of azure coloured light whizzed past his left shoulder and clipping the explosive. He shielded his face with arms closing his eyes and wincing as a dull bang rang in front of him. Putting his arms down he saw a cloud of black blood and chunks of meat raining down over him, including Tamson's mostly intact head.
Jake swirled around and found Prince Lee Char holding the speargun dropped during his fight, pointing it in the direction Tamson had been with what the marine could describe relief long time coming in his eyes.
"Thank you, your Majesty" He bowed to the Prince, who in turned gave a grateful smile himself and returned the bow.
"The day is won!" The Quarren leader appeared to the side of Lee Char with Ackbar on the other, joined by everyone swarming around the victorious royal.
"Long live the Prince!" Captain Ackbar raised Lee Char's arm, his words repeated and chanted by all native to the watery homeworld, Calamari and Quarren alike.
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The Throne Room was full of Calamari and Quarren dignitaries and military officials, all floating and waiting above and floor level waiting for the Prince's coronation. The door had both sets of species troops standing in a smart and neat row with Calamari on the right and Quarren on the left standing to attention, holding their weapons as they would in parade.
Despite the battle scarred city still showing evident signs of battle, no one would think that a war was raged hours ago between the very races residing in the room. All attention was drawn to the door opening, revealing the very person everyone was there to see crowned King of Dac. Prince Lee char swam in stopping in the centre of the room, looking around the whole place to the smiling faces of so many of his people.
Two Calamari approached him carrying a clam shaped chest, opening it up to him showing a shell like crown with a gold covering the bottom.
"Your father would be very proud" Senator Tills told him with a bright smile, pride too filling her eyes.
"I know" Lee Char replied humbly, kneeling before the High priest.
"May the blessings of the water keep you. And may the might of your ancestors give you strength" The staff wielding Priest blessed him whilst Chieftain Nossor Ri took the crown out of the chest, placing it on Lee Char's head.
"As representative of the Quarren people, I pledge our loyalty to you" He bowed to the youngster.
"And as your King, i pledge my loyalty to all people of Mon Cala" The now King Lee Char announced to them all, stating his allegiance to everyone witnessing his coronation. He then turned and smiled to the Jedi, Republic representatives and Earth soldier, bowing his thanks to those that came to his world's time in need. They too all bowed, pleased to see a good man to lead in his world's recovery.
"I present, King Lee Char" The Priest announced to the chants of 'Long Live the King'.
A new era was to take hold of Dac and it's people. An era of peace and prosperity not seen since the unity of the Calamari and Quarren.
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Jake joined the others swimming to the surface, the first time he'd seen daylight for what like a lifetime. All six of them floated waiting for the oncoming dropship to pick them up. The LAAT hovered over their position and the clones onboard outstretched their hands pulling each of them aboard.
"Glad that's over" Skywalker was the first comment with everyone aboard.
"Lee Char has big task ahead of him. But I think he'll do just fine"
"With the backing of the Mon Calamari and Quarren, he'll have no trouble restoring Dac's to it's former glory" Padme agreed with Ahsoka, grabbing hold of the support hooks hanging above as the dropship took off.
"He has proven himself to be a potentially great leader"
"Hey" A clone still wearing SCUBA called next to him, leaving the others to talk about the new leader of the newly liberated world "Good job kicking that Karkarodon's shebs"
"More like he was kicking my arse, mate" He said downplaying his role in ending that creature's life "It was the Princ-sorry, King who killed the bugger"
"My friend, none of us would've traded punches with that overgrown fishbait. Besides he killed a few of our brothers, so you have our thanks" He offered him a hand which the marine shook, nodding over to clone soldier.
It only took a few minutes for the dropship to return to the hovering space cruiser, entering in from the top hangar bay. Upon landing he saw the whole bay completely packed with the regular clone personnel and the recovered Gungan Army going about their business waiting to return home. When they disembarked Jake and the others removed their helmets, breathing in the natural air for the first time since submerging to the underwater city.
"Feels great to be back on solid ground again" Fisto said with the agreement from everyone.
Jake however suddenly felt his vision blur once again but this time it left him completely disorientated. He slugged forward thinking he was walking in a straight line but the echoing clang of a metal object said otherwise, also dropping his helmet to the floor with an equally loud noise.
"Matthews?" He heard a voice call to him but his hearing was just as hazy as his sight. He fell to one knee trying to shake off the fuzzy vision off like last time but it refused to go.
"I'm ok" He said to whoever had said his name. An arm suddenly propped under his own helping him steady his balance.
"Get a medic over here!" Was the last clear thing Jake heard as he suddenly collapsed to the floor, his body finally overcome with whatever was causing his ill health. He felt someone shaking him and repeating what he assumed was his name but the darkness that was taking over his vision didn't allow him to see who was doing so. If death wanted to claim him, he sure as hell was going to put a dent in it's plans.