The fourth chapter is now up.
A LAST GASP OF HOPE!
AFTER THE ASSASSINATION OF HIS FATHER AND THE FALL OF HIS KINGDOM BENEATH A PLANETARY CIVIL WAR, MON CALA PRINCE LEE-CHAR HAS GONE INTO HIDING WITH PADAWAN AHSOKA TANO AND KNIGHT REVAN AS HIS ONLY PROTECTORS.
EITH HIS ARMIES CAPTURED AND FRIENDS IMPRISONED, THE SITUATION SEEMS HOPELESS FOR THE PRINCE.
COUNT DOOKU COMMANDS HIS SINISTER AGENT, RIFF TAMSON, TO USE ANY MEANS NECESSARY TO BRING PRINCE LEE-CHAR OUT OF HIDING, FOR HE KNOWS THAT HOPE DOES REMAIN AS LONG AS THE PRINCE IS ALIVE...
Revan, Ahsoka and Lee-Char hid below the ledge of a roof top and peeked over the side, watching as a group of droids exited one of the tubes and swam off. "We can't hide forever." the prince said. "The Gungan army was the last of the Republic's reinforcements. There won't be anymore." Ahsoka said. "The failure is mine, not the Republic's." he replied before she grabbed him. "Get back!" she warned pulling him down as a group of Separatists passed nearby with some prisoners. The three swam lower into the city and hid underneath a tube. "If my father were here, he could unite with Nossor Ri and the Quarren. The Quarren and Mon Cala have always had a difficult relationship, but it was respectful, until Riff Tamson arrived. Once that Karkarodon got inside Nossor Ri's head, the alliance between the Mon Cala and the Quarren fell apart." he said before they swam lower.
"I know what I must do! The Mon Cala and Quarren people must be reunited." he said as they stopped in front of a brightly lit tower. "Okay… I like your thinking, but what's the strategy?" she asked. "Count all the prisoners: Mon Cala, Gungans, clones. If we all fought together, we would outnumber our opponent." he replied. Ahsoka placed a hand on his shoulder for a moment. "If this is going to work, we'll need to let your people know. They'll have to be ready to fight." she told him. "We need Captain Ackbar. And i think I know where to find him." he replied before they swam off.
The couple and prince followed a group escorting prisoners and soon came upon a cave used as a prison camp with an electric wall covering the entrance before hiding in some large rocks. "It's a prison camp." Lee-Char explained. "How can we be sure Captain Ackbar's inside?" Ashoka asked. "Only one way to find out." Revan said. The three moved forward until they were only a few feet away from the droid in the back and hid behind a corner of a pillar of rock. The droid's head extended a bit and it turned around while aiming its blaster after they made some noise when they moved. The droid lowered its arm as the droid leading turned off the electric wall and Separatists entered. The Jedi and prince quickly entered the cave just as the wall turned back on.
As they swam closer to a group of prisoners while staying low, one of them spotted him and swam over. "Are you a prisoner here as well?" he asked as a few others joined them. "I am here, but not as a prisoner. I've come with a message. As your future King, I have not lost hope. The time is coming when you will be free again. I will not fail you." Lee-Char assured. "We want to believe, but how can this be possible?" the Mon Calamari asked him. That's when Monnk swam over to them. "General Revan, Commander Tano." he greeted. "Monnk, am I glad to see you." she replied with relief in her voice. "Ditto." the Knight said. "Yes, General, Commander, but you three must come with me now. You'll attract too much attention here. And I think there's someone who will be happy to see you." the clone replied as the four started to swim away before the same Mon Cala stopped them. "Prince, you can't leave us here." he said. Lee-Char swam up to him and placed his hands on the other one's shoulders. "Have courage. The next time I appear to you, I will appear as your King." he assured before the four swam off.
The three followed Monnk and saw many Gungans, Mon Calamari and two other clones as they swam by before coming upon Tills and Ackbar, who was weakened and being held by her. "You're alive!" she said with relief upon seeing Lee-Char. "Captain, you were right." she said to Ackbar, who opened his eyes to see him. "Prince, I knew you would survive the battle." the captain said. "Captain, I need your help. I have a plan. I know how we can end this fight." the prince said. "The battle is over, young prince. And it appears that we have lost." Ackbar replied. "No. In truth, we now outnumber our enemy. We can overwhelm them." Lee-Char insisted.
"But we are prisoners. If we revolted, thousands would die." Tills said. "Not if the Quarren struck first and aided in our attack." the prince said. "Prince, how can you say this? The Quarren betrayed us. They assassinated your father!" Ackbar replied. "No, Captain. Riff Tamson murdered my father. Of that I am sure." Lee-Char replied. "The Quarren are being used. I've seen it happen before. Count Dooku has deceived them." Ahsoka said. The Mon Cala prisoners mumbled among themselves after hearing what she said and Ackbar had thoughtful look on his face. "We'll find Nossor Ri. He was my father's friend. I know he will listen." the prince insisted. "How can you be certain of this?" Tills asked. "I can't. But it's time for me to lead, and this I feel is my only course of action." Lee-Char replied.
"I will ready our people, prince." the captain assured. "But, captain, you're injured." Tills said to him. "I'll be ready to fight with our future King." he assured. "I'll marshal the remaining clones and Gungans. What will your signal be?" Monnk asked Lee-Char. "When a Quarren attacks our enemy, that will be your sign." he replied, earning a nod. A group of droids suddenly surrounded them with weapons ready. One droid killed a Mon Calamari by crushing his throat. "You are under arrest." It told them. The couple ignited their blades and took defensive positions in front of the prince. He placed a hand on one of their shoulder each. "No, stay your blade, my friends." he told the two Jedi. The two sheathed their blades as he addressed the droids. "I am Lee-Char, leader of the Mon Cala people, and I demand to speak to your superiors." he said. A droid took the lightsabers from each of the two before the group of droids led the three away.
The Jedi and prince were escorted into the throne room of Mon Cala's capital city by two Karkarodons. The throne spun around to reveal Riff siting in the chair Mon Cala's ruler would normally occupy while Nossor sat in a smaller one right beside him. "Greetings, prince." Riff said with an evil cackle. "We meet again. I must admit, you were more difficult to capture than I anticipated, prince. You have my respect as hunter to his prey." the shark said. "I do not seek, nor do I want your respect. I have come to demand the freedom of my people." Lee-Char said. Riff laughed cruelly. "Your people? You're mistaken, prince. They are my people and under my rule." he said before swimming over to them and pushing the Jedi out of the way as he got up close to the prince.
"They, like you, are nothing more than slaves." the shark said. "Your rule is not recognized here, Tamson. My people are all those who live in these seas, whether they be Mon Cala or Quarren." Lee-Char replied, causing Nossor to lift his gaze from the floor and look at him. The prince gave him a smile. "Surely you have not come here seeking the aid of Nossor Ri. Do you really think he would trade his position to join you?" the shark asked him as he swam behind the throne then around the room. "The Quarren are already slaves, though they may not see it." the price said before looking at Nossor. "Nossor Ri, you knew my father. Whatever differences our people had in the past, surely you must know we can work together to make Mon Cala whole. Dooku and Tamson want only to exploit us and leave our cities broken and our resources depleted. What will then be left for the Quarren?" Lee-Char said as Tamson stopped in front of Nossor. "Well, Nossor Ri? Would you like to join this pitiful little fish and his dead father?" Tamson asked him.
Nossor turned his gaze back to the ground and remained silent. "There, you see? What good would their help be anyway, prince? The Quarren are more gutless than your people." the shark said to him. "As long as I live, I shall give all people of Mon Cala hope to fight another day." the prince stated as Tamson stopped moving and floated cross-legged in the water with his arms folded. "Hmm, hope. We are of the same mind, prince. That is why I have scheduled your public execution." he said with an evil smirk. "Take him away!" he ordered the two other sharks. Both tried pushing the Jedi and prince back. "Nossor Ri, there's still time! Unite and we will defend our home!" Lee-Char urged him before the three were finally pushed out of the room and Tamson cackled evilly.
The group was taken outside for the execution. Revan and Ahsoka floated near Tamson with binders on while a droid was behind them and three sharks swam around Lee-Char as he floated in the middle of them. "Good job protecting the prince." Anakin said sarcastically as he and Fisto were moved beside them with eels being used as cages for them. "It's all part of the plan, Master." she assured. "I was hoping you were gonna say that. Anything I can do?" he asked. "Unfortunately, this time, it's out of our hands." she replied. "I'm not sure I like this plan after all." he said before Tamson spoke. "For crimes against the Separatist state, I command the execution of former prince Lee-Char." he addressed everyone. "Kill him!" he ordered the sharks. Just as the three were about to do so, Nossor swam forward and grabbed him as he released ink.
A Quarren handed a spear to the prince. "Fight, Quarren! Fight for prince Lee-Char!" Nossor yelled as the prince opened fire and killed the three sharks. The now former prisoners were given their weapons back and started firing upon the droids. The couple kicked the droid behind them before smashing their binders on it then grabbing their sabers and activating them. Ahsoka freed Anakin and gave him her shoto while Revan cut Fisto free and lent him his ice blade. Anakin freed his wife while Ahsoka freed Jar Jar. A few Gungans and Mon Calamari managed to take out a Trident drill by flooding the cockpit with water, causing it to lose control and crash into a building before shutting down. "The day is won!" Nossor called out after Lee-Char killed Tamson. "Long live the prince!" Ackbar exclaimed holding the prince's arm up. The Mon Calamari and Gungans repeated him a few times.
The next morning almost everyone gathered in the throne room for Lee-Char's coronation and said person swam into the room. Lemcke and Tills swam up to him with a big clam. "Your father would be so proud." she said, giving him a smile. "I know." he replied, mirroring her smile before bowing his head. Lemcke opened the clam up to reveal a crown. "May the blessings of the water keep you, the might of your ancestors give you strength." he said before Nossor picked the crown up and placed it on Lee-Char's head. "As representative of the Quarren people, I pledge our loyalty to you." Nossor said, bowing to him as he stood back up. "And as your King, I pledge my loyalty to all people of Mon Cala." Lee-Char said to all of them. "I present King Lee-Char." Lemcke announced. The room was then filled with a chorus of clapping and 'Long live the King!'
Chapter 4 is finished.