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EXODUS - Chapter 4

It wasn't long before our descent took us within view of the gleaming orange lights of the vast, underwater city of Otoh Gunga. A capital city of sorts, it's comprised of a series of interconnected bubbles which contain our streets, our businesses, our people. The ocean is rich in sustenance, and we leave a mostly peaceful existence hidden beneath the waves. The two Jedi were right behind me, working to keep up, while I reveled in the long-lost but familiar feel of water over my skin. It was cool, and fluid, and refreshing. It was downright therapeutic. Too bad it would only be the calm before the storm that would be my arrival.

I led Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi to one of the exterior plazas of the city. I righted my body's position, and stepped out of the water and into the bubble encapsulating the dome-shaped plaza. The cool, marbled tile felt strange beneath my feet. The three of us tracked in no water; the shell of the bubble dries one off almost completely. The algae incorporated into the structure of our city created plenty of oxygen, so I knew the two Humans behind me would breathe just fine.

I took a deep breath, extending my arms wide to either side. I knew I was on borrowed time the moment I emerged from the sea, but still, Otoh Gunga had been my home.

I let out my breath and took stock of our surroundings. We were in a rather plain-looking plaza, one that mostly existed to connect two other more popular spaces to visit. There were a few of my fellow Gungans milling about, striding from one tube-street to the next. Once we'd emerged, their necks were all craned in our direction, and I wondered whether they were aghast at my return or at the presence of two Humans in Gungan territory. They were very probably the first Humans in living memory to have ventured into Otoh Gunga.

I hate being the center of attention. "Mustn't dawdle. Do either of you need to refuel?" I asked. They both just gave me curious glances, so I mimicked dinner utensils. "Eat? Never know when we'll get the next chance."

Qui-Gon gave Obi-Wan a look as though expecting his young apprentice to utter some impatient remark, but the latter said nothing. "We might as well grab a bite to eat while you fill us in on how we get to Theed from here," Qui-Gon said, then added, "We mustn't tarry. Time is of the essence when lives are on the line."

I ushered them down one street into another dome that housed a few businesses, including a small cafe of which I wasn't particularly fond. Not the best track record in customer service, and the coffee can be iffy. Still, a couple of thick melon kelp smoothies would nourish us. It wasn't until we'd sat down at a table and received our beverages that something in my brain clicked, and I recognized I was already assuming I would be journeying along with them. No, I told myself. I just wanted to get out of Otoh Gunga before I got into too deep trouble. I showed them the way here and should've turned back rather than step foot inside the city. I don't know where my head was during those first moments. Feeling my hackles raise, I glanced out at the ocean depths and watched a small school of fish swim past the bubble's edge. I was only dimly aware that Qui-Gon was speaking. Something about Theed and the droid embargo.

"...As we speak. What manner of fast vessel can we acquire here?"

"Huh? Um, yeah. I'm sure you can commandeer something. Truth be told, I'm not the guy to ask." I forced a weak smile. "I kinda crashed Boss Nass's zoomer last time I was here."

The sounds of the ocean usually relax me, but not now. Now it was bubbling and frothing so bad I tried to pin my haillu down with my hands. Doing so didn't help. The bubbles became a chunnering staccato, rising in volume, until it should have been deafening. Explosions went off in my head until I was yanked down into my seat at the cafe by the cold chill of my beverage spilling out over my hands from the glass I'd just broken.

"I-I gotta go." I scraped the chair against the floor as I stood in a hurry. No sooner had I turned around than I was accosted by the sight of the elongated face and bill of a kaadu. Already in motion, I slid onto my knees before picking myself back up. A kaadu is a two-legged creature the Gungans tame and ride, and this one was ridden by an old war buddy of mine by the name of Roos Tarpals. Roos was looking a bit older than I'd remembered him, with a set of whiskers protruding from his upper lip.

"Roos Tarpals? Roos Tarpals, is _that_you? Hey. The years have...been, uh, kind to you." If my flattery sounded half-hearted, that's probably because it was. Roos didn't appear amused by my candor, so I added, via flourish of my arms, "I'm back!"

Roos pointed his shock spear at me. "Jar Jar. You're in deep, deep trouble this time." He then proceeded to jab me with the tip of the spear, which let out a sharp jolt of electricity. It made me wanna jump out of my amphibious skin.

"Ow! How rude."

Captain Tarpals' underling made sure to cuff my hands together, but I was polite. "Thank you, lackey."

"Master," Obi-Wan spoke, "perhaps we should not have trusted this criminal."

"Um, I can _hear_you," I said.

Qui-Gon replied to his apprentice. "Patience, Obi-Wan. We shall not linger here long."

"Our mission may be complicated if we must share this felon's recrimination," said Obi-Wan.

"Again," I tried to whisper, "I _can_hear you." I wanted to add another two cents, but I received another painful jab from the electric stick.

We were summarily rounded up and escorted to the Chamber of Elders toward the center of the city. Here was where several bookish Gungans whose warrior days were far behind them sat in a line, dressed in fancy robes, dealing with the sorts of trials and policies destined for the highest levels of government. To be honest, I don't really have much of a head for politics. It's always seemed like a lot of hot air to me. I nodded my eye-stalks to try and look tough, as per my present handcuffed state, but the Jedi were granted much more leeway than myself, which somewhat surprised me. The whole point of moving to Otoh Gunga was to get _away_from Humans. Roos left us there without so much as a cheery good-bye, so it was just us, the elders, and Rugor Nass. Oh, and a slew of guards.

Boss Nass, as he preferred to be known, was this fat Ankuran Gungan, which is a sort of subspecies of Gungan. That's a whole other rabbit hole. He had this ostentatious manner of speaking that most people chalked up to charisma, but which I chalked up to a dyspeptic ulcer. His jowls shook like jelly whenever he spoke, and his voice was so gruff and commanding I often asked myself if he just never let anyone else get a word in edgewise.

Oh, but I wasn't here to answer to Boss Nass. My sentence was a foregone conclusion. No, Boss Nass wanted to interrogate his Human visitors (an understandable prospect). I was just an incidental wallflower.

"So tell me," Boss Nass was saying. "What brings two _Humans_to Otoh Gunga?" He had this vile, toothsome grin on his face like he was speaking to someone he was boiling in oil.

"Your honor," Qui-Gon began. It was a good start. "You must know of the Droid Army that wreaks havoc upon your land. Your planet is under a strict embargo from the Trade Federation."

Boss Nass waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. "We have no interest in the wars of Humans and mechanics. What concern is this of ours?"

I remember thinking then, Well that's no good. Tell him what he wants to hear!

"We are on a diplomatic mission of peace. We must hurry to the city of Theed with all due haste." It was here that Qui-Gon made some sly gesture with his hand. "Perhaps you have a ship you could lend to us?"

To my astonishment, Boss Nass looked as though he was serious about considering this proposition. My jaw wanted to hit the floor when he then said, "There is a ship you could use. The fastest route to Theed takes you through the planet's aqueous outer core."

I could see the other elders exchanging furtive, uncertain glances, but none of them said anything.

"Then I assume that we are free to go." Again, Qui-Gon made a small motion with his hands.

"Begone with you!" Boss Nass commanded, raising an arm. "Take them to the dock bay and give them my Zoomer."

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan bowed, then turned to leave the chamber. This was my last chance to speak up. "Going through the core, huh? Mighty dangerous trip ahead of you. Would help to have a navigator along."

Qui-Gon looked at him, and I averted my gaze, feigning innocence. I raised my shackled hands and mimicked the articulation Qui-Gon had demonstrated moments ago. "Any help you could provide would be most appreciated."

To my delight, Qui-Gon turned around again, this time toward Boss Nass. Obi-Wan voiced his reservations, saying, "Master, we have no time for this."

Qui-Gon simply smiled at him before addressing Boss Nass. "We must take this prisoner with us. He owes us what you call a 'life-debt'."

I squinted. I owed them? That wasn't the way I was remembering things.

Boss Nass glowered at me with such a scathing look I thought I might burst into bubbles then and there. I was relieved to hear him at long last relent. "Take him and be done with him," he said before pointing at me. "But for the last time, do _not_return here!"

The guards to either side of me were dumbfounded. They hesitated to unshackle me, upon which I gave my poor, strained wrists a good rubbing. I showed them a cocky grin, thanked them for their service, and before too long, the three of us were escorted like proper guests in the direction of the dock bay. Although I wasn't in particular keen to tag along with the Humans' little escapade, I did look forward to ridding myself of Otoh Gunga as soon as possible.