~Three. ~
A bongo turned out to be a manta-shaped submarine type underwater vehicle.
It was explained to them by one of the Gungans that no two bongos were alike as they were grown from a coral the Gungans had and using special techniques that they Gungans kept secret. It had a distinctive hull with long, electromotive tentacles that flowed out of the back of the vehicle and which spun for propulsion. This gave the bongo the appearance of an exotic squid. The hull was also heavily armoured, made this way to withstand any potential attack from Naboo's sea creatures in their vast oceans. The bongo also possessed long, twisting, tentacle-like turbines which gave the vessel as usually high speed. The vehicle was also equipped with a number of hydrostatic bubble shields which kept the cockpit and cargo areas dry and filled with air. These shields were able to be switched on and off to allow access to the cockpit and cargo areas and, should it be needed, the forward driving plane of the bongo was able to be ejected much like an escape pod.
"Hmm...That was so much more information about a bongo that I...didn't need to know," Alexana said as they were shown to one that would seat the four of them.
Obi-Wan chuckled softly before he nudged her and climbed up into the pilot's seat. Rolling her eyes, Alexana climbed into the seat behind his as Qui-Gon climbed into the one beside her and Jar Jar took the one beside Obi-Wan. Pressing a series of buttons on the dash in front of him, the shields for each seat went over them and the engines started before they were jettisoned out of the city and back into the water beyond.
As they travelled through the water, Alexana could feel herself growing more and more tense. She knew they were safe within the bongo, knew that it could take most if not all that was thrown at it but...It was the fact that she was underwater to begin with that was setting her off. Her hands clenched into fists where they rested on her knees and she closed her eyes, desperately trying to focus on the breathing techniques that she had been taught by the Jedi to keep herself calm. Letting out a small gasp as she felt a light touch to her hand, Alexana's eyes flew open, and she looked towards Qui-Gon when she realised it was him.
"Just breathe, Alexana. You can do this, and we won't be in this for long," he said to her, and she nodded her head, closing her eyes again as she focused on her breathing.
"Where wesa goin?" Jar Jar asked and Alexana cracked open an eye to look at him.
"Don't worry. The Force will guide us," Qui-Gon responded, and Alexana closed her eye again, returning her attention to her breathing.
"Oh~! Maxy big da Force. Well...Dat smells stinkowiff," Jar Jar said, and Alexana chuckled softly. Obi-Wan guides the bongo through the currents slowly and carefully before he glanced at Jar Jar briefly.
"Why were you banished, Jar Jar?" Obi-Wan asked and Alexana opened her eyes to look over at the Gungan as well, curious as to his response.
"Tis a longo tale but...uh...small part woulda be mess...uh...clumsy," Jar Jar replied, and Alexana frowned in confusion.
"You were banished because you were clumsy? What did you do that was so...banishable?" Alexana asked him and Jar Jar glanced back at her.
"Mesa cause-ed mabee one or duey...lettal...Bitty axadentes. Yud say...Boom da gasser, un crash Da Bosses heyblibber. Den banished," Jar Jar explained, and Alexana had to think awfully hard to focus on what was said.
Suddenly, the bongo jerked forward, and Alexana winced as she was lurched forward, and she knocked her head on the back of Obi-Wan's chair. Pulling back and turning around, Alexana's eyes widened when she saw one of the sea creatures had its jaws clamped around the back end of the ship. Alexana looked towards Obi-Wan and Jar Jar, who was promptly freaking out and visibly having the breakdown that Alexana sorely wanted to have.
"Full speed, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said calmly, and Alexana swallowed heavily, clenching her hands into fists in her lap once more.
Breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth, Alexana frowned before an idea popped into her head. Placing her left hand on the side of the ship next to her, Alexana continued to breathe deeply before she felt her abilities kicking in. But something was different this time. Frowning as she focused on it, Alexana realised what it was, and she took advantage of it as quickly as she could. Sending out a gentle wave of energy, Alexana tried to get the sea beast to let go of the bongo. Swallowing heavily, Alexana focused on making sure that the creature let go of the bongo as Obi-Wan put more speed in the bongo. Feeling the creature slowly let go of the bongo before letting go of it entire as another, bigger creature came and clamped its jaws around the creature that had bitten onto the ship, freeing them. Immediately, Obi-Wan surged the bongo forward and Qui-Gon glanced over his shoulder at the creature as it was eaten by another one.
"There is always a bigger fish," he said calmly as he turned back around.
Alexana gently pulled her hand away from the side of the ship and placed her hand back on her knee. Even more slowly, Alexana opened her eyes, making sure that the glow in them had disappeared before she could open them again. Though both Jedi knew about her abilities, Alexana still tried not to use them too much as it was rather obvious to everyone else that something wasn't normal about her. Either by Jedi standards or society's standards. When she did open her eyes fully and looked over at Qui-Gon when she felt his eyes on her, her own had returned to their normal purple colouring. Giving her a questioning look, Qui-Gon looked at her for a moment. Swallowing heavily, Alexana gave a shake of her head before she looked ahead of them again as Obi-Wan guided the bongo through the water.
Obi-Wan continued to guide the bongo through the water as they sat in silence. They travelled along for a while before the lights inside the cockpit and where Qui-Gon and Alexana sat began to flickered and then went off. Immediately, the emergency life-support flickered to life and Alexana tensed up again as Qui-Gon reached over and lightly placed a hand on her arm.
"We're loosing power," Obi-Wan said before he pulled a panel off the spot between him and Jar Jar and began to work on getting the power back.
"Wesa gonna die in here," Jar Jar said as he whimpered.
"Stay calm. We aren't in trouble yet," Qui-Gon said as he pulled his hand away from Alexana's arm as Jar Jar turned to face him.
"What yet?! Monstairs out there. Leakin' in here. All sinkin' and no power! When yousa tink wesa in trouble?!" Jar Jar exclaimed as the lights flickered back on and the bongo came back to life.
"Power's back," Obi-Wan said as he sat back up and Alexana sighed before she tensed up when they all saw an even larger creature right outside the front of the bongo.
"Monstairs back!" Jar Jar exclaimed, pointing it out.
Obi-Wan immediately pulled the controls for the bongo towards him, directing it up and over the creature as it snapped at the bongo. Straight after the bongo flew over it, the creature turned around and began to swim after them, snapping at the bongo every time it got close enough.
"Wesa in trouble now!" Jar Jar cried out and Qui-Gon reached out quickly, and Alexana felt the usual energetic swirl of energy from the Force and the next thing she knew, Jar Jar went limp in his seat. Glancing over, Obi-Wan sighed.
"You overdid it," he said as he twitched the controls and turned it off to the right.
As they flew through the tunnel they had just entered before exiting it, they saw an even bigger creature before them. Squeaking in surprise unconsciously, Alexana clapped a hand over her mouth as Obi-Wan pulled the controls towards him once more and they flew over the top of the larger creature...Just as it clamped down on the one chasing them. Alexana let out a breath as she removed her hand from over her mouth before she sighed and shook her head at herself.
"Like I said...There's always a bigger fish," Qui-Gon said as Jar Jar regained consciousness with a groan. Looking around in the slightly clearer water now, Alexana tapped Qui-Gon on the shoulder before gesturing to an outcropping ahead.
"Head for that outcropping, Obi-Wan," he said as he leant forward and pointed it out.
"Right," he said before directing the bongo towards it and Alexana relaxed almost instantly. She'd be out of the water soon enough.
Before long, the bongo broke the surface of the water and Alexana let out a sigh in relief. The shields over each of the chairs faded away and Alexana closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath of the clean, crisp air. As she let it out, Alexana opened her eyes and looked around, her eyes widening a little at the view before them.
Beautiful, small white clouds floated across an almost clear blue sky, with the buildings of Theed, the capitol of Naboo, outlined against the sky. The water was clear and there had been birds sitting on the water before taking off when they had broken the surface. Looking around, Alexana spotted the outcropping from before she pointed it out.
"Over there," she said and Obi-Wan nodded his head before he tried to get the bongo started again. After the third attempt, Obi-Wan sighed before he glanced back at his Master.
"It won't start again. We might have to swim over there," he said, and Alexana cursed loud enough for the three of them to hear.
"Like hell we will," she said before she stood up, leant over the middle of the two seats in front of her and pressed her hand to the exposed panel of wires in the middle and closed her eyes.
She could feel all three of them watching her carefully, the two Jedi with concern and Jar Jar with curiosity. Drawing on her ability a lot faster than she normally did, Alexana felt it surge through her, down her arm and into the bongo. Seconds later, the bongo flared to life and Alexana began to slump forward before Qui-Gon caught her and gently guided her back into her seat as Obi-Wan began to direct the bongo towards the outcropping.
"You shouldn't have done that, Alexana," Qui-Gon said to her as she leant heavily into her seat, her head tilted back. Opening her eyes, which had gone a brilliant shade of electric purple now and were glowing slightly, Alexana turned her head slightly to look at Qui-Gon.
"There was no way...I was getting back into the water," Alexana said between pants as the quick use of her abilities had hit her hard. Qui-Gon looked at her for a moment before he sighed and shook his head, reaching over and ruffling her hair slightly before returning to his seat. Grumbling as her hair was ruffled, Alexana reached up, albeit weakly, and fixed her hair just as the bongo bumped against the outcropping. Closing her eyes for a moment as Jar Jar and Qui-Gon climbed out of the bongo first, Alexana sighed before she felt a light touch on her arm from in front of her.
"Come on, Alex...Can you move?" Obi-Wan asked her and Alexana sighed before she nodded her head as she pushed herself off her seat and slowly got to her feet, with Obi-Wan's help. Obi-Wan climbed out of the bongo before her and both he and Qui-Gon reached down and took an arm each of Alexana's, pulling her onto the outcropping. Once on it, Alexana gave herself a shake as they both let go of her arms.
"Thank you. I'm good," she said and Obi-Wan looked at her worriedly for a minute. She looked away from him and over to Qui-Gon. "We should get moving before more Battle Droids find us," she said, and he nodded his head before they all turned and began to make their way through Theed.
Ducking for cover each time Battle Droids came close to them, Alexana, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Jar Jar eventually made their way through Theed to the main palace. Frowning slightly, Alexana paused before she peeked over the edge of half wall. Looking over, her eyes widened slightly when she saw the Queen of Naboo, the Governor of Naboo, the Captain of the Guards as well as four more, and several handmaidens, being led away and through the palace by ten Battle Droids. Ducking her head back down, she looked over at Obi-Wan as he gave her a questioning look.
"That's the Queen down there with her party. There's roughly ten Battle Droids leading them," Alexana said in a whisper and Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon nodded their heads before they drew their lightsabers.
Alexana drew one of her blasters and, when she was signalled to, she leapt over the half wall with the two Jedi and landed in front of the Queen and her party. Immediately, Alexana began firing, taking care of a few of the Battle Droids as Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon dealt with the rest of them. Alexana turned around, blaster raised momentarily as she heard a thump behind her before she sighed and lowered it when she saw Jar Jar fall clumsily behind her. Getting to his feet and brushing himself off, Jar Jar examined the mess that was before him now.
"Whoa...Yousa guys bombad!" he said, and Alexana chuckled before she shook her head some as she turned to the Queen and her party.
"We should get off the streets," she said and Qui-Gon nodded.
"This way, Your Highness," he said as he gestured for the Queen and everyone else to follow him and Alexana turned to the Captain and the guards.
"Get their blasters. You'll need them," she said, and she watched and waited as the Captain and the guards grabbed what they could before following after the others. Once she was sure they were all safe and hidden, Alexana followed them, bringing up the rear of the group.
"Your Highness. We are the Ambassadors for the Supreme Chancellor," Qui-Gon said as Alexana joined them, and she looked towards the one that was dressed in robes of a Governor as he stepped forward and spoke up.
"It would seem that you negotiations have failed, Ambassador," he said, and Alexana scowled a little before she spoke up.
"The negotiations never took place, Governor," she said, and he glanced at her before looking at Qui-Gon as he spoke up and drew the Governor's attention.
"Your Highness. We need to make contact with the Republic," Qui-Gon said, and the Captain stepped forward.
"They've knocked out all of our communications," he said, and Alexana thought for a moment.
"Do you have any transports?" Qui-Gon asked the Captain, who nodded his head.
"In the main hanger. This way," he said as he walked down the corridor that they had taken shelter in and led the way towards the hanger bay. Alexana waited until everyone had walked ahead of her before she held up her blaster and followed after them. As they reached the hanger bay with the Captain, and she heard him curse when they saw how many Battle Droids were in the room.
"There are too many of them," he said to them, and Alexana looked around the corner as well. Seeing what he meant, she sighed before shaking her head.
"Between the lot of us, it won't be a problem," she said as she looked at Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon nodded his head before he turned to the Queen.
"Your Highness. Under the circumstances, I suggest that you come to Coruscant with us," he said to her, and Alexana looked towards the Queen as she spoke up.
"Thank you, Ambassador, but my place is with my people," she said, and Alexana couldn't help but feel a little proud of the young monarch.
"They will kill you if you stay," Qui-Gon said to her.
"They wouldn't dare," the Governor said.
"They need her to sign a treaty to make this invasion of theirs legal. They can't afford to kill her," the Captain said to them.
"This isn't a normal situation, Your Highness. There's something else behind this," Alexana said as the Queen turned to her.
"There's no logic behind the Trade Federation's moves here. My feelings tell me they will destroy you," Qui-Gon said to her, drawing her attention. Alexana watched her carefully as she looked down as she thought, and she felt bad for her. She was so young and having to make decisions that no one her age should have to.
"Please, Your Highness. Reconsider. Our only hope is that the Senate will side with us. Senator Palpatine will need your help," the Governor said as he looked at the Queen.
"Getting past the blockade is impossible. Any attempt would be dangerous, and we could die," the Captain said to them.
"If it helps, I will stay behind and do what I can. They will need to retain the Council of Governors in order to maintain the control they have. But you must leave," the Governor said to her, and Alexana watched as the Queen turned to a handmaiden and spoke up.
"Either choice presents great risk...To us all," she said, and the handmaiden responded.
"We are brave, Your Highness," she said to her, and Alexana frowned slightly before she turned her attention to Qui-Gon as he spoke again.
"If you are to leave, Your Highness, it must be now," he said to her.
"Then I will plead our case to the Senate," she said, and Alexana watched as she turned to the Governor now. "Be careful, Governor," she said before she turned to Qui-Gon and nodded her head, and they all began to enter the hanger bay.
Entering the hanger bay, Qui-Gon led the group with Obi-Wan and the Captain following directly behind him and then the Queen with three of the handmaidens. Behind them were three guards and then finally Alexana, her blaster drawn and held in her hand at her side, out of sight of the droids. She looked around carefully as they walked into the hanger bay, making sure that they all went unnoticed until the reached the ramp that led into a J-type 327 Nubian starship which acted as the Royal Naboo Starship. Silver in colour and looking like the clearest mirror she had ever seen in her life; Alexana was impressed that such a ship existed.
"We need to free those pilots," the Captain said as he pointed them out. Obi-Wan reached up and gently directed him to follow Qui-Gon and the Queen.
"I'll take care of it," he said, and Alexana chuckled softly, shaking her head at him as he began to walk towards them. Surreptitiously, Alexana drew a second blaster before letting it also hang at her side like the other one. The group eventually came to a stop in front of two Battle Droids that were guarding the ship and Alexana glanced over her shoulder as Qui-Gon spoke to them.
"Where are you going?" one of the Battle Droids asked Qui-Gon and Alexana looked back in front of them once more.
"I am an Ambassador to the Supreme Chancellor. I am taking these people to Coruscant," Qui-Gon said calmly, and Alexana glanced around again.
"Where are you taking them?" the Battle Droid asked again, and Alexana physically had to restrain herself from smacking her face with her hand.
"To Coruscant," Qui-Gon said again, frowning at having to say it twice.
"Coruscant? Uh...That does not compute. Uh...Wait...You're under arrest!" the Battle Droid said as he pointed at them and before Qui-Gon could draw his lightsaber and take it out, Alexana fired off a shot and took the droids head off.
Qui-Gon glanced back at her as she did that before drawing and igniting his lightsaber to take out the rest of the droids nearby. Meanwhile, Alexana glanced over at Obi-Wan to see how he was doing and, right before he took out the last one in front of him, she fired off a shot and did it before him. He stopped before he could follow through with the swing and sighed before he looked at the pilots.
"Go!" he said to them, and they leapt to their feet straight away and went to their respective ships, some of them hurrying into the ship that Alexana was standing and waiting for the others to hurry aboard. Alexana waited until the last person entered the ship, and after an intense and brief discussion with Obi-Wan, Alexana entered the ship and hit the button for the ramp beside the door, closing it. Glancing around, Alexana put her blaster back in their holsters before she hurried towards the cockpit where the Pilot for the ship was with his co-pilot and others. Finding Qui-Gon in there as well, she moved over to stand beside him.
"They're still blocking our communications," he said as he glanced back at Qui-Gon, and Alexana looked around before locating the panel.
"You focus on getting us out of here, Captain. I'll work on that," she said to him before she moved over and opened the panel before she got to work. She could feel the pilot looking at her sceptically.
"Should I..." he began to ask and Qui-Gon shook his head.
"With Alexana, I've found it is best to let her do her own thing," he said, and the pilot nodded his head before he turned his attention back to guiding the ship through the sky.
They eventually broke the atmosphere and slowly made their way through space, crawling forward as the blockade came into view. Swallowing heavily as she glanced over her shoulder at them through the window in front of the pilot, Alexana pursed her lips before she placed her free hand on the wall beside the panel she was working on. Closing her eyes, she sent out a burst of energy into the ship, strengthening the ships shield as best she could. She flinched as the ship was fired upon, feeling as though the hits to the ship's shield were hitting her and she clenched her eyes shut tighter as her breathing picked up. Jerking her hands away suddenly as sparks flew from both the panel and where she had her free hand placed, Alexana moved back a little, rubbing her palm with her hand as she tried to calm herself.
"The shield generator's been hit! Our deflector shields can't withstand this kind of firepower," the pilot said, and Alexana moved away from the panel as silently as she could. Seeing this as he entered the cockpit, Obi-Wan walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you alright?" he asked her, and she glanced at him, still rubbing her hand.
"I tried to fix the communications and keep the shield up...Their firepower was too much..." she said as she looked down, examining her hand carefully.
The one that had been on the panel as she worked on fixing the communications hurt a lot more than she thought it would and she looked at it carefully before her eyes widened. In the centre of her palm, there was a burn roughly the size of a small coin, resting there, looking fresh and angry as it stood out against the pale colouring of her skin with its bright red. Quickly closing her hand, hoping that he wouldn't see it, Alexana went to lower her hand to her side. Before she could though, Obi-Wan reached out and caught her hand. Flinching as he pulled it into view, Alexana fought him as he pried her fingers from the way they were clenched and revealed the burn in the centre of her palm. Swallowing heavily, Alexana quickly pulled her hand free and spoke up.
"We'll deal with it after I know we're free of the Trade Federation, Obi-Wan," she said to him as the alarms continued to flare and flash around them. Moving over to a free seat in front of a monitor, Alexana sighed and examined her hand before she began to manually work on unblocking the communications that way. Before long, the alarms and the lights stopped flashing and the power returned to the ship.
"The power's back! That little droid did it! He's bypassed the main power drive! Deflector shields at maximum!" the pilot called to his co-pilot, and they immediately began working on it as the ship took off, moving faster and past the blockade. Once they were far enough away from the blockade, the pilot spoke up again as Obi-Wan sat down at the monitor beside her.
"There's not enough power to get us to Coruscant. Our hyperdrive is leaking," he said and Qui-Gon sighed as Alexana stood up and moved over to Obi-Wan, looking at the screen as he searched for a planet, they could land on that was safe. Seeing one, Alexana pointed it out to him, and he nodded his head.
"We'll have to land somewhere for repairs and to refuel," Qui-Gon said and Obi-Wan spoke up.
"Here, Master. Tatooine. It's small and out of the way. The Trade Federation has no presence there," he said and Qui-Gon walked over, standing beside Alexana with his arms crossed.
"How can you be sure?" the Captain, whose name was Panaka Alexana finally found out, asked from where he stood by the pilot.
"It's controlled by the Hutts," Alexana replied, and the Captain scowled at her.
"The Hutts?!" Captain Panaka exclaimed, and Alexana raised a brow at him.
"It's risky but what other alternative do we have?" Alexana asked him and he continued to scowl at her.
"You can't take Her Royal Highness there! The Hutts are gangsters. If they discovered her..." he said, looking at her angrily and Qui-Gon quickly stepped in front of her to stop her retaliating.
"It would be no different to us landing on a planet that the Trade Federation controlled. Except the Hutts aren't looking for her which gives us the advantage," Qui-Gon said as Obi-Wan stood as well and gently took Alexana's arm and gently pulled her back some.
She glanced at him as he pulled her back and kept her at his side, and she swallowed heavily when she saw him give her a look. Giving him a questioning one in return, Alexana glanced over towards the Captain and Qui-Gon as they negotiated landing on Tatooine. Eventually, she managed to free her arm from his grip.
"Why did you stop me?" she asked in a hushed tone as she glanced at where Qui-Gon finished speaking with the Captain as they seemed to come to an agreement, albeit unwillingly on the Captain's part.
"Because I could see where you were going with your response to the Captain's answer and we didn't need you to anger him further," he replied, and she narrowed her eyes on him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, her tone snappish as she looked at him. Her eyes flashed briefly and seeing this, Obi-Wan grabbed her arm again and pulled her away from the others further.
"That. That right there. You would have snapped at the Captain before either Master Qui-Gon, or I could have done anything. Especially after what happened to your hand," Obi-Wan said to her as he let go of her arm when she tugged on it.
Scowling at him, she looked away from him before she ran her uninjured hand through her hair. She knew he was right. She would have snapped at the Captain and nothing Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan could stop her. Closing her eyes for a moment as she took in several deep breaths, Alexana calmed herself down once more before she opened her eyes again and looked up at Obi-Wan, who was watching her carefully.
"I'm sorry," she said to him, and he gave her a gentle smile before reaching out and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It's fine. What else are friends for?" Obi-Wan said and Alexana gavehim a small smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes.