'Master,' Obi-Wan said, facing him now. 'I behaved badly on Coruscant, and I am embarrassed. I meant no disrespect to you. I do not wish to be difficult in the matter of the boy.'
'Nor have you been,' the older Jedi replied, a faint smile appearing. 'You have been honest with me. Honesty is never wrong. I did not lie when I told the Council you were ready. You are. I have taught you all I can. You will be a great Jedi, my young Padawan. You will make me proud.'
They gripped hands impulsively, and as quickly as that the breach that had opened between them was closed.
Moments later, a dark shape broke the surface of the water with a splash, and Jar Jar Binks climbed from the lake, shaking water from his amphibious skin onto the assembled. Long ears dripping, billed mouth shedding water like a duck's, he shook his head worriedly.
'Tis nobody dere! Deys all gone!' His eyestalks swiveled. 'Some kinda fight, deys have. Maccaneks, mebbe. Very bombad. Otoh Gunga empty. All Gungans gone. All gone.'
'Do you think they have been taken to the camps?' Panaka asked quickly, glancing around at the group.
'More likely they were wiped out,' Obi-Wan offered in disgust.
But Jar Jar shook his head. 'Me no think so. Gungans too smart. Go into hiding. When dey in trubble, go to sacred place. Maccaneks no find dem dere.'
Qui-Gon stepped forward. 'Sacred place?' he repeated. 'Can you take us there, Jar Jar?'
The Gungan sighed heavily, as if to say 'Here we go again,' and beckoned for them to follow.
They traversed the swamp for some time, first skirting the lake, then plunging deep into a forest of massive trees and tall grasses, following a water-screened pathway that connected a series of knolls. Somewhere in the distance, Trade Federation STAPs buzzed and whined as a search for the transport fugitives commenced in earnest. Jar Jar glanced about apprehensively as he picked his way through the mire, but did not slow.
Finally, they emerged in a clearing of marshy grasses and stands of trees with roots tangled so thickly they formed what appeared to be an impassable hedge. Jar Jar stopped, sniffed the air speculatively, and nodded. 'Dissen it.'
He lifted his head and made a strange chittering noise though his billed mouth, the sound echoing eerily in the silence. The group waited, eyes searching the misty gloom.
Suddenly Captain Tarpals and a scouting party of Gungans riding kaadu emerged from the haze, electropoles and energy spears held at the ready.
'Heydey ho, Cap'n Tarpals,' Jar Jar greeted cheerfully.
'Binks!' the Gungan leader exclaimed in disbelief. 'Notta gain!'
Jar Jar shrugged nonchalantly. 'We come ta see da Boss!'
Tarpals rolled his eyes. 'Ouch time, Binks. Ouch time for alla yous, mebbe. '
Herding them together, Gungans on kaadu providing a perimeter escort on all sides, Tarpals led them deeper into the swamp. The canopy formed by the limbs of the trees became so thick that the sky and the sun almost disappeared. Bits and pieces of statuary began to surface, crumbling stone facades and plinths sinking in the mire. Vines snaked their way across the broken remains, dropping down from limbs that twisted and wound together in vast wooden nets.
Pushing through a high stand of saw grass, they arrived in a clearing filled with Gungan refugees-men, women, and children of all ages and descriptions, huddled together on a broad, dry rise, many with their possessions gathered around them. Tarpals led the company past the refugees to where the ruins of what had once been a grand temple were being slowly reclaimed by the swamp. Platforms and stairs were all that remained intact, the columns and ceilings having long ago collapsed and broken apart. The massive heads and limbs of stone statues poked out of the mire, fingers clutching weapons and eyes staring sightlessly into space.
At the far end of the ruins, Boss Nass appeared, lumbering out of shadows with several more of the Gungan council to stand atop a stone head partially submerged in the water. Amidala and her retinue approached to within hailing distance over a network of causeways and islands.
'Jar Jar Binks, whadda yous doen back?' Boss Nass rumbled angrily. 'Yous suppose ta take dese outlanders and no come back! Yous pay good dis time!' The fleshy head swiveled. 'Who yous bring here ta da Gungan sacred place?'
The Queen stepped forward at once, white face lifting. 'I am Amidala, Queen of the Naboo.'
'Naboo!' Boss Nass thundered. 'No like da Naboo! Yous bring da maccaneks! Dey bust up our homes! Dey drive us all out!' A heavy arm lifted, pointing at the Queen. 'Yous all bombad! Yous all die, mebbe!'
Anakin noticed suddenly that they were completely surrounded by Gungans, some on kaadu, some on foot, all with electropoles, energy spears, and some sort of throwing device. Captain Panaka and the Naboo guards were looking around nervously, hands straying toward their blasters. The Jedi flanked the Queen and her handmaidens, but their arms hung loose at their sides.
'We wish to form an alliance with you,' Amidala tried again.
'We no form nutten wit da Naboo!' Boss Nass roared angrily.
Abruptly Padme detached herself from the others and stepped in front of the Queen. 'You did well, Sabe. But I will have to do this myself,' she said quietly, and turned to face Boss Nass.
'Who dis?' the head Gungan snapped.
Standing next to Anakin, R2-D2 beeped softly in recognition. The droid had figured it out first.
Padme straightened. 'I am Queen Amidala,' she announced in a loud, clear voice. 'Sabe serves from time to time as my decoy, my loyal bodyguard. I am sorry for my deception, but given the circumstances, I am sure you can understand.' She turned to the Jedi, her eyes shifting momentarily to find Anakin. 'Gentlemen, I apologize for misleading you.'
Her eyes returned quickly to Boss Nass, who was frowning suspiciously, clearly not understanding any of
