Theed

[Alysanne Drast]

Gungan sacred place, Naboo​

"Disa way! Da boss waiten per yousa!"

Alys, and the two rebel soldiers who were accompanying her, followed after their Gungan guide, walking slowly and carefully through the swamp. It had been almost a month since the rebels had landed on Naboo, and having faced all the trials the Gungans had thrown at them, it looked like they had finally earned their trust. Having deliberated amongst themselves, the Gungans had finally agreed to let the rebels have another meeting with their leaders. But the guide who had come to take them to the meeting spot had been so talkative that he had let slip the decision their Boss had come to within five minutes of setting off for the meeting spot, leaving Alys wondering if this was a deliberate action by the Boss in some sort of weird power play or if the Gungans were simply that loose with their words.

Regardless, she was glad that the Boss was willing to cooperate with them, provided their guide had been speaking the truth, and was eager to let everyone know of the success of their endeavor on the planet. But before that she still had to speak with the Boss and formalize their alliance, and make sure he stuck to his earlier promise of showing the rebels a good spot to create their base.

The Gugan lead them through the swamps to a large monument that seemed ancient, much older than any Gungan structure she had seen till then. And gathered there were more Gungans than she had previously seen in one place. It was pretty obvious who the Boss and his Council were, not just by the elaborate robes they wore, or the fact that only they stood atop the toppled monument, but by the way they held themselves.

"Boss, da humans!"

Their guide backed away after introducing them, leaving Alys face to face with the Gungan leaders. Stepping forward, as the two guards waited behind, she stopped a dozen or so feet from the Boss and bowed like she had been taught all those years ago. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, you honor me with you hospitality!"

Not sure what else to say, she waited for the Boss to respond and maybe begin the negotiations.

@Narsi

 

[The Storyteller]

The council looked up as the human female came walking through the swamp, shuffling forward as one to look down upon her. Boss Ugor Leers licked his wet lips and shoved ahead of the others, peering down with a wide smile. The Ankura Gungan was quite intrigued by this point. These rebels had done well so far in overcoming the trials before them. Their organization had apparently proven itself time and time again amongst the stars even. It was strange though, they had sent only three people to finalize this alliance? Two of them looked like mere guards. His blubbery smile gradually faded, becoming a thin line just above his jowls. Surely the High Council of his people demanded more respect, after giving them the honor of this meeting! This human female hardly seemed to be a figure of great authority either.

Still, the Boss kept his composure. fingering and refolding his robes for a moment. The rebels had done well to earn this meeting, and he would not sully the word of the Council by going back on his word. Straightening up, he waved away the guards and lifted his chin so as to look down his nose at the human. "Of course, da gungan people always keep our word. Yousa have met da terms, and so wesa shall honor da agreement." He waved to the side with a thick arm, motioning towards a small group that had emerged into view at the signal. Three Otolla Gungans, each wielding spears and sitting astride Kaadu. More of the domesticated creatures were being led by the reins behind the three.

Ugor's wide smile returned at the sight, and he turned back to the rebel representative with a proud look. "See, wesa have already prepared guides and kaadu to show yous-" The Boss stopped then suddenly, realization going through his mind. Oh, they still had to formalize the agreement first didn't they. He had already come to a decision beforehand but...Ugor shot a glare at the group and motioned for them to retreat back out of sight. He then eyed the human for a moment, daring her to say something. When of if she didn't, he would continue with things the proper way. "Wesa needen to besa allies first of course, sometten yous alliance still interested in?"
@Wit

 

[Alysanne Drast]

Alys had some trouble following the words, but the time spent on Naboo had made her a bit more familiar with the rather unique speech patterns of the gungans, and she was able to get the gist of what the gungan leader, their Boss, was saying. Glancing at the guides he mentioned, she tried to suppress the worry she felt at seeing the extra kaadu with the guides, wondering if the gungans expected to ride on them as well.

Thankfully Ugor's question was just the distraction she needed, and she pulled her eyes from the guides and the kaadu and returned her attention back to Ugor. "Of course Boss Leers, we still have every intention of forming an alliance with the Gungan people. We are sure that working together we can achieve great things!" She had hated all those etiquette lessons she had been forced to take as a child, but it was coming in handy now, though given how different they had turned out to be, part of her feared that the gungans might have some custom that she was spitting all over even now.

But there was no point in worrying about that, she could just do the best she could with what she knew. "Our technology, our aid, we offer it to you, as was promised. The Alliance are true to their word, and I promise you that you will find us to be trustworthy and capable allies. Just like I know the gungan people will be to us."

@Narsi

 

[The Storyteller]

Now that was more like it! Boss Ugor smiled wider and vigorously bobbed his head. Yes, they would indeed achieve great things together. The secrets of the stars beyond would do well in advancing his people far beyond their current state. He laughed loudly, a deep bellowing laugh that echoed. " Yesa, disa berry pleasen to besa hearen. Da gungans indeed a mighty people." Her understanding of their greatness was good, he could almost forgive their earlier slight now regarding the meeting staff. Almost, them agreeing to share their technology had been a formality at best, and everyone knew that. As was this whole meeting really, they had made a deal after all and Gungans kept their word.

He gestured for those hidden in the swamp to reemerge once more. They did, albeit with some reluctance this time, waiting for him to gesture several more times. Ugor shot them a nasty look when they finally obeyed, making several of them cringe away. When he turned back to the human though, he was all blubbery smile once again. "Yesa, wesa shall besa good allies to yousa. Wesa even assist yousa wit our army, da grand gungan army!" That was a key point here, the Grand Army was the greatest in the land. And he was offering their aide in these endeavors. He nodded to the group of spear wielding Gungans, his chin jiggling slightly with the movement. "Daysa a parten of it, soldiers, to ensure yousa maken it tada placen."

He then opened his arms, as if to embrace the rebel in front of the. Doing so almost knocked one of the other council members off the monument but he ignored it. "Together, wesa shall do bombad things!"
@Wit

 

[Alysanne Drast]

Alys had known about the existence of a gungan army, but even now she didn't really know how grand it really was. But she didn't really want to find out, it was much better if they never had to find out. The gungans had been kind enough to welcome the rebels into their home, and she had no intention of repaying that hospitality with hostility. Besides, simple minded though they might seem, the gungans might just prove to be capable adversaries if things ever went sour between them.

Smiling and nodding at the right moments as the Boss spoke, she waited till he was done before gesturing for the two rebels who had come with her and gestured for him to step forward and open the packs they carried. They laid out a portable, yet powerful, communications system, along with enough power packs to keep them running for a long time. Along with a few trinkets that that nonetheless fascinated the gungans, these were supposed to be the icing on top of the cake to seal the deal.

"Your generosity knows no limit, let us offer this small gift as a token of our appreciation. With your permission, more of my friends will be coming to the planet over the coming weeks, and with them they will bring more technological marvels that will greatly interest you. But for now we offer you this. The communications array on this will allow you to contact us from you deepest underwater cities, and you can communicate across the planet instantaneously." With one gift they had given the gungans access to the entire planet, that should be more than enough to seal the deal.

She waited, they had played their hand, now all she could do was wait till the gungans were done with their formalities and soldiers would lead them off to the favorable location they had been promised.

@Narsi

 

[The Storyteller]

It was the Boss's turn to almost fall off the monument, so absorbed in the new devices he'd been leaning forward too far. One of the others pulled him back in time however, Ugor's thick arms flailing into empty space as he fought to stay upright. It didn't help that he'd been almost drooling over the things they'd been showing him. Little globules of spit went everywhere as he thrashed and recovered, wiping a sleeve across his mouth when he finally stood safe once more. Panting briefly, Ugor looked back down at the strange contraption in wonder. It would really do all that, amazing!

"Wesa most smilin wit disa lob. A worthy prize to sealen our friendship!" The big Gungan nodded his great head and smiled down to the Rebels. "Consideren disa alliance official!" He waved again to the escort group, urging them forward even closer. "Gos, daysa will show yousa tada placen wesa promised yousa. Da kaadu will carryen yousa dalee swiftly." Right on cue the Otolla Gungans came forward, several of them trying to hand the reins to the rebels. A few others were stepping forward to help the riders mount the large slavering beasts. "Not too worryen, daysa nice creatures," The Boss said, still smiling widely. He hadn't missed the earlier apprehension the rebels had displayed towards them, and he wasn't going to miss a beginners first ride on a kaadu. Not that he had ridden one for a while, but he HAD in the past!

Once they were up and mounted, he would speak again, even as the escorts started to lead the way out. They would help grab the reins and lead the others if necessary. "Yousa will liken it, tis a placen wesa callen Theed," he called out to their backs, already waving goodbye. The trip would be quick, surprisingly so. For now though, as he watched them vanish into the swamp, he had other concerns. A greedy gaze fell upon the communications array, and he suddenly summoned all the Gungans who'd been standing around it with frantic arm waves. "Hurryen maken it worken!" @Wit

 

[Alysanne Drast]

It took all of Alysanne's self control to not take a step back as the Gungan's reaction to their gifts sent a rain of spit everywhere. And when he started speaking she smiled widely as the Boss formally declared their alliance. But the smile caught on her face as the gungan warriors from before approached them and offered reins to them. She had seen some of the other rebels ride the beasts, but she herself wasn't particularly excited to do the same. She could fly well enough, but this was a little outside her comfort zone. She was no beast master.

Smiling weakly at the Boss' encouragement, she let herself be practically herded onto the beast. "I am sure they are." She said weakly, not wanting to insult him by declining to ride the beast. This was just a small discomfort that she was willing to put up with for the sake of what was on the line. As the beasts started moving and the Boss called out to them as they moved away from him, she raised her hand in farewell, hoping that she didn't have to face him and his spit anytime soon.

It took them some time to reach the spot the Boss had promised, the place he had called Theed. By then her thighs were well and truly sore, but by the time the scouts informed they were within sight of the site and her eyes finally fell on it all her discomfort was forgotten. With each passing moment she became more aware of the beauty of the planet, and the place that might be their new home. The river, the rolling green hills, the serenity of it all. She had the feeling she was going to like it here.

As the escorts finally stopped and got of their mounts, and began telling her two companions about the nearby locations and where to go hunting and foraging, Alys pulled out her datapad and began compiling a message to send to the ships waiting in orbit. Along with a short message detailing the successful negotiations, she also attached the coordinates of where they were so that supply ships could come down. As the message was sent, all that remained on her datapad was a sent notification, with just the subject of the mail visible.

Theed.

OOC: End Thread