Star Wars - Episode I Journal - Anakin Skywalker by Todd Strasser Page A
Authors: Todd Strasser
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insisted, and the leader of the patrol reluctantly agreed to lead us onward.
We followed the patrol leader to a place of ancient gray stone ruins, partly covered by green vines and brush. Jar Jar said this was a secret, sacred place for the Gungans. I looked around, amazed, as we passed groups of Gungans. They stared at us with their big eyes. Jar Jar whispered that they were refugees seeking shelter. They had been driven from their city at the bottom of the swamp by the forces of the Trade Federation.
We came to the remains of a huge stone temple that was covered with vines and moss. All that was left of it was crumbling columns and steps. Everywhere you looked were giant Gungan heads carved out of stone. Again, I wished Mom was there. It was all so strange and different.
We stopped before a heavy, sour-looking Gungan seated on a stone. Jar Jar whispered that this was Boss Nass, the chief Gungan. When Boss Nass saw Jar Jar and the rest of us, his broad forehead wrinkled, and his mouth frowned. After all, he was the guy who had banished Jar Jar.
Even when Queen Amidala stepped forward to say that we’d come in peace, Boss Nass shook his head. He warned Jar Jar that he’d made a mistake by bringing us to him, and that he was considering putting us all to death.
In a flash we were surrounded by Gungan guards. They lowered their electropoles at us. I heard the sharp intake of breath among those with the Queen. Realizing we were outnumbered, the Queen’s guards looked around nervously. For a moment I went stiff, wondering if I’d come all this way just to die. But I was surprised to see Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan watching calmly, seemingly unbothered by the threat. If they weren’t worried, I knew I could relax.
The biggest surprise was still to come. Queen Amidala began to say something about forming an alliance with the Gungans. But Padmé stepped forward, cutting her Queen short.
When the Gungan chief asked who she was, Padmé said she was the Queen!
For a moment I didn’t understand what was happening. Padmé, the Queen? It didn’t make sense.
But then she explained that the girl dressed as the Queen was actually one of her handmaidens. They had traded places for protection.
I’m glad Padmé wasn’t looking in my direction because she would have seen my mouth hanging wide open!
I didn’t know what to think! Ever since the day Padmé and Qui-Gon stepped into Watto’s shop, my life had been changing in ways I would have never dared to imagine.
In some strange and secret way, I was connected to the Queen! That made me feel sort of important. It made me wonder.
Who was I?
Who was I destined to become?
Padmé went on to explain to Boss Nass why she had come. It was pretty obvious that even though the Naboo people and the Gungans had lived together on this planet for a long time in peace, they weren’t exactly friendly.
Now, Padmé explained, they were both threatened by the Trade Federation. Unless the two groups banded together, they would both be destroyed.
Boss Nass listened to her with a frown on his face. You could see that he wasn’t sure he believed her.
Suddenly Padmé dropped to her knees before the Gungan chief. She begged him. She said the Naboo people were his humble servants and their fate was in his hands.
From the gasps of her handmaidens and the Naboo guards, I knew that this was the last thing they had expected her to do. But then, slowly, the guards bowed, too. And then the handmaidens and the Jedi.
Boss Nass began to laugh. He seemed very pleased. He’d felt the Naboo people had thought they were better than his swamp-dwelling Gungans. Having the Naboo Queen on her knees begging him finally equaled things out.
He was starting to think that maybe the Gungans and Naboos might be allies after all. Once again I saw Padmé in a new light. Not only was she brave, she was also a skilled leader.
To me, she was even more than an angel.
After Boss Nass accepted the Queen’s plea, he and his
We followed the patrol leader to a place of ancient gray stone ruins, partly covered by green vines and brush. Jar Jar said this was a secret, sacred place for the Gungans. I looked around, amazed, as we passed groups of Gungans. They stared at us with their big eyes. Jar Jar whispered that they were refugees seeking shelter. They had been driven from their city at the bottom of the swamp by the forces of the Trade Federation.
We came to the remains of a huge stone temple that was covered with vines and moss. All that was left of it was crumbling columns and steps. Everywhere you looked were giant Gungan heads carved out of stone. Again, I wished Mom was there. It was all so strange and different.
We stopped before a heavy, sour-looking Gungan seated on a stone. Jar Jar whispered that this was Boss Nass, the chief Gungan. When Boss Nass saw Jar Jar and the rest of us, his broad forehead wrinkled, and his mouth frowned. After all, he was the guy who had banished Jar Jar.
Even when Queen Amidala stepped forward to say that we’d come in peace, Boss Nass shook his head. He warned Jar Jar that he’d made a mistake by bringing us to him, and that he was considering putting us all to death.
In a flash we were surrounded by Gungan guards. They lowered their electropoles at us. I heard the sharp intake of breath among those with the Queen. Realizing we were outnumbered, the Queen’s guards looked around nervously. For a moment I went stiff, wondering if I’d come all this way just to die. But I was surprised to see Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan watching calmly, seemingly unbothered by the threat. If they weren’t worried, I knew I could relax.
The biggest surprise was still to come. Queen Amidala began to say something about forming an alliance with the Gungans. But Padmé stepped forward, cutting her Queen short.
When the Gungan chief asked who she was, Padmé said she was the Queen!
For a moment I didn’t understand what was happening. Padmé, the Queen? It didn’t make sense.
But then she explained that the girl dressed as the Queen was actually one of her handmaidens. They had traded places for protection.
I’m glad Padmé wasn’t looking in my direction because she would have seen my mouth hanging wide open!
I didn’t know what to think! Ever since the day Padmé and Qui-Gon stepped into Watto’s shop, my life had been changing in ways I would have never dared to imagine.
In some strange and secret way, I was connected to the Queen! That made me feel sort of important. It made me wonder.
Who was I?
Who was I destined to become?
Padmé went on to explain to Boss Nass why she had come. It was pretty obvious that even though the Naboo people and the Gungans had lived together on this planet for a long time in peace, they weren’t exactly friendly.
Now, Padmé explained, they were both threatened by the Trade Federation. Unless the two groups banded together, they would both be destroyed.
Boss Nass listened to her with a frown on his face. You could see that he wasn’t sure he believed her.
Suddenly Padmé dropped to her knees before the Gungan chief. She begged him. She said the Naboo people were his humble servants and their fate was in his hands.
From the gasps of her handmaidens and the Naboo guards, I knew that this was the last thing they had expected her to do. But then, slowly, the guards bowed, too. And then the handmaidens and the Jedi.
Boss Nass began to laugh. He seemed very pleased. He’d felt the Naboo people had thought they were better than his swamp-dwelling Gungans. Having the Naboo Queen on her knees begging him finally equaled things out.
He was starting to think that maybe the Gungans and Naboos might be allies after all. Once again I saw Padmé in a new light. Not only was she brave, she was also a skilled leader.
To me, she was even more than an angel.
After Boss Nass accepted the Queen’s plea, he and his
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