Naboo

4 ABY

"So these Gungan's," said Luke kicking a stone out of his way as he walked, "who are they?"

"They're the native species here," said Pooja as she led the way through the swampy terrain, "we used to have tense relations with them until the Invasion of Naboo when we were forced to join forces. They are now one of our closest allies."

"Is Jar Jar Binks still around?" asked Anakin as he pushed a branch out of his way.

"Representative Binks?" asked Pooja smiling, "of course. Although he's quite old and retired by now."

Anakin nodded his head in affirmation, not one bit surprised by the news.

"I've heard of these Gungan's before," said Han, "amphibian like if I remember correctly."

Anakin smirked, "never met one in all of your smuggling career?"

Han smiled sarcastically at the backhanded comment, but knew well enough to Anakin didn't mean it in a rude way.

"Can't say that I have," he said, "but I'll tell you I've met some strange folk before, I'm sure these Gungan's won't be any different."

Anakin laughed, "Obviously you haven't met Jar Jar Binks before."

"Who is Jar Jar?" asked Luke cutting into the conversation with curiosity as he quickened his strides to catch up with his father.

"He was a Politician who worked alongside Aunt Padme," answered Pooja before she came to a halt in front a murky pond.

"Is this it?" asked Luke incredulously as he looked around in confusion.

"No," said Anakin looking around at the ruins surrounding them, the memories of his nine year old standing not five feet from where he now stood, "no walking from here on."

"We have to swim?" asked Han and Luke at the same time as they both stared at the black water in distrust.

"Say," said Anakin with an evil grin, "how long can you two hold your breath?"

Han smirked, "how bout we see how long you can?"

Anakin shook his head as he let out a chuckle, "unfortunately I'll have to take you up on your offer some other time seeing as there will be no need to."

Pooja smiled over at the two bantering men as she knelt down next to the murky water and listened to the sound of the transport boat as it slowly made its way up the surface. Now that relations with the Gungan's was strong, travel between the two societies was common and she was no stranger to their underwater city.

"Gentlemen," she said as she looked back at the three men and the Wookie, "I hate to interrupt but the transport ship is here."

As soon as she said that, the passenger boat immerged from the water and made its way to where they were waiting. The hatch came up and a young Gungan popped his head and motioned for them to get in.

They all stepped up, trying their best not to fall into the water, and entered into the tiny compartment where the young Gungan male was seated at the helm.

"Come on, Chewie!" came Hans coaxing voice from the banks of the pond as he tried to reason with the Wookie, who looked positively apprehensive as he stared at the small ship, "it's just for a little while."

The Wookie shook his head vehemently as he started to back away and Han sighed before he stepped off the ship and back onto the embankment.

"Get your furry butt over here before I-," began Han before Pooja interrupted.

"If Chewie is not comfortable with the method of transportation, then he is more than welcome to stay behind."

Chewie nodded affirmatively as Han shook his head, "fine, just don't go wondering off too far."

The rest of them loaded into the ship, which proved to be a tight fit as they all squished together in the close quarters and Anakin realized that it was probably for the best that Chewie hadn't come with them. He and Han struggled to find a comfortable position as they were smudged together in the very compact space, but Pooja and Luke didn't seem to mind the close quarters as they both chatted away in the front seat.

"How long until we get there?" mumbled a slightly miserable Han.

"Don't worry," said Anakin as he tried to find a place where he could place his long legs, "it's only a few minutes."

"Fantastic," said Han sarcastically as he too tried to find a comfortable position for his legs.

True to Anakin's word, the ship reached its destination within minutes and both men were glad to be out of the compact space.

"Mesa welcome youssa to Otah Gunga!" came the greeting of the young Gungan that had been sent to receive the group, "Boss Lyonie willa see youssa now."

"Hello Jenuul Binks," said Pooja in greeting.

"Bink's?" asked Anakin with curiosity, "are you related to Jar Jar?"

"Mesa his son!" said the Gungan with a proud smile as he tapped his chest. The young Gungan did have a certain resemblance to his father, and his enthusiasm it would seem.

"Did youssa know mesa father?" asked the Gungan as he lead his way through the palace.

Anakin nodded as he strolled with his hands behind his back, "he was a colleague of my wife before she passed away."

"Mesa condolences," said Jenuul politely, "mesa sure mesa father be pleased to see youssa."

"How is your father these days?" asked Anakin.

"Hesa not been same since mesa mother die," said Jenuul sadly, "other than dat hesa fine."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Anakin earnestly before the group made their way into the Council chamber.

"Honored guests," said Lyonie as he welcomed them into the room. The Gungan looked older than the last time Anakin had seen him, but that of course was to be expected, "wesa most pleased by youssa presence here."

"We are most pleased to be here as well, Boss Lyonie," said Pooja formally as she stepped forward in greeting, her voice calm and soothing as she held her head high. Anakin couldn't help but be reminded of Padme when he looked upon Pooja, his niece who resembled Padme as much as Leia did. The way she had held her head and spoke was something Anakin had always been proud of in his wife, and he could see it in Leia, Pooja, and Luke. It was enough to convince him that confidence was a genetic trait with the Naberrie's.

"We thank you for allowing us here to speak on behalf of the Rebel Alliance. As I'm sure you have heard, the Rebels have won a great victory on Endor."

"Emperor Palpatine isa dead," came one of the Gungan's sitting next to Lyonie, "wesa free now."

"Indeed," said Pooja raising an eyebrow, "Palpatine and Vader may be dead, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the Empire is dead. That is why my friends and I-," she said looking back at the group of men behind her, "have come to speak with you. We have come to negotiate the possibility of your support in rebuilding the Republic and pushing back what's left of the Empire."

"Wesa heard dat Isard has declared herselfa Empress," said one of the other Gungan's, "and isa gathering an army on Coruscant."

"A fact that the Alliance is well aware of," said Luke as he projected himself into the conversation, "but with the support of your people as well as many others, we can defeat them once and for all. The Empire is in a state of chaos as their members try to consolidate power for themselves by backstabbing each other as well as trying to handle various different Rebel uprisings currently taking place all over the galaxy."

"Just because Isard has declared herself Empress doesn't necessarily mean she has the support of her own people. There are many within the Empire that do not like her, and this will only lead to further divide," said Anakin as he added more emphasis on Luke's words.

"Hesa right," said Jenuul, "a nation cannot stand if isa divided."

There was a chorus of nods around the room as the Gungan's leaned in and started deliberating amongst themselves quietly.

"Wesa agree dat da Empire needs besa stopped," said Lyonie loudly after a few moments, "da time for democracy has comin upon us. Wesa will fight for disa New Republic."

"Wesa warriors and wesa fight for democracy!" said Jenuul loudly as he came to stand next to the group.

"On behalf of the Alliance, we thank you for your decision to support help and support us," said Pooja with a large smile on her face before the group was led out of the room.

"Youssa did good!" said Jenuul, "thesa Empire won't know what hit them!"

"They most certainly will not," said Anakin as the battle of Mon Cala came to mind.

"I wonder how Leia's faring with her negotiations," said Luke absentmindedly as they walked.

"I have no doubt she has already gained their full support by now," said Pooja, "Naboo has always secretly supported the restoration of the Republic, despite the fact that this is the Emperor's home world."

"Besides you know Leia," said Han, "she has a way of persuading people. I'm sure she has the whole council wrapped around her little finger by now."

Luke smiled, "sounds like Leia."

"You would know, wouldn't you?" said Han clapping his hand on Luke's back, "now, are we done here? I have a hankering to see the sun again."

Anakin was about to reply to Han's comment when a familiar voice rang through the corridor, "Ani?"

Anakin turned around to be greeted with the sight of Jar Jar as he hobbled into the room, his old age hindering his movements, "Ani!"

"Jar Jar," said Anakin taking a step towards his old friend.

"Mesa so happy to see you!" said the Gungan as he pulled the Jedi into a hug, "mesa thought youssa die in da Purges, but mesa see now youssa alive and young! Youssa not aged a day since mesa last seen youssa."

"I'm happy to see you as well Jar Jar," said Anakin pulling out of the embrace.

"How come youssa not age? Where have youssa been all desa years?"

"I've been frozen in carbonite for the last twenty-three years," said Anakin biting his tongue.

"Youssa frozen for twenty-three years?" said the Gungan in shock, "oh Ani, mesa so sorry."

"So am I," said Anakin sadly before grabbing Luke and pulling him forward, "but if it weren't for my son, I would still be there today."

"Youssa have a son too?" asked Jar Jar as he looked between the two, "mesa thought having children isa against Jedi Code?"

"It was," said Anakin, "but I never was really good at keeping rules," he said smirking at his son, "I also have a daughter, but she's not here right now."

"Mesa have son too," said Jar Jar as he pulled Jenuul in close, "hesa followed in mesa footsteps in becomin a Representative," he said with a delighted smile.

"You must be proud," said Anakin as he smiled at the two Gungan's.

"Mesa very proud!" said Jar Jar as he patted his son on the back.

"It was nice seeing you again, but I'm afraid we must be leaving," said Pooja as she interrupted the reunion, "the sun will be setting soon and Leia would like to meet with us."

"It was good to see you," said Anakin, "and it was nice meeting you, Jenuul."

"Mesa pleasure," said Jenuul, "good luck with desa Republic!" said Jenuul as the two waved goodbye to the group.

They loaded into the transport and made their way through the water until they reached the surface, where Chewie stood diligently waiting for them.

"Well that went great," said Han as he stepped onto shore and stretched his aching legs, "I think the next time we do that maybe we should request a bigger transport."

Anakin shook his head as he assisted his niece down onto the ground and closed the hatch before he jumped down onto the sand. The transport ship once again sunk down into the murky water before disappearing completely beneath the waves.

"Come on," said Pooja as she started walking back towards their speeder, "let's go see what Leia wants to talk to us about and then we can go grab dinner."

"Dinner sounds good," said Han as Chewie let out a roar in agreement as they followed behind the Senator into the foliage, their stomachs guiding them.

"So those were the Gungan's," said Luke as he came into step next to his father, "interest species."

"Very," said Anakin, "but good fighters. You should've seen them during the battle of Mon Cala."

"Battle of Mon Cala?" asked Luke with curiosity. He knew a few of the battles fought over the years, but so much history had been lost and there were too many skirmishes around the galaxy to keep track.

"That was back during the Clone Wars," said Anakin, "when the Quarren rebelled against the Mon Calamari with the support of the Trade Federation. Your mother and I were sent there to mediate between the two factions but the Quarren refused to open negotiations and led an army against the Mon Calamari, forcing us to call for back up. The Jedi sent reinforcements from the Grand Army of the Republic and the Gungan's and the war was won."

"Wow," said Luke after a few moments of silence, "my mother fought in battles?"

Anakin laughed and ruffled his son's hair, "your mother had a knack for showing up in the middle of a war-zone, but her battles were mostly fought in the Senate."

Luke chuckled, "how did she manage to find her way into war-zones?"

"I am still trying to figure that out," said Anakin with a perplexed look on his face, "you don't know how many times she gave me high blood pressure. I swear she was trying to kill me with all those stunts she pulled."

"That sounds a lot like Leia," said Luke shaking his head, "like mother like daughter, I suppose."

"Let's hope Leia doesn't finish what her mother started," said Anakin snorting, "or else we'll both be dead."

Luke smiled as his father continued to talk about his mother and all the crazy things she had done during the Clone Wars. Luke loved to hear the way his father talked about her and he could see the happiness in his father's eyes as he relived those good memories. He knew it was hard for his father to not have those people whom he was closest with not there with him anymore, but he also could sense that his father was happy despite all that had happened to him.

And Luke was thankful that Anakin had found happiness and contempt with everything.

And that made Luke happy.