Monster – Part 4

"Kwa-Ga! Kwa-Ga!" The sharp little voice sounded from the forest. It was moving towards the Jedi's camp. Laari came shooting through the forest, his tiny hands full of food. He yelled Qui-Gon's name until he ran right into the big man and dropped everything onto the sandy ground. "Oof! Kwa-Ga? I ga ya fud."

"I see that. It'll be a little crunchy now with sand all over it. Thank you."

"I ga ya saplies, buh I nah ha enna ma arms ta kerra."

"You carried a lot here, Laari. Where did you leave the supplies?"

"Otha side aa tha wuds. Hurra nah, befa ennaone sees."

The supplies were many, and Qui-Gon breathed a sigh of relief. He would be able to treat Obi-Wan's wounds properly. "Laari, did you raid the doctors hut?"

"Nah, Doc Healah's babe, Baris, he help ma. Baris say he poke ya en tha knee yestade."

"Yes, there was a lot of knee poking going on yesterday. Please tell Baris thank you."

"Ya keen hel Ahbee-Wa?"

"I certainly can help Obi-Wan."

Laari watched the Jedi take some of the supplies to where his apprentice still lay exhausted against the rocks. The fever had gone up during the night, but was manageable. Tapping a large hand against the boy's face, Qui-Gon woke him.

"Obi-Wan, wake up. I've got supplies and food."

Where there was no reaction, Laari, having followed Qui-Gon, tried to help. "Ahbee-Wa! Ya geet up nah!"

Obi-Wan withdrew at the small shriek voice. "Master, what is that? Make it stop." He finally opened his eyes and saw Laari staring at him with a mix of humor and concern. "Oh. Hi Laari."

"Makes a good alarm clock, doesn't he?" Qui-Gon smiled towards his leaner.

"Oh yeah. Great."

"Since you're awake, take your tunic off. Time to clean some wounds."

Reluctantly agreeing, the tunic came off and both got their first good look at what the wounds had become with limited treatment. The many spear wounds were scabbed over, but most were bruised. One of them however, was rather ugly. The area located on Obi-Wan's shoulder was purple and black and bleeding blood and puss.

Qui-Gon motioned towards the shoulder wound as he said, "And there would be our infection."

He didn't need to warn his learner to grit his teeth prepare for the discomfort that would follow. Laari had brought more supplies than he could have anticipated, and it allowed Qui-Gon to sterilize the small knife that carried with him in his belt pouch and use that as a tool to clean the wound. Obi-Wan closed his eyes and fell into the Force for the next fifteen minutes, easing the pain until Qui-Gon finished the cleaning.

"I'm hoping this salve will help in the healing. And we'll patch things up and move on to the next problem." The only other area of concern was the bandaged part on Obi-Wan's left side. Thirty minutes later, that too was taken care of.

"Thank you, Master."

Laari moved closer and poked Obi-Wan in the chest. "Ya steel alive, Ahbee-Wa. Kwa-Ga is aa gud doctah."

"That he is, Laari," Obi-Wan said as he smiled at the two before him. "Can we eat something now?"

Once they had nourishment in their stomachs and some of the paleness had retreated from Obi-Wan's face, Qui-Gon decided it was time to revisit the Chief again, and not leave until they had more information about the exact reason they were on this planet. As they stood, Laari wavered back and forth and laughed.

"Ya fee it? Tha isle movin agin. Rollin in tha waves."

"I told you, Master! I told you this island was moving. Thank the force I'm not losing my mind after all."

"Ya. Bee movin fa ages. Nah eva tha same."

"You mean it moves constantly? It actually floats from where it is one day to another?"

Laari nodded. "Fees funi, ha?"

"Feels very funny. But why does the island move? Usually islands are not mobile pieces of land."

"Monstah!"

In unison, both Jedi let their heads drop. Qui-Gon closed his eyes and looked over at Laari finally. "The monster makes the island move?"

"Ya. Sweesh tha tail an we flo up an don."

"All right. I think I'm starting to figure this out." The elder Jedi lowered his voice so that only his apprentice could hear. "This monster appears to be more legend than anything, and the legend has become real to them. None of them can offer a description of the creature, not even Laari who was supposedly eaten by it. Although he claims to know where it lives. It terrorizes the village, but there's no evidence that it even exists. And now it can move islands with a swish of its tail? Who knows what else it might be able to do." He turned back to Laari. "Laari, the monster that can move the island, it's the same one that eats babes and livestock?"

"Thas tha monstah!"

"What else is he responsible for?"

"When tha beastie is sad, wata faa fra tha skyee. Beastie is hungra, tumi rumba an cauz isle ta rumba. Beeg ween come when beastie yawn an sleepin."

"So, his tears cause rain. Hunger pains cause earthquakes. And his yawns cause high winds."

"Master, this is how they view the force of nature. They think it's caused by a monster."

"Of course it still doesn't explain why we are here."

"I don't think anything can explain that."

"It's time we leave this island and this planet. I'm just not certain on how we go about doing that."

"I can't go back on that boat, Master. Not in the condition I'm in right now." Obi-Wan's face actually paled to green at the mention of the boat. It took him a short time to get his stomach under control. "Please, Master."

"There may not be another alternative, Padawan."

Laari, who had been picking at his right flippered claw, suddenly jumped in. "Wha ya theenkin, Jedi?"

"How to get home."

"Aaah." Laari picked up a hint of sadness in Obi-Wan's response. "Ya eel fa ya hom planeet?"

"Not homesick so much as concerned how we will be able to leave your planet."

"Ya nah like Capn' Looaki's boat?"

"No."

"Laari nah like eitha. Ya ga unda tha sea. I keen git ya aa ride."

Curious, but wary, Obi-Wan pursued. "Under the sea? As in inside a vehicle?"

"Ya," Laari giggled. "Ya seely, Jedi. We ga subbo. Tha beastie don botha subbo. I theenk he skeered."

Qui-Gon assumed that by subbo, Laari meant a submerged transport of some sort. He wondered how Laari could get them onto one. "We would like to see the subbo, Laari. Can you show us?"

"Na yet. I ga sha ya tha monstah's hom."

"Ah, yes. I did forget about that. Can we go now?"

"Falla Laari!"

The blue blur took off in the direction that the Jedi had gone yesterday in search of the monster. Qui-Gon jogged to keep up. Obi-Wan was slower to get moving. The pain in his side and the low grade fever still playing with his ability to commit completely. "I'll catch up, Master."

The area where Laari finally stopped was not far from the trap that the Jedi had gotten stuck in the previous day. He pointed a flipper at the hills just beyond. A thin stream of smoke fizzled from somewhere just beyond. "Monstah tha." Then he looked around and only saw Qui-Gon nearby. "Wha Ahbee-Wa?"

"He's on his way. Slowly." A short time passed and the master saw no sign of his apprentice. A slight twinge of worry crept into this thoughts. He beeped the boy's com link. "Obi-Wan?"

The delayed reply came back. "Yes, Master?"

"Where are you?"

"Ah, um. Remember those little hunter spear guys from yesterday?"

"Not again."

"Yes. Again. They said that if I disturb the monster, he'll get mad and start eating babes and throwing fire. Laari didn't say anything about fire, Master."

"I'll find out. Can you get away from them?"

"They mean business, Master. I'm bleeding from at least another seven or eight spear holes. One of them got me in my left eye. It's…painful. And I hit my head again."

"Can you see out of that eye?"

"I can partially open it, and things are blurry. And I feel sick."

"Anything else?"

"That about covers it. Can I use the force on them, Master? Just to scare them a little or to lift them out of way. I know that's not a proper use of the force, but…"

Qui-Gon shook his head in disbelief at the continued problems his apprentice was suffering through, and all in less than forty-eight hours. "Just be sensible, Obi-Wan. Don't hurt them or yourself in the process."

"I'll try, Master." A click ended the conversation and the young Jedi took a deep breath, opening and closing his one good eye, then calling on the Force. It was difficult, as part of his concentration was trying to prevent the pain from getting in the way, but he found enough power to lift the band of hunters up and off the ground for almost thirty seconds. Their shock was enough to panic them and when they're feet touched the forest floor again, they reacted to that panic by attacking Obi-Wan with even more force. Then without warning, they were again lifted and tossed backwards. Again their panic drove them to attack. Obi-Wan had nothing left trying to fend them off as one spear point after another broke flesh.

The attack ended when the spears were ripped from their grasps and tossed several hundred yards away. Without their weapons, they were helpless. With high pitched wails, they retreated and disappeared.

Obi-Wan's head fell back in relief as he felt the familiar presence of his teacher approaching. "Thank you, Master."

"You sounded a bit worried on the com. Thought I might help. Determined little monsters, aren't they?"

"Please, Master, don't say the word monster anymore."

The silence of the forest all around them, Qui-Gon knelt down to his leaner and put both hands on his face. "That eye looks bad. With a little luck, it'll swell shut."

"With a little luck, we'll be off this island, planet, whatever, soon."

"Laari showed me the direction to go to find the mons…creature's lair. Then he ran off."

"Let's get this over with then."

With assistance, Obi-Wan was on the move. They approached the hills, heading towards the smoke stream. When they arrived at the source of the smoke, they found not a monster, but a very large geyser spewing hot mist several hundred feet into the air.

"So, the monster lives in the geyser?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Or the geyser is the monster. The mist rains on them. When it a geyser erupts, it may cause small tremors through the island and that's why you've been feeling the island rocking slightly."

"And it eats children?"

Qui-Gon pursed his lips. "That one I can't explain. Perhaps a child fell into it and it erupted at that moment and 'spit' him back out?"

The younger Jedi shrugged, he didn't know. Honestly he didn't really care. He just wanted off the planet. Never had he so desired to return to Coruscant. "What do we do now?"

"We shall be patient, Obi-Wan. And wait. We'll stay here tonight and see if any creature presents itself."

"As long as I can sleep." Obi-Wan carefully lowered his aching body to the lush grass not far from the geyser. The constant mist seemed to create a warming affect which he welcomed. Qui-Gon checked over his wounds. The only one of any major concern was the left eye, which as expected had swelled shut. The purple and black bruising around it was forming quickly.

"I stuffed some of the medical supplies into my belt pouches, should something happen. Sit still and let me see if I can clean around your eye."

Obi-Wan flinched at the touch, the area extremely sensitive. "Relax, Padawan. Let this be a lesson in patience and pain control using the force."

"Yes, Master."

Working quickly, Qui-Gon knew the force could only help to an extent, and in the condition his student was in now, that extent wasn't about to last very long. Still, he was impressed with Obi-Wan's effort. "All right," he said soon after. "Not that you can, but don't open that eye. That is my best medical advice."

"Healer Terran would be proud, Master."

"Not really. Lie back and rest. If a monster should appear this afternoon or evening, I'm sure you'll know."

The grass provided a soft mattress on which to sleep for which Obi-Wan was pleasantly surprised. He was also asleep within minutes - with the assistance of his master's touch to the force of course.

Now with the boy resting, Qui-Gon could focus on his surroundings. Not much of anything really. Grass. Hills. Mountains in the distance. The forest. The one geyser. A few birds danced through the cloudless sky. Animal calls echoed through the valleys. But there was nothing that might be mistaken for a giant child eating monster.

Afternoon melded into evening, and evening became night. The dark sky rapidly filled with bright stars. New animals announced themselves with song and most were answered with similar tunes that resonated an octave higher. Qui-Gon found it relaxing. The living force flowed easily during times like this. He knew also that he could probably enjoy this planet had it not been such a confusing mess since they'd arrived. He doubted Obi-Wan felt the same.

Nighttime wore on and the geyser erupted high into the black sky. As it rained down, small pockets of flashing light appeared in the falling mist and disappeared with a light popping sounds. It reminded the Jedi of celebrations on Coruscant when fireworks rained around the city to the amazement of both Jedi and non-Jedi children. It often woke Obi-Wan when he was younger, so Qui-Gon wasn't surprised when it woke him again. Even at seventeen years of age, he hadn't grown out of his love of fireworks.

"Master, what's that sound?"

"The geyser is active tonight and creating a rather colorful light show."

Obi-Wan opened his one good eye and propped himself onto an elbow to watch. Even he had to admit that despite the troubles on this mission, the nature this planet offered was beautiful. The people though were just a little too insane for his taste.

The show continued through the next hour when the Jedi heard rustling in the nearby bushes. Qui-Gon shook his head when he felt the tiny familiar presence. Laari. The blue babe tried unsuccessfully to disguise his voice, taking it a tone deeper than it was.

"Wha ya doin hea, Jedi? Ya killin tha beastie?"

"Laari, come out of the bushes." And he did, walking towards them with a big goofy smile on his face.

"Ya kna es Laari? Ha ya kna, Kwa-Ga?"

"I'm a good guesser."

Laari then got a look at the younger Jedi. "Ahbee-Wa! Tha monstah git ya?"

"Only if the monster consists of ten tiny little blue creatures like yourself. With spears."

"Naa, tha monstah na ga na speas. The monstah don nee na speas."

Qui-Gon patted the area between he and Obi-Wan, inviting Laari to sit. Laari welcomed spending time with his two new friends and he sat eagerly. With a flippered hand, he touched Obi-Wan's swollen face.

"Tha beastie na hurt tha Jedi."

"No, it didn't," Qui-Gon said and then decided to reveal the truth to Laari – if he wanted to believe it. "Laari, you see this thing in front of us. It's a giant hole in the earth and it sprays water and heat into the air."

"Ya. Tha wata pit skeers Laari. Gits angra when tha babes git nea."

"It's not angry and it doesn't know when anyone comes near. It just, it has a routine. A pattern. It expels the hot water so that it doesn't hmm…explode."

"That wata pit ganna boom?"

"No, it won't boom as long as it's allowed to spit out the hot water. That water hole is called a geyser."

"Ga-sa?"

"Close enough. And that geyser is your monster."

"Tha beastie? Na. Tha beastie is beeg as tha skyee. Tha ga-sa na eatin na babes. Tha na tha monstah."

"Nothing is eating the babes. You said yourself that no babes were actually eaten. And that the monster doesn't eat animals that are still alive. Although I'm still confused about the part where it eats dead animals, but I suspect those spear guys that hang around in the woods might be responsible for that. This is the monster, Laari. When it rumbles, the island moves. And every so often, it rumbles so hard that it causes a really big tremor and the island does actually get pushed from one location to another. So, there's no need to be afraid of the monster anymore. There is no monster. Just a big hole in the ground that spits water."

Laari wasn't really convinced as he stared at the geyser, and stared at it, and stared at it. He stared too long that it actually rumbled. He felt the island move under his body. And then he began to believe what that Jedi was saying.

"Na monstah?"

"No monster."

"Na ganna eat tha babes?"

"No. I really don't know how that story started anyway."

"Hmm. Wa we du nah?"

"About what?"

"Na beastie."

"Right. Now you can continue with your lives without worrying about a monster eating the village."

"Ga nathin wit na beastie. We nee tha monstah."

"What?" It was Qui-Gon's turn to be confused.

Obi-Wan thought he was beginning to figure this mystery out. "Master, I think the monster gives them something to talk about. Something to share stories over. It sort of brings them together. Without a real monster, they have nothing like that anymore. Things may get… well, things may get boring without the monster legend to worry over."

"Ya, wha Ahbee-Wa say. Na monstah, na fun."

"Interesting." Qui-Gon pondered with a hand to his beard then realized that without 'killing' the monster, they weren't permitted to leave the island. "Laari, I take it that you don't want the real truth about the monster to be told."

"Nah. Tha monstah ga stay breathin'. Ya Jedi na tae tha Chief, ya?"

"Well, if we don't kill the monster, the Chief says we can't leave the island."

"Ya believin' tha? Memba, tha Chief is ole. Ya don leesen ta heem. Laari git ya off tha isle. When ya wan ga?"

"We'd like to go as soon as possible, at first light."

"Na prob, Jedi. I ga git subbo reada ta ga."

"You, you're a pilot?"

"Nah, na yet. I nah beeg e'nuff yet. Capn Waakee tae ya off tha isle."

Obi-Wan couldn't help it and burst out laughing, causing pain throughout his body and face. "Captain Whacky will take us?"

"Ya. Na worree. He na relation ta Capn Lunaki."

"Normally, Laari, I'd be relieved about that, but I will remain guarded."

"Ahbee-Wan, ya skeer?"

"Not scared. Nervous."

"Subbo is fas. Ya git ta tha main isle an on ya way hom befa ya kna it."

"I hope you are right, Laari."

"I ga nah. See ya t'marra, Jedi aa ya beach."

"We will certainly be there, Laari. Thank you." Qui-Gon tapped the little being on the shoulder and sent him on his way. The master then turned to his apprentice. "Can you manage the long walk back?"

"If it means getting off this crazy piece of land, I'll walk until my legs fall off, Master."

"I certainly hope it doesn't come to that, but stay close. The dark combined with your one eye handicap could well be hazardous."

"It was hazardous when I was perfectly healthy."

Qui-Gon offered the boy a smile and led them through the plains, forests and valleys. They arrived at their beach camp hours later and waited for the sun to begin its ascent. First light came as did their readiness to leave. All they needed now was Laari to come for them.

"Master, I will admit, I'll miss Laari. He's been interesting. If he has any say in these people's future, that'll be a good thing."

"A very outspoken little guy, isn't he?"

"Very. And sneaky. Feisty. Brave. And he seems to know what's best for this crazy place, even at his young age, however young that may be."

"We could come back to visit."

"Oh no. Never in a million years, Master. I'm done with this place."

Kneeling in front of his apprentice, Qui-Gon put his hands on Obi-Wan's face to examine the bad eye. "It's ugly. And I don't think you'll be getting any relief to the swelling any time soon. Best prepare for life with one eye for a brief time. At least until we get home."

"It's okay. Once we get back to the main island and get a transport to the next planet, we can find something for pain there."

"We can. I'd forgotten that we can't get a transport from the main island home. But there is a regular rotation of flights to the closest neighboring planet. They are more human friendly there. We'll find something to help you manage for the trip home."

The older Jedi finished his exam just as Laari came waddling down the beach. He raised a single flipper in the air and yelled to the Jedi.

"Ya falla, Laari, Jedi. Subbo na ganna be tha fa long."

They hurriedly strode behind Laari for a ten minute jog around a rocky bend where they found another sandy area. A small glass enclosed oval awaited them.

"Master, that thing is no bigger than our tent. We'll never get anywhere in that."

"You mean the tent that these people burnt down because we were late for a meeting?"

"Well, yes. I see your point. We will make this work. I just want off this place."

An older blue being popped his head out of the subbo's hatch. Captain Waakee. He was not a patient man. "Git in, Jedi or I leeve ya. Ya ganna haft ta hunch ova. Tha subbo na made fa ya tall Jedi."

Laari agreed. "Ya, ya tall, Jedi."

"Yes, I am aware of my height. So, we'd better go," Qui-Gon said as he motioned Obi-Wan forward. "Laari, thank you for your help and concern. And for getting us away." He leaned to whisper. "I hope your monster can give you many more years of fun and scary stories."

"Ya. Tha beastie neva ganna dyee! Ya gud, Jedi. Tae care of Ahbee-Wa. Na let heem stay eel."

"I will take care of him, I promise."

"Ah, Kwa-Ga?"

"Yes?"

"Ya gan unda tha wata. Ya watch ou fa tha wata monstah. Tha wata monstah falla subbo aa tha time."

"Water monster. Okay. We should go now. Obi-Wan, get on board."

"Master, did he just say there's a water monster that chases the sub?"

"Yes. Pretend you didn't hear that."

Captain Waakee gave a final warning. "I leevin ya Jedi."

"Obi-Wan, get in."

"But, Master!"

"Unless you want to stay in this loony place for force knows how long, get in."

They crunched themselves into the subbo hatch, practically sitting on top of each other to avoid sitting on the pilot thinking that crushing the pilot might be counterproductive to getting them home.

As they began their descent into and under the dark sea, the waves quickly began crashing against the hull and were soon replaced by pulses of water that pushed against the sub as it submerged.

The final glimpse they grabbed of the fanatical little island was of a tiny blue babe named Laari waving goodbye - as the dark sea coiled around the sub to begin the Jedi on their journey home.

And oh my would they have stories to tell.

The End