Tarpals held the blaster in his left hand and kept it aimed at the stunned pirate as he turned to study the ship’s navigational controls. The Gungan officer was not familiar with the design of the controls, and wondered if he could convince Swagg to turn the ship back to Naboo.
“Mesa no can make guaran-tees,” Tarpals said, “boot da Gungan Rep Council might no pound yousa if yousa agreein to hep return da statues.”
“You’ve got to be joking,” Swagg sneered.
“Have it yousa way, den,” Tarpals said as his right hand grabbed a control stick and gave it an experimental twist. The starship lurched hard to port and Swagg slid across the deck, slamming his head against a ventilation screen.
Tarpals threw a second stick and the starship and began to decelerate. “How ’bout dat?” Tarpals said as he steered the ship back to the planet. “Dis is izzy, tis.”
As the starship zoomed back toward Naboo, the blue-skinned pirate declared, “You’ll never bring Captain Swagg to a court of law!” Suddenly, he made a desperate dash for the bridge’s escape pod hatch. Before Tarpals could stop Swagg, the escape pod blasted away from the starship.
Tarpals consulted the ship’s sensors and saw that Swagg had managed to launch the pod away from Naboo. The pirate was heading into space, and Tarpals hoped it was the last he would ever see of the criminal.
The starship soared down over the Naboo forest, and Tarpals landed near the Gungan sacred place. As he exited the bridge, he found a key hanging on a steel peg next to the hexagonal hatch. He took the key and entered the chamber that contained the manacled Rep Been.
“Wesa back on Naboo?” Rep Been asked.
“Yup,” Tarpals answered as he inspected the heavy lock that anchored the chains that bound Rep Been.
Tarpals inserted the key into the lock, turned it, and heard a satisfying click. Instantly, the chains fell away from Rep Been.
“What happen-ed to da pirate captain?” Rep Been asked as he massaged his wrists.
“Hisen escape-ed ina pod to space,” Tarpals answered.
“Too bad,” Rep Been frowned. “Hisen showdabe pune-ished. Boot da moto important ting is dat wesa got da statues back... tanks to yousa!”
Tarpals was grateful for Rep Been’s praise, and he bowed his head.
“Boot our work is no over yet,” Rep Been added. “Now wesa gotta put all da statues back where dey belong. Mesa hopen yousa back is strong enough for da job.”
Tarpals considered the combined weight of all the statues. “Mabee wesa can get some hep?”
At this point, readers who chose to follow the adventure in the Star Wars Adventures Game Book can return to Pirates From Beyond the Sea.
Captain Tarpals was surprised by the greeting he received when he stepped out of the pirate’s starship with Rep Been. Not only were Boss Nass, Lob Dizz, and Major Fassa present, but also thirty platoons from the Gungan Grand Army. The gathered soldiers cheered as Tarpals and Rep Been descended the landing ramp.
“Yousa done berry well, Captain Tarpals,” Boss Nass said as he clapped Tarpals on the back. “Good ting yousa got hair in time. Yousa make uss-ens all berry proud, bringin back da stolen statues.”
“My afraid dat Captain Swagg escaped into space,” Tarpals admitted.
“Better dat hisen off Naboo dan on it!” Boss Nass professed.
“Ex-squeeze, me. Boss,” Lob Dizz interrupted, “boot is okeyday if mesa look over da pirate ship? Mabee mesa find some useful technology.”
Boss Nass nodded and Lob Dizz happily jumped up to the ramp and entered the pirate vessel. After she’d left, Captain Tarpals turned back to Boss Nass and gestured at the assembled platoons. “Dey got da message in Lake Umberbool?” Tarpals asked.
“Dat’s correct,” Boss Nass said. “Un dey came as speedest as dey could.”
Rep Been surveyed the troops and suggested, “Unloaden da statues from da pirate ship will keep da troops plenty busy.”
Boss Nass agreed, and soon the Gungans were all following Rep Been’s instructions to move the statues back into their proper positions at the sacred place. Tarpals was about to join in when Major Fassa stepped up to him and said, “Mesa getten concern-ed about Master Binks. He never arrive-ed at da sacred place.”
Jar Jar! Tarpals had completely forgotten about him, and he suddenly felt bad, thinking of how he’d left Jar Jar in the forest.
“Isa sumptin wrong, Captain?” Fassa asked.
“No,” Tarpals said as he backed away from Fassa. “Mesa just... remimber mesa gotta go do sumptin.”
Fassa watched Tarpals as he ran away from the Temple and into the woods. She didn’t know what Tarpals had to do, but it was obvious that he was in a big hurry.
Captain Tarpals raced through the forest, feeling more dread with each and every step. He’d never intended to leave Jar Jar for so long, since he’d had no idea that he’d wind up on the pirate ship. He’d only wanted Jar Jar out of the way, but instead he’d left him defenseless for a long period in the forest.
With his heart pounding, Tarpals found Jar Jar Binks exactly where he’d left him, hanging upside down from a vine over the clearing. Jar Jar’s eyes were closed, and his arms hung limply down from his inverted body.
“Jar Jar!” Tarpals called. Jar Jar didn’t answer. Tarpals quickly located the end of the vine trap and cut the vine, then carefully lowered Jar Jar to the ground.
“Jar Jar!” Tarpals repeated as he crouched down next to the motionless figure. “Yousa okeyday?”
Jar Jar’s eyelids opened slowly, and then his lips trembled. “T-Tarpals?” he said in a hoarse whisper. “Is... is dat Captain Tarpals?”
“Yes, Jar Jar!” Tarpals answered. “Dat’s right! My sorrybad for leaven yousa.”
“Did... did yousa stop da pirates?” Jar Jar asked.
“Yup,” Tarpals answered. “Got da statues back too.”
“My... my afraid... my no see so good,” Jar Jar mumbled. “Hangen upside down for such a longo time... my tink mesa musta passed out.”
“No worry, friend,” Tarpals assured. “Yousa ganna be just fine.”
“My no know,” Jar Jar mumbled, sounding like he was about to lose consciousness. “Unnnnh... my tink mesa no ganna make it.”
“No talken like dat, Jar Jar,” Tarpals said.
Jar Jar grabbed Tarpals’s arm and moaned. “Oh, da pain. Mesa tinken mesa ganna die. Listen... my got a last riquest. Promise... promise mesa yousa make me last wish come true.”
Tarpals felt terrible. He had no idea that hanging upside down could cause so much suffering to a Gungan. “Mesa promise, Jar Jar. Yousa got me word. What’s yousa wish?”
“If... if mesa live through da night...” Jar Jar gasped. “...My want... da last ting my wanten to see is...” Before he could finish his sentence, his eyes closed.
Tarpals gripped Jar Jar by the shoulders and shook him hard, trying to revive him. “No go to sleep, Jar Jar!” Tarpals commanded. “Yousa might gotta concuh-shun. Keep talken! What’s it yousa wanten to see?”
Jar Jar’s eyes reopened, and he said, “Tomorrow... at da Festival of Warriors...”
“Yes?” Tarpals asked, urging Jar Jar to continue. “Mesa rilly, rilly wanten to see... da bongo rally.”
Tarpals thought that watching a bongo race was an odd request for a dying Gungan. Then he remembered he wasn’t dealing with any ordinary Gungan. Casting a skeptical gaze at Jar Jar, Tarpals asked, “Anyting else?”
“Well...” Jar Jar replied. “Firstest row seats wowdabe nice.”
“Firstest row, huh?” Tarpals commented. “Mabee wit free munches too?”
Jar Jar licked his lips. “Free munches wowdabe berry berry nice.”
“Nice try, Binks,” Tarpals said as he got up, leaving the very-much-alive Jar Jar lying on the ground.
Jar Jar sat up and watched Captain Tarpals walk out of the clearing. “Just remimber!” Jar Jar called out. “Yousa promised!”
NEXT ADVENTURE:
Race
&nb
sp; THE BONGO RALLY
11.6.18.15.14.5-1
Star Wars - Episode I Adventures 011 - Pirates from Beyond the Sea Page 4