Unlike the Gungan’s submerged capital below Naboo, Jan-gwa rests partially underwater; the majority of the city rests above the water’s surface. A waterfall runs along the cliffs behind Jan-gwa, creating a veil of mist around the base of the city’s rounded platforms. Nocturnally illuminated, domed structures encompass the center of each platform and are home to Jan-gwa’s Gungan inhabitants. Some of the these structures extend below the water’s surface, creating an anchor that keeps Jan-gwa from floating with the currents and provides shelter to hundreds of Gungans.

Etched into the cliff walls are several faces of unknown origin. Resembling a humanoid with unembellished features, these carvings are not reminiscent of the city’s Gungan inhabitants—perhaps an indication that some other civilization might have resided near the floating city.

“They are coming,” a concerned voice announced with the unmistakable tininess of a droid’s audio emitter.

“She’s almost awake,” a husky female voice replied in an accent Zuj couldn’t quite place.

Where was she? Everything was dark and the half-Ryn’s entire body felt tingly and numb like a limb that has fallen asleep. She struggled to open her eyes. The eyelids slowly responded to her commands and opened. Suddenly the world went from dark to turquoise as her eyes regained focus.

A middle-aged human female came into focus; she had shoulder length gray hair, icy sapphire eyes and an olive complexion. Zujenia had never seen this woman before in her life. The strange human held up a single index finger and moved it from side to side, testing the half-Ryn’s reflexes.

“Zujenia correct? That’s your name?”

Zuj could only manage a groggy affirmative nod in reply.

“Zujenia I need you to listen to me, you have been chemically sedated for over twenty-four hours. I just gave you an antidote to counteract it but the effects may linger for up to an hour.”

This was a lot to process after just waking up. The Qel-Droman’s mind felt foggy; she couldn’t remember where she was or how she got here.

“Who did this to me?” Zuj croaked.

“Black Sun,” the human replied coldly as she continued to examine Zuj. “You were ambushed on the Matron and sold to a particularly nasty Quarren named Dack Fah.”

“They took my staff too!” The droid from earlier quipped. As the colorful droid came into view, Zuj recognized him immediately.

“Grinder?”

“Heya sweetie, did you have sweet dreams?” The magnaguard replied with a simulated lisp.

The older female glared in the droid’s direction, “We don’t have time for pleasantries. Can you sit up child?”

“Yes.” It took some extra effort, but Zuj was able to sit up and surveil her surroundings. She was in a medical bay of some kind. The room had durasteel walls that curved in such a way that the entire room looked like the inside of a giant ball. Window slits near the apex of the curve emitted a turquoise glow like an aquarium. Were they under water? Her personal belongings and equipment were strung along the floor beside her. The half-Ryn shivered as she noticed a slave collar on a metal table beside her.

The human noticed Zuj’s unease as she looked at the restraining device. “Yes, that was meant for you. A little longer and they would have fitted it.”

“Who-who are you?”

“Luna of clan Okami, I have my own score to settle with these honorless Black Sun cowards, but you can thank our mutual friend Sorenn for sending me.”

“Morgan?” Zuj inquired, still shaking off the haze.

“I haven’t had dealings with the captain of the Matron, no, Turel sent me. An extraction team is en route, but I happened to be closer. This insufferable droid was captured with you and managed to sneak off to call for help.”

Grinder crossed his arms with a huff, “rude. Grandma fur fetish over here is right; we can catch up on our little foray into the galactic slave trade after we get out of here.

It was only after the droid’s sassy comment that Zuj noticed Luna’s unorthodox attire. She wore Mandalorian armor painted sky blue with gold accents and adorned with some kind of animal pelts.

The doors to the medical bay flew open with a whoosh and two Weequay guards rushed in. “Hey, you aren’t supposed to be down here--what are you doing with the boss’s new slave?”

Luna slowly turned around as Grinder stood off the to side. “I was checking her vitals--”

The unarmed Magnaguard shoulder charged into the nearest guard sending him toppling into his companion. Both dropped their blaster rifles in the process. Luna produced a blaster pistol from her belt and calmly shot one of the Weequay in the chest as Grinder knocked the other out with a bone cracking crunch from his metal fist.

The Okami holstered her pistol and packed up the antidote kit she had been using to wake Zuj up. “Gather your things; it looks like we’re going to have to fight our way out of here.” “How many are there exactly?” The half-Ryn inquired as she picked up her Bo-rifle.

“Enough to rain on our parade if we aren’t careful sugah,” Grinder replied. “Hey, I need a weapon still.”

Luna sighed and pulled a dagger from the back of her belt. “This is coated in a sedative; I want it back.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

They wasted no time to get moving. As soon as Zujenia had slipped her vibrodagger back into its sheath at her belt, Luna was already peering around the entryway, the black blaster in hand poised and ready. A nod and a finger to the Mandalorian’s lips signaled the coast was clear — a fact they all knew wouldn’t hold true for much longer — and they set off in a brisk pace. It took nearly all of the half-Ryn’s concentration to will her stiff limbs to keep up, her sandy colored tail doing what it could to aid her balance.

The odd group passed through several arched and upward slanted hallways, each still lit with that turquoise glow that was gradually fading as they ascended. Grinder’s metal feet clanked across the grated flooring, masking whatever sound came from the women’s own movement. The Magnaguard was about to turn around to ask something when a holler was heard from just ahead. Seconds later, three individuals rounded the corner. One was definitely another Weequay, but what connected them together was that they carried blaster rifles and were very angry.

“Stop! Drop your weapons!” One man shouted, their laser sights trained on the escaping trio. The fur at Luna’s shoulder ruffled as the Okami raised the dart shooter attached at her wrist and launched the thin metal projectile into a heavily scarred Gungan. He dropped his aim with a grunt of pain. His compatriots settling into their rifles more while a jolt of warning rang through Zujenia’s nerves.

The Gray Jedi launched herself forwards, between her two compatriots, stumbling as her left foot caught behind her right ankle. With her stance haphazardly planted, she called forth the Force, projecting before them a barrier of living energy just as crimson bolts flew towards them. Several blasts dispersed across the shield, the impacts keeping time to the growing pulse of a headache assailing the half-Ryn. A durasteel hand patted her back before the colorful form of Grinder sprinted at the Weequay with surprising agility for a droid his size.

“Let me just take one of our hands, sugah” he stated before he went. Towering down upon his target, his torso wheeled sideways before twisting in to punch the blaster rifle away, reversing and stabbing with the opposite metal arm. Luna followed in his wake, slipping out from behind the barrier and resting two blaster bolts of her own into the third slaver scum.

Zujenia exhaled as she broke her attention on the Force shield, its energy disappearing while she jogged after the elder woman. The Mandalorian kneeled beside the unlucky Gungan who received her dart earlier, his body numb and unmoving yet his protruding eyes tracked Luna’s movements with malice.

“He won’t be an issue anymore. I suggest we keep moving.” Luna stated after taking his pulse at gunpoint.

“You said there was a extraction team coming, are we meeting them?” The half-Ryn asked, ashen brows set in concern as she listened for more resistance incoming. Grinder joining them after wiping the blood off the dagger using the pant leg of one of the bodies.

“It is unlikely they’ll be here in time. So, focus exiting this building and getting out of Jan-gwa City.”

“Jan-gwa City?” Zuj inquired while they rounded another corner.

“On Naboo, yes.” The Human answered simply.

“Home planet of the loppy-eared, bug-eyed and doppy-faced Gungans,” added Grinder’s mechanical voice with a satirical flair that echoed throughout the hall.

Shh! Zujenia and Luna simultaneously shushed him. The Magnaguard shrugged semi-apologetically. Shadows extended at the end of the pathway as more occupants of this sub-water building approached. Grinder reached out a pink, yellow, and red striped hand out to hit a control pad beside a doorway, toggling it open.

“Oh, look! I found us some cover, you're welcome.” The droid announced, gesturing towards the door with a creak as he bowed. His companions quickly slipping inside, himself entering with only two large steps — door sliding shut behind them.

Gasps filled the air as the trio noticed that they had just ducked into a large kitchen. Two orange-skinned male Gungans in cooking attire and a gruff looking Besalisk stared slack-jawed at the intruders.

The Besalisk wore an orate red and black chef’s outfit with two pans and two spatulas in his four hands. He set the pans down on the stove and began to brandish the spatulas in a threatening manner.

“Get outta mah kitchen ya bums or I’ll feed you to the boss’s Kath hounds!” The irate chef was deadly serious and obviously not intimidated by the presence of a Mandalorian, combat droid and an armed Ryn.

“Hey, aren’t you that guy from that holonet show Inferno Kitchen: Coruscant?” Grinder inquired with legitimate curiosity.

“So what if I am, I’ll still turn ya into kibble if you don’t scram!”

“It’s Gordo Rams---something or other!” The droid squee’d with an almost child-like delight.

By this point, Luna had her pistol trained at Gordo’s head, and to her surprise, he didn’t flinch.

Zuj attempted to move toward the opposite side of the kitchen only to have the chef block her path and pull out a pair of empty frying pans from a rack above.

“Oh no, you’re not makin’ a ruckus in my dining room. Go back the way ya came!”

We don’t have time for this, the half-Ryn thought as she ignited her bo-staff and charged Gordo. The Besalisk swung the pans with practiced ease, parrying the glowing ends of his opponent’s staff while trying to grab the middle of the weapon with his free hands. Zujenia was skilled in unarmed combat, but an angry, pan-wielding, four armed chef was an entirely new experience.

Luna shifted in the limited space trying to get a clear shot when Grinder called out, “we’ve got company!” The Mandalorian noticed that the door they had just come through unlocked and started to swing open. Ignoring the clanging of cast iron on electrified durasteel, Luna spun around and took cover behind a wine rack, aiming at the doorway. Grinder crouched beside the door with the dagger Luna gave him at the ready.

The Gungan kitchen staff fled into the dining area as their boss flew into a rage, swinging, grabbing and charging through the room like a hungry rancor.

“Hold still you furry little demon!”

The back door opened and Luna dropped the Quarren thug who peeked his head in. The remaining guards ducked for cover. She counted four of them.

“Out of the frying pan into the fire,” Grinder quipped.