Chapter 11: Ready, Aim, Fire Part 2: The Beginnings of a Fire
Rahm waited quietly as he heard the groaning of slaves and soldiers pulling the catapult. Once it was clear, he made a dash for the market district. He hoped and prayed to God that he'd get there before Dooku.
()()()()()
A'Sharad checked around the area. His side looked clear, but he had to make sure, especially with An'ya watching.
"Are my leaves on straight?" Han said with a smile in the tree he was hiding in.
"Yeah, but you need more twigs." Mara replied as the two of them and Leia giggled.
"Stop giggling!" A'Sharad whispered angrily. "Trees don't giggle!" Seriously. Kids had to be told everything. "Any sign of the guards?"
"All clear." Han responded.
"All clear, Obi-Wan." A'Sharad responded.
Obi-Wan nodded and walked over to the Christians who'd arrived for the story.
"Many of you ask, 'How long must we keep telling the stories of Jesus in secret?'" Obi-Wan started. "Well, one thing is certain. They can't keep us quiet forever. Any more than they could keep a blind beggar quiet when Jesus passed by.
"It was on the road to Jerusalem. Jesus and his disciples had to cross through the city of Jericho, and it was there that they met a blind man called Bartemaus.
"Upon hearing that Jesus had arrived, Bartemaus called out, 'Son of David! Jesus, help me!'
"Even though the people tried to shuttle the poor blind man away, Jesus stopped them and asked them to call Bartemaus over to him.
"When he arrived, Jesus asked, 'What is it you want from me?'
"Bartemaus replied, 'I want my sight back.'
"'Go home.' Jesus responded. 'Because you have trusted me, you have been made better.'
"And just like that, Bartemaus could see again."
Just then, a knock was heard. A'Sharad approached it cautiously and opened it a bit to reveal a friend from Palpatine's palace, Rahm Kota.
"Rahm!" Obi-Wan called out. "What's wrong?"
"Galen sent me, but I think I may be too late." Rahm said panting. "There's gonna be a fire."
"What?!" Siri called out.
"He's right!" Han called out from the tree. "We're surrounded!"
Everyone began to talk excitedly when Obi-Wan calmed them down.
"Friends, please." Obi-Wan said as calm as the sea. "If we panic, it'll only make things worse."
"I don't think they can get much worse." A'Sharad pointed out.
()()()()()
At the hilltop where the catapult was, a flaming boulder was released right at the heart of the district.
"Bull's eye!" Dooku called out. "That'll teach Christians to defy the Emperor's law. RELOAD!"
()()()()()
Meanwhile, at the district, everyone was carrying water to clear a passageway to allow for an escape.
"Keep it coming!" Obi-Wan called out.
Leia tried to help, but the bucket was too heavy for her.
"Leia, you're spilling it everywhere!" A'Sharad said angrily. Leave it to me!"
Leia felt like she was about to cry as A'Sharad took the bucket from her. Why was A'Sharad being so mean today?
"Hey Leia, I could use your help." An'ya said kindly as she gave Leia a smaller bucket she could handle as she held two of her own.
()()()()()
Galen looked around cautiously when Dooku touched his shoulder.
"What are you doing here?" Dooku said angrily.
"Hail Dooku." Galen said quickly. "How's the fire?"
"So, you've come to share in my victory, have you?!" Dooku asked angrily, just as Galen wanted. "Well Nero put me in charge of this operation! And I don't need any help from you! Stay out of my way, and you won't get hurt."
As Dooku left, Galen saw Cody barely pluck an apple from a tree, giving Galen a fun little idea.
As they prepared to set another boulder ablaze, Galen walked up and whistled at a horse, who came up and ate an apple Galen held before quickly walking off, causing the catapult to be pulled forward enough, so that they missed their next target.
Instead, it hit an old bath house, putting the boulder out at once.
()()()()()
The gang breathed a sigh of relief after a good hour's work.
"We did it." Mara sighed.
"For now." Rahm said. "But Galen can't stall Dooku forever."
"Rahm is right." Obi-Wan said calmly. "We'll have to evacuate."
"How?" Rahm asked. "We're completely surrounded."
"We all knew this day would come, and we're prepared for it." Obi-Wan continued as calm as before. "You kids know what to do."
Using the aqueduct system and camouflage, the kids were able to help everyone out of the market district of Coruscant.
()()()()()
Back at the catapult, Galen subtly damaged the rope as it began to fray.
"Perfect." Galen said with a smirk.
"PREPARE TO FIRE!" Dooku called out.
The boulder just fell idly down the hill as the entire catapult fell over. Galen could only smile at the look of horror and rage on Dooku's face.
Hooray for teamwork and sabotage!