Chapter Eleven
"Do you hear that?" Anakin muttered he had his lightsaber in hand an instant before chaos erupted at the sound of rapid blaster fire coming from outside the factory.
Captain Typho grabbed his firearm and raced outside along with Garvin's guard.
"Stay here. We'll check it out!" Typho yelled halfway across the factory.
Anakin moved protectively in front of the others, Dejrek huddled closer to Padme; she gripped his forearm in comfort.
"What's happening?" Garvin asked shakily, a bead of sweat formed on his upper lip, his eyes danced nervously.
"We're being attacked," Anakin replied flatly, his lightsaber ignited, and his body tensed for action. The events leading to the fulfillment of his vision were in motion. There would be blood, and inevitably death.
The blaster fire ceased.
Anakin was instantly alert. His hands shifted tighter on the hilt his humming lightsaber, his shoulders bunched—ready. Yet, he remained in his defensive stance.
Bomb! The Force screamed in his head.
"We gotta get out of here!" he shouted, even as his nostrils filled with the acrid smell of smoke.
They ran. Coughing and teary-eyed, they battled through heavy swirling black smog.
Once outside they inhaled huge sharp breaths.
"Everyone okay?" Anakin asked.
"Y-yes, is the factory going to explode?" Garvin wheezed his round eyes cloudy and wet from the smoke.
"No, it's just a smoke bomb. I think Tarvin knows that destroying the factory is pointless." He answered.
He lowered his lightsaber but did not deactivate it. He strode over to Padme's side. She knelt over the limp bodies of her other two bodyguards. She gently pressed her fingers against their necks, checking for pulses.
"They're dead." She said simply, but her expression held remorse, she closed the eyelids of one them then stood.
"Captain Typho is nowhere in sight." Padme stated, in fact all around them was only windblown sand.
The air was clearing but it was eerily quiet.
"Let's wait for—get down!" Anakin hissed his lightsaber a twisting blur as he fended off the sudden attack.
Five armored soldiers came out firing from the shadowed corners of the factory. Padme and the others dropped to the ground, as Anakin deflected the bolts.
A bolt zinged off his lightsaber, ricocheted back and hit one of the assassins.
Ignoring their fallen comrade the other four were relentless.
Tired of being on the defensive Anakin raised one hand, a surge of power slid up from his arm into his fingertips, the force knocked the four attackers backward. They skittered across the sand.
Sprawled motionless on the ground, Anakin was convinced that they were unconscious. He turned his back to face Padme, and the others as they stood up dusting themselves off.
In creeping silence one of the attackers lifted his arm, a blaster pistol in hand. He aimed for Padme.
The Force warned him an instant before he heard Padme's shout, "Behind you!"
On the roof of the factory a sniper lined up his shot. He fired when Padme shouted.
By pure chance Dejrek glanced up, he shoved his fiancé; they collapsed onto the ground a split second before the bolt hit its intended target. By then Anakin had deflected the other attack, the bolt bounced harmlessly off his lightsaber and hit the assassin.
Anakin was already in action; he targeted the sniper and threw his lightsaber with the Force. The saber spun so quickly the sniper did not have time to duck before his arm was severed off. The sniper fell to the ground screaming in agony. Anakin's lightsaber returned to his hand deactivated.
He turned to Padme and Dejrek, Garvin was crouched with his arms over his head, his body quivering in fear.
Disoriented from the force of Dejrek's shove, Padme pushed herself up from the ground, sand burns stung her hands and cheek from when she fell. Instantly, strong arms wrapped around her waist helping her to her feet, she turned in Dejrek's arms—his body very warm against her back. He released her and she walked over to check on Garvin, she rested her hand on his shoulder but he flinched at the contact.
"Is everyone alright?" Padme asked. Garvin looked up at her the quaking fear dissolved from his eyes; he gave her a relieved smile. Standing at some distance away Anakin watched her carefully, his gaze roved her body, she could tell he was looking for signs of injury.
"Padme?" Dejrek called weakly. She turned around and gasped.
His eyes blazed feverishly and his face was coated with sweat.
"Padme…" He said again, he took one step forward and crumpled to the ground.
Instantly, she was at his side, she knelt down and as gently as she could she lifted him across her lap. With her arm under his back, one hand clutched his head, and her other pressed his hand on the throbbing wound. She cradled him, rocking slightly for his benefit and her own. She glanced down at his injury, his robes were burned clear through, the skin around his belly was charred, and thick ripe blood oozed onto their fingers as they put pressure on the wound. Padme tried to ignore the pungent scent of burnt flesh, and locked eyes with Dejrek.
"You're going to be okay…okay Reinard." She soothed, rifling her hand through his hair, lightly massaging his scalp.
"I'm go—going to die." His voice was weak, his breath faint.
She'd never known how fragile a man could feel in her arms.
"Shh…no, Reinard, you're not going to die. We're going to take you to the medic center. You need a bacta bath." She gave him a watery smile; he struggled to return it but moaned instead. Instinctively, she pressed him tighter to her.
She felt at presence at her side, he emanated waves of strength—she needed it.
"His injury is serious; we've got to get him to a medic center fast." Anakin whispered.
"He was shot…saving me." That was supposed to be you're job Padme's thoughts raged. She didn't need to say the words aloud because Anakin saw the accusation in her eyes.
She was being unfair, she knew, Anakin couldn't save everyone, but Dejrek didn't deserve to die, not like this, on some strange planet in the desert.
"We have a medical center two miles from here but we don't have any bacta...my planet is not that medically advanced." Garvin stated.
"You can't be serious." Anakin said. For his reply Garvin only nodded solemnly.
"I can put him in a healing trance until we can get some decent help." Anakin offered.
"Alright, do it," Padme answered, "See Reinard you will be okay." She traced the outline of his moist brow, his skin was burning up.
"Was I brave?" He asked her, he looked past her with unseeing eyes.
"Yes, you were very brave, my dear." She sniffed, something pricked at her eyes—tears she realized.
Suddenly, Dejrek convulsed violently. Shudders racked his body once. Twice. A third time before his eyes rolled back and closed.
"Reinard!" Padme screamed frantically, she shook his body desperately trying to wake him up. "Don't die…please don't die." She pleaded with the limp figure, the tears running freely now.
"Padme, he's gone into shock. He's not dead, he is unconscious." Anakin assured, reaching out to smooth her hair.
She stopped shaking him, afraid she'd do more damage to her precious friend. She dashed the tears away with the back of her hand.
"Put him in the trance." She demanded.
"Okay, lay him on the ground and step back." Anakin said.
Padme eased Dejrek's body to the ground; she hated how the sand roughened the side of his cheek. She moved away so Anakin could kneel beside him, Anakin stretched out his hands only allowing them to hover over Dejrek. He shut his eyes, and his breathing slowed in concentration.
Anakin's focus, however, was abruptly interrupted by the roaring of a speeder closing in. He got to his feet and spied the speeder from under the cover of his palm.
"That's Typho, I think, and someone else." Anakin said.
The speeder came to a halt, and Captain Typho hopped out, and so did Tarvin'Vek's right hand man Jarv'Dek.
Anakin rushed Jarv'Dek, grabbing him by his tunic; he lifted him off the ground, Jarv's feet dangled haplessly.
"Good work, Typho, you caught us a snake." Anakin said.
Typho cleared his throat awkwardly, "Master Skywalker, Jarv'Dek has some information for us."
"All I need to know is that he works for Tarvin, and that he's behind this attack."
Jarv struggled to free himself from Anakin's grip, but he wouldn't be budged, "Look, Jedi, Tarvin'Vek is escaping right now with a ship full of gas bulbs and those paintings from the Clone Wars. Now, are you gonna let him get away while you waste time interrogating me!" Jarv croaked.
Unceremoniously, Anakin dropped Jarv on the ground.
"Explain." Anakin demanded.
Dusting himself off with indignant dignity, he replied, "Tarvin made a deal with some Hutts. He's headed to Nal Hutta. I can lead you to him."
"Why should we trust you?"
Captain Typho had an answer to this question, "Tarvin'Vek was going to kill him. I found him battling his own men."
"I have nothing to lose. I was going to be a dead man. I'd rather live the rest of my life in a prison than die by Tarvin's traitorous hand. I won't help him hasten the demise of this planet. We should work together." Jarv said.
"Fine, get in the speeder. Captain Typho, Senator Dejrek is wounded he needs medical attention."
"I sent the governor's bodyguard to get help just in case anyone was wounded. He should be back soon with an emergency transport." Typho stated.
"Good." Anakin replied. He started for the speeder Jarv'Dek already had running but Padme stopped him.
"I'm going with you." She said.
"No, you're not."
"Yes, I am. You might need some back up."
"Senator Dejrek needs you more. I'll take Typho with me." Anakin said. At the mention of Dejrek she wavered a bit but didn't back down.
"I'm going with you." She repeated firmly.
Anakin sighed at her stubbornness and relented, "Okay, but let me handle Tarvin. You got it."
Padme nodded and picked up a blaster pistol from one of the fallen assassins. They both jumped into the speeder.
"I'll watch over the senator for you, milady." Typho stated before they sped off. Padme gave him a grateful smile.
The speeder was soon only a speck in the distant horizon. Only a weary captain, a frightened governor, and a dying man were left behind.
