Disclaimer: I am not Rick Riordan or George Lucas.

Enter Ben and Danni, at the Jedi Praxeum, chased by the Krath. They are careful to lead the Krath on without being caught by the unstable Dark Jedi. All the while, Ben and Danni hear sounds which indicate that the Krath have devoured some other being living within the forest.

Keto's Voice. Infidels. Come celebrate with us.

Ben. [aside] They sound close. My instincts tell me to keep running. Forget the situation room. Maybe Danni and I can make it to the edge of the blast zone. And then . . . what, leave Jacen to die? Let the Krath blow up so I can suffer the curse of Qel-Droma? And how do I know that explosion will even kill the Krath? It likely won't . . . which will inevitably mean other Jedi might come across them and be killed. No, that's not an option. I have to protect the Jedi. I can still save the Falcon. [to the Krath] Over here. Party at my house.

Ben grabs Danni's wrist and sprints toward the Jedi Temple Situation Room, pursued by the Krath, who are gaining fast.

Danni. Almost there.

Danni points ahead, where the Jedi Temple Situation Room can be seen in sight.

Ben. Come on. Come on.

As they move toward the situation room, Ben makes the mistake of looking back as Aleema comes into view.

Aleema. Come, Jedi. Join me in the revels.

Through the dark side, Aleema lures Ben into a trance, and he takes a step forward. He is spared due to Danni's own gift for Force persuasion.

Danni. Stop, Ben. It's the madness of Qel-Droma affecting you. You don't want to die.

Ben. Yeah. They're getting stronger. We've got to hurry.

As the doors to the Jedi Temple Situation Room open, the other Krath join Aleema, and they begin to charge toward Ben and Danni.

Danni. [waves her hand] Turn around. We're fifty meters behind you.

Influenced by Danni's Force suggestion, the Krath turn back, then stumble to a halt, looking confused. However, it is this distraction which allows Ben and Danni to make it into the Jedi Temple Situation Room.

Close the door?

Ben. No. We want them inside.

Danni. We do? What's the plan?

Ben. Plan. [aside] Thirty minutes tops . . . Then the Krath will come barging in. And the Falcon's engine will blow in . . . [checks his chrono] Fierfek. Twelve minutes?

Danni. What can I do? Come on, Ben.

Reaching in the Force, Ben calms his mind, neutralizing his panic.

Ben. [aside] This is my territory. I can't let the Krath win.

Ben retrieves a droid caller from a nearby table and hands it to Danni.

I need two minutes. Climb the catwalks. Distract the Krath like you did outside, okay? When I shout the order, wherever you are, push that button. But not before I say.

Danni. What does it do?

Ben. Nothing yet. I have to set the trap.

Danni. Two minutes. You got it.

Danni climbs onto the catwalk while Ben snatches tools from the situation room and begins piecing together his invention. As he works, he hears the Krath enter the Jedi Temple Situation Room.

Keto. Where are you? My false Master Qel-Droma. Party with us.

While Ben works, Danni calls down from the catwalk.

Danni. How about the Mantooine Minuet? Turn to the left.

The Krath shriek in confusion.

Grab a partner. Swing her around.

The Krath shriek again, though a few swing each other into heavy durasteel objects, causing loud noises.

Keto. Stop it. Do not grab a partner. Grab that Jedi.

Danni continues to shout out commands, but she begins lose her hold over the Krath's minds.

Danni. Oh, Ben? Has it been two minutes?

Ben. One second.

Ben completes his invention, then pulls a lever. One he is finished, he runs into the middle of the situation room, right in front of the Falcon.

O! Here I am. [grins] Come on. Party with me.

Ben glances back at the Falcon's engine, seeing that there is less than ten minutes before it explodes, a decision he immediately regrets. The Krath advance toward Ben, surrounding him. The Jedi holds their attention with a few songs and dances, luring them in.

Sing along.

The Krath snarl, looking angry and annoyed; their Sith amulets begin to glow. At last, the final Krath, Keto, arrives. Upon seeing that Ben is unarmed and alone, she cackles.

Keto. You are wise to accept your fate. The real Qel-Droma would be pleased.

Ben. Yeah, about that. I think there's a reason he changed his comm code. You guys aren't followers. You're barvy rabid stalkers. You haven't found him because he doesn't want you to.

Keto. Lies. We are the spirits of the wine Je'daii. He is proud of us.

Ben. Sure. I've got some barvy relatives, too. I don't blame Master Q.

Keto. Kill him.

Ben. Wait. You can kill me. But you want this to be a real party, don't you?

The Krath hesitate.

Rain. Party?

Aleema. Party?

Ben. Oh, yeah. [glances up at Danni] Danni. It's time to crank things up.

Upon his word, Danni signals the caller. After a second, the Jedi Temple Situation Room fills with smoke and confetti, as music from the Max Rebo Band resonates through the room. Danni and the Krath alike stare in shock at the simulated party which Ben created at the push of a button. Mesmerized by the scene, a few Krath even begin to dance. Keto alone remains unaffected.

Keto. What trick is this? You do not party for Qel-Droma.

Ben. Oh, no? You haven't seen my final trick.

A ascension cable materializes, and Ben grabs hold of it, swinging away from the Krath's reach.

Keto. Get him. Krath, attack.

Unfortunately, for her, Keto has trouble gaining the other Krath's attention, partly due Danni's regaining her hold over the Dark Jedi's minds. Keto alone leaps after Ben, but she is unable to reach him.

Ben. [aside] Now.

Right on time, the Krath are covered with meltmassif. As Ben and Danni watch, the strange mineral begins to morph into a cage, which imprisons the Krath. Though the mad Dark Jedi struggle to escape, it is to no avail.

[grins] Danni. Hit the button again.

The minute she does so, the music ceases, and Ben drops atop the meltmassif cage, which has hardened like durasteel.

Keto. Let us out. What Sith sorcery is this?

Keto slams against her prison, but she cannot break through the meltmassif. The other Krath hiss and scream, even making attempts to utilize their Sith amulets. None of their actions bear any fruit.

Ben leaps off of the meltmassif cage and lands on the ground.

Ben. This is my party now, ladies. That cage is made from meltmassif, a little recipe my parent cooked up. Maybe you've heard the story. She caught her consort Yun-Q'aah cheating on him with Yun-Yammka, so Yun-Ne'Shel threw an aurodium net over them and put them on display. They stayed trapped until my parent decided to let them out. That netting right there - that's made from the same stuff. If two Je'daii couldn't escape it, you don't stand a chance.

Danni slides down from the catwalk and walks beside Ben.

Danni. Ben. You are astral.

Ben. I know that. [glances back at the Falcon's engine] For about two more minutes. Then I stop being astral.

Danni. Oh, no. We need to get out of here.

Enter Fiver.

Ben. Fiver.

Fiver. [beeps and whistles]

Enter Jacen.

Jacen. [grins] Waiting for us?

Ben embraces Fiver.

Ben. I'm so sorry, Fiver. I promise I'll never take you for granted again. Only a lubrication bath with the right extra-moisturizing formula, my friend. Anytime you want it.

Fiver. [whistles happily]

Danni. Er, Ben? The explosion?

Ben. Right.

Ben opens Fiver's storage compartment and retrieves the alluvial damper, then rushes to the Falcon's engine. Working quicly, he carefully fits the alluvial damper into place. As the engine begins to hum and the fuel cells begin to overheat, the ship's hull shudders, and the Jedi Temple Situation Room begins to tremble.

Jacen. Ben?

Ben. Hold on.

Keto. Let us out. If you destroy us, Qel-Droma will make you suffer.

Danni. [aside] He'll probably send us a thank-you card. But it won't matter. We'll all be dead.

Finally, as the alluvial damper begins to come into play, the heat subsides, and the hull's shaking soothes to a more comfortable purr. Ben places his hand on the hull, comforted by what he feels. Fiver wheels toward Ben and snuggles against his leg.

Fiver. [hums]

Ben. That's right, Fiver. That is the sound of an engine not exploding.

Ben collapses.

Exit all.