The Color of Truth: The Place in Between

Chapter Nineteen

Quinlan headed out before us, lightsaber in hand, bravely prepared to take on anyone he'd encounter. Obi-Wan stayed back, most likely to protect me. I appreciated his concern, but once we'd reached the control station, I'd be safe and he could go about his business. Leia was behind me, providing an extra wall of protection.

Quinlan seemed to have a good sense of direction or else he knew his way around a prison barge – the latter of which wouldn't surprise me at all. It appeared he knew exactly where he was going and led us straight to the control room.

However, once we'd entered, we found only one guard on duty who seemed rather…how to put it…puzzled. And not due to our unexpected presence, apparently.

"He's under the influence of the dark side," Obi-Wan announced, before physically and carefully removing the young man from his station and placing him in another seat nearby. The guard cooperated but appeared as if he had no will of his own. He never uttered a single word.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Obi-Wan murmured under his breath while checking the young man's vitals.

I took a seat where the guard had been and brought up the specs of the facility.

Dread filled me as I informed everyone of my findings. "There are supposed to be thirty-two criminals held here and every cell is empty. Security systems have been completely shut down and every door has been left wide open."

"That's not possible," I heard Quinlan say behind me just before his hand shot by my head and he began to punch up a variety of different screens.

"Didn't believe me?" I accused him. "Be my guest and look for yourself!"

"Dank ferrik," he cursed in my ear before rushing out of the room.

Obi-Wan yelled at him to wait, but the other Jedi never even hesitated and soon I could no longer hear his footfalls upon the metal flooring.

"What does that mean?" I heard Leia ask.

I waited for Obi-Wan to answer because my mind refused to consider the possibilities. It was too disappointing and tragic to think about.

"It means the Republic shouldn't have trusted these inexperienced and young men to watch over someone so evil and cunning. That's what it means," Obi-Wan announced with aggravation while leaning onto the table to study the screens himself.

"Where do you think they went?" I asked, although I realized with their recovered freedom and access to a Republic ship, they could've gone anywhere.

Obi-Wan had closed his eyes, and I recognized his concentration had moved to the Force. He was most likely trying to figure out where everyone had gone, although Quinlan's abrupt return interrupted his efforts. The man was out of breath and must've run the entire length of the facility and back.

"Not a single soul is left on this bucket!" he declared. "And that includes the guards. I regret to inform you they're all being held in a cell at the end of the hall. Except for this lump," he added, thumbing to the stupefied young man in the chair nearby.

"Are they okay?" I immediately asked with growing concern.

"Not unless dead is okay," Vos replied sarcastically.

I honestly wasn't in the mood for his ill and untimely humor and I was struck with horror when I imagined their fate, though I shouldn't have been at all surprised. Dooku was nothing but a bully and a butcher who would destroy the entire galaxy to set himself up as Supreme Ruler. What he was going to end up with was being a ruler of nothing but a pile of rubble and ash. It made no sense to me.

"This is bad," Leia muttered from across the room. "Bad…bad…bad…"

"Give me a moment," Obi-Wan requested, once again closing his eyes and relaxing his body.

The second I saw Quinlan open his mouth, I shushed him. We were going to give Obi-Wan a chance to connect with the Force. He deserved the chance to try.

"Padmé," he said softly once he'd returned to us. "Scan Devaron as well as the jungle sector just outside of Tikaroo."

I did as he requested and studied the images before me. "There's a cluster of lifeforms three klicks south of the city. Looks to be about twenty beings."

Once again, Quinlan was leaning over my shoulder. He was really starting to get on my nerves! I wish he'd stop doing that!

Instead of checking my findings, however, he laid his hand upon the keyboard, his eyes drifting closed. I was surprised to see his muscles begin jerking and his face contorted with tension. It lasted but a moment and when he withdrew his touch he shook his body as if to rid himself of something unwanted.

"It was Dooku all right," he replied in a troubled tone. "He convinced the warden to release him along with the rest of the prisoners. You were right, Obi-Wan. They're just outside of Tikaroo. However, there's a building nearby that appears to be a military fortress of some kind. We may have a bigger fight on our hands than we expected."

As soon as the words left his mouth, I turned to look at Obi-Wan.

/I know,/ I told him before he had a chance to say anything. /I'll stay on board the ship./

"Although some of the prisoners have left the system altogether, a few of them remained to help Dooku," Voss continued.

"To do what?" I asked naively.

"To take over the galaxy, Mom," Leia informed me. "It's the Count's ultimate goal and I'm sure he's promised them power and wealth. But first, he has to eliminate anyone who's blocking his way. I got rid of Sidious for him, which granted him an easy promotion. He has everything to gain and nothing to lose. We need to be careful."

"Let's wait until nightfall on Tikaroo and then land on the opposite side of town" Voss suggested. "We'll make our way to the fort and get a better look at what we're facing."

"Sounds like a plan," Obi-Wan agreed.

Nightfall on Tikaroo was about two hours away, and during that time, we scoured the facility, looking for explosives. The men were concerned about the upcoming battle, although I had complete confidence in Leia. As long as she maintained control, she could most likely handle Dooku's followers herself.

However, Dooku was something else entirely. I'd seen some of what he was capable of and I imagined it would take the three of them working together to defeat him. The bastard had escaped death before. Surely, he wouldn't this time.