Chapter 25

It was the second day that Meri was at the rebel camp before she saw Folly. She had quickly been given the role of a chore boy and was finding that the job was testing her patience.

//Wouldn't Master Yoda love this,// she thought in annoyance as she hobbled across the slick ground with a bucket of pellet feed.

After her meeting with the leader she had been taken to one of the rebel's who tightly wrapped her ankle. It hadn't stopped hurting, in fact it was quite painful, but she knew if she wanted to find out anything, pain and any other physical need had to be pushed aside for the moment. Yet in two days she hadn't found out anything. She didn't even know *one* of the rebel's names. They all called her "Boy" if anything. Most totally ignored her after a cursory glance and it had severely hindered her mission.

In just two days, she hadn't found out much, but noticed some interesting details. For one thing, the rebel leader surrounded himself with an elite group of men; about ten of them. It was obvious that the rest of the men highly respected those ten and the leader. Feared or respected, she wasn't sure. It made it very difficult for her to find out what they were planning and she hadn't even had a chance to do so.

She sighed as she opened the gate to a pen of scruffy looking animals. //No, instead of finding out what innocent they're planning on murdering next, I'm taking care of their...things,// she thought with a wrinkle of her nose as she eyed one of the shaggy haired animals who was staring right back.

With a cautious glance at the horned being, Meri limped heavily over to the black container in the center of the pen. She had quickly learned after only one encounter with the animals that you didn't take your eyes off them. Especially the larger one, which unlike the others sported a dull set of horns.

Pulling her injured leg up under her, Meri gingerly bent over to pour out the food. The next thing she knew, she found herself flying forwards through the air, her rear end smarting in pain. She landed face down in the snow, her head buried in the large evergreen trees, which hedged the north side of the pen.

Slowly Meri raised her head, pulled herself to her knees, and glanced behind her, her brown eyes snapping in annoyance. The animal stared at her over the feed container, it's head still slightly lowered from the charge.

The thing had a death wish, she was sure of it. //If I only had my lightsabre,// she thought grimly. It was a sith in a shaggy coat with horns to boot.

"Quite playing around will you! I've been trying to talk to you for days!"

Meri startled at the unexpected, loud whisper emanating from the feathery green fronds not two inches away.

"Folly?" she whispered back in disbelief as she leaned in towards the greenery.

Suddenly two hands reached out, grabbed her shoulders and pulled her roughly into the thick trees. She gasped in pain as her ankle was bent at an awkward angle when Folly set her down in front of where he sat crouching amidst the trees.

"Oh?! Oh, I knew it! You're hurt and he's going to kill me!"

"How did you get here?" she whispered demandingly, fearing that they would both be found out. It was true the animal pen was on the farthest outskirts of the camp, to avoid smelling them, but there were still a lot of watch guards roaming around.

"You shouldn't be here, he's going to kill us!" Folly fretted.

"Would you stop saying that! Who's going to kill who?" Meri asked glancing around their small hideaway in caution.

"Your Master! He contacted me, just after you were taken."

Meri knew Folly was worried because he was punctuating his words with extreme hand motions. "What did he say? You didn't tell him, did you?" Meri breathed.

Folly gulped. "No. It's something worse. He said he should be done with the negotiations by the end of the week, which right about now is only two days away."

Meri felt dread wash over her and a desperate sense of urgency. Her thoughts took off like a ship in hyperspace and it was only a strong tug on her arm, which brought her back to present.

"You've got to come with me!" Folly exclaimed.

"No I can not!" Meri emphasized every word. "I *must* find out what they're planning. I have to!"

"You haven't found out *anything*?" he asked incredulously.

"No, but I'm going to!"

"You're hurt!" Folly hissed for the first time seeming to become agitated. "Your limping was only supposed to be a ruse to hide who you are. You can't run now, Meri. You have no weapons. What are you thinking?" His voice was dead serious.

"I'm thinking I'm going to save my Master," she whispered back loudly with a determined jut to her chin.

"You're going to get yourself killed instead," he shot back hotly.

"Better me then him," she said softly. "I would give my life in his stead rather then lose my Master."

"You Jedi are crazy! Can't you see he cares the same for you! It would hurt him if something happened to you."

Meri stared at Folly for long seconds before pulling herself laboriously to her knees. "It is my duty and my honor to protect him. I will not lose another master the way I lost my first."

The words rang a bell in Folly's head, but at the moment he was too caught up in the argument to see what she was implying. "I have a bad feeling about it, Meri. Don't do this," he entreated.

"I must," she said firmly. Reaching up, she grabbed a tree limb and pulled herself into a crouching position as she prepared to leave.

As she began to hobble through the covering of tree limbs, Folly reached out a hand. "Wait," he called.

Meri turned carefully to look at him, her face asking the question.

"I'll be here. If you find out something, this is where I will be. I won't leave until I either know you are safe or you need me to contact Master Jedi."

She understood his offer and nodded solemnly before turning and disappearing through the hedge of greenery.

Folly sat staring after her, the bad feeling he had increasing. He never should have agreed to let her do this.

***

One day passed, then another. The tension within the camp mounted with each passing day Meri was there. She began to notice subtle behavior changes in the men. With blasters strapped to their hips, the men moved restlessly about the camp. Meri had at first thought it was the fact that the leader and the ten elite had left a few days prior and had even put forth a few hesitant questions to the less imposing figures. The questions were usually answered with a rough shove that left her in the snow and a snapped "Mind your own business, boy."

However, today the rebel leader and his ten had returned, and if anything, the tension throughout the camp was at an all time high. Meri was frantic to discover what everyone but she seemed to know.

From her spot nestled up against one of the dwellings, where she was trying to keep warm, she watched warily as rebels, the ten elite, the leader and a few of the others all filed into what Meri had come to realize was their meeting place.

Glancing around at the strangely silent camp, the young apprentice grasped the side of the building and pulled herself up. She had to find out what they were saying.

Biting her lip in determination, she limped heavily towards the building where the rebel had disappeared, her eyes constantly watchful for anyone who would notice her. A few men were sitting or standing here or there, but none where paying attention to her. At least not that she saw.

Attempting to look inconspicuous, she moved slowly around the building, planning to head for the door. It was the only place she *might* be able to hear something.

When she was on the far side of the building and out of sight of most of the camp, she paused to catch her breath and rest her painful ankle.

Suddenly there was a grating noise over her head and Meri ducked down quickly. Looking up from her crouched position she saw that the rebel had opened a window to let out the heat. The Force had led her here. She was sure of it when she heard the sound of voices float out the window.

Settling down against the side of the building, she used the Force to pick up on what they were saying as well as keeping her senses alert to any approaching. She knew this building wasn't being left unguarded, but was willing to risk everything to find out what they were planning.

For the briefest of seconds, she let her eyes slide shut as she thought of the one that she was trying to protect. Almost immediately, her brown eyes snapped back open, her gaze constantly watchful.

"…mission accomplished…." she heard a gruff voice finish.

"The device is planted, now we wait." The rebel leader, his cultured voice unmistakable.

Meri twisted her tunic in her fingers nervously. //Come on, say something so I know,// she pleaded silently.

"When?" A voice of many Meri did not recognize.

"Tomorrow morning, shortly before they both are to sign." There was a fine thread of disgust in the leaders voice.

"You're killing another Jedi? Don't you think that's dangerous?"

Meri jerked to a stiff, straightened position as she heard the words.

"Maybe they will stay out of my way, once they lose another in their ranks." Contempt was heavy in the rebel leader's voice. "I have assurances that this time *all* of the main officials will be there. Once the blast occurs all of them will be dead and it will throw the people into confusion. Then I can step in."

Meri shuddered at the cold words, but now she had enough to piece together what was going to happen. A bomb had been planted set to go off in the morning during the signing.

As the conversation inside turned to how the rebels would take over once the other two factions were out of the way, Meri began to crawl on her hands and knees away from the open window.

Once at the end of the building she pulled herself to her feet and forced herself to walk away as causally as possible. She couldn't go to Folly now. Someone could be watching. She would have to wait for the cover of dark and the time when most the rebels should be asleep.

Unknown to her, a hard set of eyes watched her coldly, following her as she limped across the snow covered ground.