The Lost Ones, part 6

Kessel.

Anakin didn't know what had happened. One moment he was quietly conversing with a Twi'lek slave, and the next everything was mass confusion. He'd heard a shout, then suddenly the slaves were throwing down their drills and running every which direction. A group of guards ran past, shouting instructions, but Anakin couldn't tell if they were talking to the slaves or each other. For a moment he thought of Roon and wondered if it was a cave-in, but then he saw the green blade of Luke's lightsaber swing through the air in a soaring arc and knew it was trouble of another kind entirely.

He drew his own lightsaber and charged down the tunnel. Getting to Luke's side and protecting him was the only clear thought in his head, though as he approached he could see his son was doing all right on his own. Four guards were firing at him, but Luke easily parried each shot. Several slaves behind them were joining in by throwing rocks at the guards, but most of them cowered against the walls, looking on in bewildered disbelief. One elderly woman lay on the ground, moaning softly and feebly attempting to crawl out of the way. Anakin used the Force to gently set her over by the wall, then he threw his blade and neatly dissected the rifles.

Throwing down the remaining parts, the guards turned and took off down the shaft. One of the slaves-a Wookie-threw a fist-sized chunk of rock after them and hit one of the guards in the back. A few slaves gave a ragged cheer.

Anakin looked at Luke and raised his eyebrows. "Did I miss the task force showing up?"

Luke looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry. The guard was beating her, and I just had to do something."

"Well, it's done now," Anakin glanced around at the slaves. "We need to decide on a course of action. Those guards will be coming back with reinforcements, I'm sure."

The Wookie slave grabbed Luke's arm and barked urgently. Luke had been around Chewbacca long enough to usually understand the gist of Wookie speech though he couldn't make a word for word translation like 3PO could. It was harder to understand a strange Wookie. He didn't know if they spoke a different dialect or if his ears had just grown accustomed to Chewie's individual speech patterns, but he did get enough to have a sudden glimmer of hope.

"Some of the slaves have been preparing for a rebellion themselves. He says they have a hidden cache of weapons in the slave quarters, and they've dug out some hidden rooms for the more vulnerable slaves to hide in."

"Where?" Anakin demanded.

They turned to their unexpected comrade, but the Wookie was already in action. He howled something Luke didn't catch, but the slaves apparently understood. They lined up, the stronger ones near the front brandishing their drills, and the others behind them. Anakin and Luke were touched to see that the slaves made certain to gather up the youngest ones, who were still only children, and to support the injured and sickly. Two young women and a boy carried the older woman Luke had saved.

They started off down the corridor. The Wookie spoke in low, tense tones, explaining that his name was Rallyroro-Rally for short- and that the weapons and secret rooms were located at the slave quarters. Anakin, Luke, Rally, and a few others were prepared for a fight, but to their surprise they reached their destination without any trouble. The slave quarters consisted of a large underground cavern crowded with hard, narrow cots and with several tunnels opening off of the main room.

"The guards could show up any time. Everyone, stay alert," Anakin warned.

Rally pushed on a section of wall and it slid open to reveal a long, low passage. He pulled out a box containing some old rifles and a transmitter as most of the slaves scurried in.

"How have you managed to do this?" Luke asked him as the Wookie slid the wall panel back into place. Rally explained that some of the slaves had access to the trash bins and had been collecting broken and discarded weapon parts for years. They had discreetly studied the guards' rifles and at night they worked to assemble their own. They had also managed to get a few old transmitters back in working order. The Wookie used the transmitter to notify other slaves that the uprising had begun. He remarked that many of the slaves in the mines would probably not have access to a communicator, but the ones who worked in the stores and factories above ground might hear and be able to spread the word.

"Can I see it?" Luke asked, holding out his hand for the transmitter. "I need to call the nearest New Republic ships and tell them to come help immediately."

Rally handed it over and he, Anakin, and the slaves willing to fight distributed the weapons and took their posts at the doorways. Luke quickly tuned to a New Republic frequency and began sending a rescue signal. He was immensely relieved to hear a familiar voice answer in just a few moments. "This is Commander Antilles of Rogue Squadron. How can we help?"

"Wedge! Thank the Force," Luke exclaimed. "Father and I are involved in a slave uprising on Kessel. We need some assistance. Where are you?"

"Rogue Squadron is part of the task force assigned to Kessel. We're almost there. We can be there in an hour, if we hurry."

"Hurry! We're gonna need you," Luke quickly gave Wedge the details of their location and cut off the transmitter. Just in time. A new squadron of Kessel's soldiers attacked. Luke ignited his lightsaber and ran to join the nearest group of slaves.

The slaves were able to put up a surprisingly good defense. Every one of their cobbled-together rifles worked, and they fought bravely and enthusiastically. Some were not as skilled as others, but then the soldiers were not particularly gifted either, and many had grown lazy and unaccustomed to having to prove themselves.

Luke wasn't sure how long they fought, but all of a sudden, there was a lull. Some of the guards were dead, and the others were retreating. "This is just a temporary break, though," Anakin said. "They'll regroup and come back."

"We just have to hold them off a little longer," Luke relayed Wedge's message.

"I wish there was some way to distract them without endangering any of the slaves. I hate for any one to die or get hurt when help is so close," the older Jedi remarked. Rally grunted and howled. Luke turned to his father. "He says that tunnel leads to an air factory above ground. He'll use the transmitter to warn the slaves working there to go back to their quarters, if they haven't already joined in the fight. Rally and the rest of the slaves could hide in the secret room, and we could lead the guards up there. We ought to be able to find some distractions in a large factory."

Anakin agreed. "Sounds good to me. Rally, thanks for all your help. Now you and the others go hide."

Rally barked indignantly.

"He doesn't want to stay hidden. He suggests that he and the others could sneak up behind the guards and attack from the rear," Luke translated. He patted Rally's arm. "It's very brave of you, but it wouldn't work, I'm afraid. We only have two breath masks," he indicated the masks he and Anakin still wore. "You couldn't survive long above ground without these."

The Wookie looked unhappy, but he barked a quick farewell and then he and the rest of the slaves took cover in their hidden passage. The two Jedi went to the tunnel leading to the air-factory and waited for their enemies to reappear.

They didn't have to wait long. When the first guard fired into the room, Luke swung his lightsaber and deflected the shot. Realizing there was no resistance at the other doorways, the guards rushed into the room after them. Anakin and Luke led the soldiers through the tunnel, their green and blue blades flashing as they defended themselves. Sure enough, before long they came to the end of the tunnel and they found themselves in an enormous room filled with large machinery. Rally had done his work well. There was no sign of any other sentient being in the place.

Luke was grateful for that. He didn't want any innocent person to get caught in the crossfire. He knew that this might not be the best plan. It had all happened so quickly that they were having to make instant decisions without having time to think through all the consequences. But if the factory were abandoned, it might be the best place to stall for time. At least they had led some of the guards away from some of the slaves. And one hopeful sign was that in the past, it seemed that the spur-of-the- moment actions had been successful just as often as the meticulously detailed ones. That was a good omen, Luke hoped. He knew that this entire venture was on his shoulders and he could only pray it would end well. He didn't have time to think beyond that, however, because then the guards were upon them.

Father and son ducked behind machinery and ran through the factory using their lightsabers to block the rifle shots. Then abruptly the shots stopped. Luke and Anakin had taken cover behind a large oxygen canister. They peered out cautiously from the sides to see the guards standing together in a huddle. As a group, they turned and left the factory.

"What's going on?" Luke whispered.

Anakin could only shake his head and lean against the canister. Of pure oxygen. A warning bell went off in his mind. When he had been Darth Vader, his meditation chamber had been filled with pure oxygen-the only air he could breathe without that terrible mask aiding him. But he had always had to take precautions before entering, and the troops had always been nervous about transporting it, because pure oxygen was so flammable. The word repeated in his mind. Flammable.

"They're going to blow it up," he whispered in horror. He grabbed his son's arm and raced toward the nearest exit. As they reached the door and found themselves about to step above ground onto Kessel's salty plains, that inexplicable sense that sometimes warned him of danger told him they were out of time. Desperately, he called on the Force and used it to propel Luke a safe distance from the building which suddenly exploded in a fireball of searing flames.