The men in white quickly advanced toward the defenseless group, when
suddenly a loud noise startled them. One of the men stopped, gasping
deeply. He looked down in shock to see his clean white robe quickly
becoming stained by crimson blood from his stomach. In the brief silence,
his sword clattered to the ground, followed soon after by the heavy thump
of his body hitting the stone floor. The members of the Movement standing
next to him turned their wide eyes up from his body, and found themselves
staring down the barrel of a revolver.
Obi-Wan and Luke looked as surprised as anyone to see Indy holding the strange weapon, but Han had seen him use it back on Earth, and shot his friend a small grin of appreciation. After a few seconds, Uratis yelled for his startled group to attack. But it was just enough time to allow Obi-Wan to shove Bail past the body of the fallen attacker and down a corridor. "Go!" he ordered, though the senator didn't need much persuasion. The Jedi grabbed the fallen man's sword as he ran past, shooting a look over his shoulder as he ran behind the Organa.
Uratis grew red with anger. "Don't just stand there!" he yelled to his troops, starting after Obi-Wan and Bail. After a few steps, however, he stopped and ran back to where Leia was standing behind several swordsmen. "You're coming with me as well," he said in a low, demanding voice as he grabbed her by the arm. She tried to drag her to slow them down, but could do little to impede the strong man as he took off down the hallway.
"Leia!" Han shouted, and impulsively took off after them, though he had no working weapon. That wasn't about to stop him from trying.
Meanwhile, Indy had shot another advancing adversary. Luke took the opportunity to pick up the free sword off the floor. It felt different than his lightsabre- heavier and less graceful. But he wasn't about to get picky now. He felt a ripple in the Force, and quickly spun to his right just in time to block the blade of an attacker. The sound of metal on metal reverberated through the domed hall. Luke pushed with all his might, which was amplified by the Force, and sent another man skidding to the floor.
After Indy had shot two more swordsmen in the legs, causing them to hobble desperately down the outside stairs to safety, it became apparent to the others that attacking him would be futile. Two of them ran out the entrance, while the other bravely tried to make a swing at Luke. The Jedi easily leapt over the attack, hitting his opponent in the face with the broad side of his sword and sending him reeling sideways. The man scrambled up and followed his companions out the entrance and down the steps.
Indy opened the chamber on his revolver, then smirked at Luke. "Good thing they left when they did. I only have two shots left." But the Jedi wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. Instead, the young man was kneeling over one of the bodies, inspecting a box at his belt. "What is it?" Indy asked inquisitively.
Luke unclipped the object and held it up in front of his face. "These are emitting an electromagnetic pulse. That's why none of the powered equipment is working."
"So how do we stop it? Destroy all the transmitters?"
Shaking his head, Luke replied, "They all have them, we'd probably have to destroy every one of them." He turned the small box over in his hands as he thought it over. There had to be a central transmitting device somewhere. If they could shut it down, they'd be able to operate lightsabres and blasters again, and their enemies would only have swords. Luke grabbed his weapon and sprang to his feet. "You know how to use a sword?" he asked Indy.
"Well, kind of."
"I'd get one," Luke replied gravely.
Indy followed his advice, putting his gun back in its holster and taking a sword in his right hand. "What now?"
Luke's eyes followed the retreating figures of the swordsmen who were now running across the lawn. He had an urge to follow them, but something stopped him. Their retreat had been made too quickly, he thought. Frowning, he reached out with the Force. When he did, he felt the presence of a dozen tense figures standing on either side of the entrance, waiting. They would most likely have any other exit covered as well. "We're trapped," he said.
"What?" Indy asked. "What do you mean trapped?"
"There are more of Uratis' troops outside waiting for us." Seeing Indy's questioning stare, he added, "I felt them through the Force."
With a slight raise of his eyebrows Indy said, "So what do we do? Wait? Go after the others?"
Luke shook his head. "We've got to get out of here, find the transmitter for the electromagnetic pulse and shut it down. Then the local guards can help us. Otherwise it won't matter if the others get away from Uratis, we'll all be outnumbered when they decide to attack."
Slowly, Indy nodded. "So how do you propose we get out of here and find this transmitter thing?"
Glancing down the various corridors branching off the hall they were in, Luke saw that one of them was a stairwell leading upwards. "That way," he said, pointing. "We can make our way to the roof."
"The roof." Indy gave him a sceptical look. "How is that going to improve our situation, exactly?"
"This is a capitol building. They probably have a speeder up there for emergency use."
"Right, I always forget about the escape speeders," Indy rejoined wryly.
"Come on," Luke said as he hurried up the stairwell.
After running for some time, Obi-Wan realised they were no longer being followed. He slowed his pace some until he came to a full stop. They had come to the floor of the assembly room. It was eerily empty, having been evacuated along with the rest of the building when the attack started. The Jedi's eyes flicked around the room nervously, noting the many entrances to the room. Bail looked at him questioningly. "Have we lost him?"
The Jedi looked down the hallway from which they'd just come. Uratis was nowhere to be seen, and there was not a sound not be heard. A frown darkened Obi-Wan's features. "Something's not right," he said gravely.
"Senator!" a voice boomed mockingly. Obi-Wan whirled to his right to the source of the voice, sword ready in his hands. Uratis was standing at the top of one an aisle between the rows of seats. He had Leia in front of him, an arm wrapped around her shoulder, his sword at her throat. "I would drop your weapon, Jedi, unless you don't care if your friend here dies." His eyes met Leia's, which were wide but stoic. He turned back to Organa behind him. "And don't think I'm going to let the senator escape either. Both of you to the middle of the room."
Obi-Wan hesitated for a moment, thinking through the possibilities. His mission was to protect the senator, but he couldn't let Leia be killed either. After all, it was his fault that she was involved in the first place. His shoulders dropped a little, and he nodded to the senator to follow him as he made his way to the center of the floor.
"Drop your sword," Uratis commanded, slowly making his way down the steps, still holding Leia tightly. Obi-Wan did as he was told. "And kick it this way." The sound of metal skidding across the stone echoed in the stillness. "Now, on your knees- no, your stomach. Hands behind your head." Obi-Wan gritted his teeth as he lowered himself to the cold stone. "Look at this," Uratis said in malicious satisfaction, locking his gaze with Bail's, "no weapons, and now you're powerless to fight back. Perhaps now you know how your people feel, Senator. Only I'm sure you're not going to change your views. No, you politicians are too proud to realise the people want something different. Well, allow me to send a message about what the people want." He sneered, and his eyes flicked down to Obi-Wan. "Though I think first I'll send a message to the Jedi about interfering." He ran the flat edge of the blade slowly across Obi-Wan's cheek, tauntingly. The young man remained quiet and unmoving. Uratis brought his sword up to the nape of Obi- Wan's neck, turning it on edge. He raised the blade, ready to strike.
"Uratis!" a voice shouted from behind him. His head snapped around to see Han standing in the entrance he had come through minutes before. Uratis' attention was only distracted for a moment, but it was all Obi-Wan needed. In a flash, the Jedi reached out and grabbed one of Uratis' legs. With a swift yank, he pulled the man off balance, sending him stumbling backward. He lost his grip on Leia, but managed to hold onto his sword. Obi-Wan called his own weapon to him with the Force, and in a flash he stood poised, facing his opponent with sword in hand.
Obi-Wan and Luke looked as surprised as anyone to see Indy holding the strange weapon, but Han had seen him use it back on Earth, and shot his friend a small grin of appreciation. After a few seconds, Uratis yelled for his startled group to attack. But it was just enough time to allow Obi-Wan to shove Bail past the body of the fallen attacker and down a corridor. "Go!" he ordered, though the senator didn't need much persuasion. The Jedi grabbed the fallen man's sword as he ran past, shooting a look over his shoulder as he ran behind the Organa.
Uratis grew red with anger. "Don't just stand there!" he yelled to his troops, starting after Obi-Wan and Bail. After a few steps, however, he stopped and ran back to where Leia was standing behind several swordsmen. "You're coming with me as well," he said in a low, demanding voice as he grabbed her by the arm. She tried to drag her to slow them down, but could do little to impede the strong man as he took off down the hallway.
"Leia!" Han shouted, and impulsively took off after them, though he had no working weapon. That wasn't about to stop him from trying.
Meanwhile, Indy had shot another advancing adversary. Luke took the opportunity to pick up the free sword off the floor. It felt different than his lightsabre- heavier and less graceful. But he wasn't about to get picky now. He felt a ripple in the Force, and quickly spun to his right just in time to block the blade of an attacker. The sound of metal on metal reverberated through the domed hall. Luke pushed with all his might, which was amplified by the Force, and sent another man skidding to the floor.
After Indy had shot two more swordsmen in the legs, causing them to hobble desperately down the outside stairs to safety, it became apparent to the others that attacking him would be futile. Two of them ran out the entrance, while the other bravely tried to make a swing at Luke. The Jedi easily leapt over the attack, hitting his opponent in the face with the broad side of his sword and sending him reeling sideways. The man scrambled up and followed his companions out the entrance and down the steps.
Indy opened the chamber on his revolver, then smirked at Luke. "Good thing they left when they did. I only have two shots left." But the Jedi wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. Instead, the young man was kneeling over one of the bodies, inspecting a box at his belt. "What is it?" Indy asked inquisitively.
Luke unclipped the object and held it up in front of his face. "These are emitting an electromagnetic pulse. That's why none of the powered equipment is working."
"So how do we stop it? Destroy all the transmitters?"
Shaking his head, Luke replied, "They all have them, we'd probably have to destroy every one of them." He turned the small box over in his hands as he thought it over. There had to be a central transmitting device somewhere. If they could shut it down, they'd be able to operate lightsabres and blasters again, and their enemies would only have swords. Luke grabbed his weapon and sprang to his feet. "You know how to use a sword?" he asked Indy.
"Well, kind of."
"I'd get one," Luke replied gravely.
Indy followed his advice, putting his gun back in its holster and taking a sword in his right hand. "What now?"
Luke's eyes followed the retreating figures of the swordsmen who were now running across the lawn. He had an urge to follow them, but something stopped him. Their retreat had been made too quickly, he thought. Frowning, he reached out with the Force. When he did, he felt the presence of a dozen tense figures standing on either side of the entrance, waiting. They would most likely have any other exit covered as well. "We're trapped," he said.
"What?" Indy asked. "What do you mean trapped?"
"There are more of Uratis' troops outside waiting for us." Seeing Indy's questioning stare, he added, "I felt them through the Force."
With a slight raise of his eyebrows Indy said, "So what do we do? Wait? Go after the others?"
Luke shook his head. "We've got to get out of here, find the transmitter for the electromagnetic pulse and shut it down. Then the local guards can help us. Otherwise it won't matter if the others get away from Uratis, we'll all be outnumbered when they decide to attack."
Slowly, Indy nodded. "So how do you propose we get out of here and find this transmitter thing?"
Glancing down the various corridors branching off the hall they were in, Luke saw that one of them was a stairwell leading upwards. "That way," he said, pointing. "We can make our way to the roof."
"The roof." Indy gave him a sceptical look. "How is that going to improve our situation, exactly?"
"This is a capitol building. They probably have a speeder up there for emergency use."
"Right, I always forget about the escape speeders," Indy rejoined wryly.
"Come on," Luke said as he hurried up the stairwell.
After running for some time, Obi-Wan realised they were no longer being followed. He slowed his pace some until he came to a full stop. They had come to the floor of the assembly room. It was eerily empty, having been evacuated along with the rest of the building when the attack started. The Jedi's eyes flicked around the room nervously, noting the many entrances to the room. Bail looked at him questioningly. "Have we lost him?"
The Jedi looked down the hallway from which they'd just come. Uratis was nowhere to be seen, and there was not a sound not be heard. A frown darkened Obi-Wan's features. "Something's not right," he said gravely.
"Senator!" a voice boomed mockingly. Obi-Wan whirled to his right to the source of the voice, sword ready in his hands. Uratis was standing at the top of one an aisle between the rows of seats. He had Leia in front of him, an arm wrapped around her shoulder, his sword at her throat. "I would drop your weapon, Jedi, unless you don't care if your friend here dies." His eyes met Leia's, which were wide but stoic. He turned back to Organa behind him. "And don't think I'm going to let the senator escape either. Both of you to the middle of the room."
Obi-Wan hesitated for a moment, thinking through the possibilities. His mission was to protect the senator, but he couldn't let Leia be killed either. After all, it was his fault that she was involved in the first place. His shoulders dropped a little, and he nodded to the senator to follow him as he made his way to the center of the floor.
"Drop your sword," Uratis commanded, slowly making his way down the steps, still holding Leia tightly. Obi-Wan did as he was told. "And kick it this way." The sound of metal skidding across the stone echoed in the stillness. "Now, on your knees- no, your stomach. Hands behind your head." Obi-Wan gritted his teeth as he lowered himself to the cold stone. "Look at this," Uratis said in malicious satisfaction, locking his gaze with Bail's, "no weapons, and now you're powerless to fight back. Perhaps now you know how your people feel, Senator. Only I'm sure you're not going to change your views. No, you politicians are too proud to realise the people want something different. Well, allow me to send a message about what the people want." He sneered, and his eyes flicked down to Obi-Wan. "Though I think first I'll send a message to the Jedi about interfering." He ran the flat edge of the blade slowly across Obi-Wan's cheek, tauntingly. The young man remained quiet and unmoving. Uratis brought his sword up to the nape of Obi- Wan's neck, turning it on edge. He raised the blade, ready to strike.
"Uratis!" a voice shouted from behind him. His head snapped around to see Han standing in the entrance he had come through minutes before. Uratis' attention was only distracted for a moment, but it was all Obi-Wan needed. In a flash, the Jedi reached out and grabbed one of Uratis' legs. With a swift yank, he pulled the man off balance, sending him stumbling backward. He lost his grip on Leia, but managed to hold onto his sword. Obi-Wan called his own weapon to him with the Force, and in a flash he stood poised, facing his opponent with sword in hand.