Chapter 19

Xircamede seemed defenceless without the ship guarding it, Leo thought, looking over the peaceful, golden planet as the Renzucon continued its steady trip onwards. The golden façade was nauseating if he studied it too hard. The planet's surface seemed to swirl with dizzying sobriety.

The closer he got, the more the sickness seemed to ease in his head. Perhaps it was simply the rush of his escape, of being alone in a massive Universe, with no-one to call his friend but a convict. Maybe it wasn't. For all that had happened, Leo still felt remarkably calm. An odd sense of peace enshrouded him.

He'd learnt so much in the last few weeks he'd spent with Ranzel. So much that he would now have to depend on to keep him alive. If the Empire were after him, he would have to keep moving. It would be so lonely travelling alone, he thought to himself. There was no Ranzel to soothe him, to force him to do hours of meditation and training, or even to explain trivial things when Leo thought of them in the middle of the night.

He was alone now, and unwilling even to risk his mother. Besides…she wouldn't understand. She would insist on their going home to normality, completely unaware of the potential destruction which could be unleashed upon their defenceless planet.

Leo didn't quite know what he was going to say to her when he found her. What could he say? None the less, he would go. And then he would leave her too. There would be no point in risking her life as well as his own.

Suddenly the computer beeped, and an image of a dragon like being appeared unwarranted on the screen. Leo flinched. This, apparently, was the Malacite that Ranzel had visited while they were here last time. She looked mean. Bre-jo, was it?

"Where is Ranzel D'Kar?" Her snarling voice demanded through the speaker system. "Why are you flying his ship?!"

"D'Kar is my Master," Leo said, coolly, lifting his green eyes to the display in response to the Malacite's anger. "I fly his ship because he has found himself in danger."

"Danger…?" There was a slight waver in Bre-jo's voice. "Then why aren't you at his aid?"

"I am aiding him. I must discover the whereabouts of his last passenger, and take her to him." Leo lied, calmly. The Malacite looked like she didn't quite trust him, but considering what Ranzel had mentioned, it was beyond her ability to place that kind of confidence in anyone who did not earn it in an extraordinary way.

"Why? How can she help him?" Bre-jo asked, warily.

"I cannot answer that question because I do not know. Suffice is to say, Ranzel will die if she is not taken to him."

That seemed to decide it for the Malacite, combined with the effect of being in Ranzel's own ship. She nodded slowly, and then leant back. "Hold on a second, I'll find them and patch them through to your navi-computer."

Leo found himself waiting in silence, with only the thoughts of what was going on buzzing through his mind. He had lied to gain this information…but beyond that… He knew Bre-jo would learn of the truth as soon as the Council ship returned. It only made sense. But until then…

"Here they come," Came the Malacite's words again.

"Thank you," Leo breathed with a glance at his navi computer. The numbers were in, so he activated the device silently. "You have been a great help. I am sure D'Kar will be grateful."

Bre-Jo nodded to him and said warmly, "May the Force be with you, Padawan of D'Kar." Then her tone went harsh, "If you don't bring him back alive, don't come back; Bre-jo out."

Leo couldn't help but chuckle at that, and looked back at the navi computer. The numbers were locked in. It would be time to go now. He leant over to activate the hyper drive, and the ship plunged back into the thick white lines of lightspeed once more.

The ship came out of hyperspace at just the right point, the computer beeping pleasantly at him, and a green light flashing twice to announce a successful jump. It hadn't been that far between planets. No more than a minute had passed at those high speeds, so if anything, this planet was perhaps at the next star over, or close to it.

It was an orange planet, for the most part. Built out of sand coloured rock, it boasted some forestation, but showed massive signs of desertification. This was where they had settled his mother? It was remote to say the least, despite its closeness to Xircamede.

Leo brought the Renzucon closer. Perhaps it would be safer to take a shuttle, but Leo wasn't entirely sure he could bank on the ship staying in orbit… He didn't know enough about such things. Besides, he wasn't sure he could open the shuttle bay doors. Ranzel had used a peculiar wrist mounted device. He had taken it with him.

So the Renzucon would have to land. Slowly he brought the ship down towards the atmosphere. The computer compensated – allowing it to steadily creep in at just the right angle to not get instantly burnt into smithereens.

As he came out into the air below, two vessels swept suddenly up from the cloud level. They were fighters with v shaped noses and an engine that seemed to be held up by nothing between the two highest points of the shape. The pilots themselves sat in cockpits ensconced in the nose of the ship.

They came up on either side of the Renzucon, bringing their weapons batteries to bear on his ship.

"Unidentified vehicle: You are entering the hospital planet of Iroth. Identify yourself and your mission, or be destroyed."

"Easy," Leo purred, back into the microphone. "This is the Renzucon. I'm here to visit a patient of yours. Her name is Manila Black."

"Hold your current course, Renzucon. The check will only take a few moments."

There was silence as the three ships plunged on through the cold, thin air, high in the planet's stratosphere. Leo could see the hospital complex below. It was smaller than he'd expected it to be, and simply a round, silver building. The sand had grown up on one side of it, and the doorway was protected by this artificial dune shape. It moved harmlessly around the structure, which left long spits of sand on either side, but allowed the building very good protection.

Far away from the main building, separated by a great expanse of desert – presumably to keep the patients in seclusion – was another silver structure. If Leo narrowed his eyes, he could pick out a few more in the distance too.

"Okay Renzucon," the voice of the pilot stunned him out of his examination of the planet's surface. "Headquarters says you can come down. Follow us to the landing pad, and we'll get you your land transport for the Asinna complex."

Wonderful…land transport – just what he wanted – something else to consume the precious time it might take for the Council to get to the planet after him.

None the less he agreed, and slowed the Renzucon sufficiently to drop behind the fighters, falling in behind them.

The ship gave a little non-appreciative groan. It didn't like travelling at the slow speed that these planetary fighters insisted upon.

The little fighters led the Renzucon into the disk, so that just underneath the lip of the protective dome, his vessel was adequately protected from the elements.

Leo landed the ship just where the fighters directed him too, and suddenly they whizzed off to full speed and disappeared. Rising to his feet, Leo made one last check of the controls, then left, locking it down after he was out.

This time the only landing committee was an unescorted linguist droid. The droid approached him steadily. "Em-Two-Episolon-Delta, at your service, Sir. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," simpered the droid.

"And you, Em-Two-Epsi…"

"Just Em-Two," interrupted the droid, pleasantly.

"Very well. Em-Two."

"Now that we're properly acquainted," continued the droid, "Please follow me to the stables, and we'll have you on your way soon enough."

"Won't that be a relief…?" Leo murmured to himself, as the droid turned and began leading the way. Leo; who until just two weeks ago - hadn't seen a droid in his life, was beginning to dislike them already; and if they were all like this one… He shuddered at the thought.

The droid led him down off the landing bay to a safer platform, where a soft crooning currently filled the air. An animal cry. Leo reached out with his mind. There were perhaps forty or so of these creatures here.

"What are they?" he asked the droid, despite himself.

"Obira Beasts. They are very capable on these sands, and so much more effective for transport than anything else we were offered. Unlike any mechanised vehicle, they are unaffected by sand in their mechanisms."

Leo nodded vaguely. He could see them now that they were truly inside the stable. They had splayed feet like camels, specifically designed to balance their weight on the surface of the sand, while their long heads were like snakes, topped by two enormous, twisted horns. Otherwise, they were like horses, with thick mane over their eyes, and covering their smooth necks to protect them from the sand, and a long, swishing tail.

"How will I know where to go?" Leo asked, glancing at the droid once more.

"The Obira will know where to go. Each of them is trained to go to only one place." He pointed to the stalls directly in front of Leo. "These ones will take you to the Asinna complex."

Leo registered the stalls. Five in total, although one was empty. It seemed inconsequential, so he looked back to the droid. "And where will I find my mother once I arrive?"

"Your mother?" The droid obviously didn't understand. "Oh…the sentient life form you are here to visit. She's in building Delta Twelve."

Leo nodded, and then went up to the door. The Obira looked very friendly, but Leo reached out with the Force first towards it, offering a little soothing to the creature. He offered his hand, and the Obira flicked out a long, serpentine tongue, and licked it from the heel to the very tip of his finger. Leo winced, and then went for the door.

"Do you have any kind of saddle?" He asked the droid. It just stared at him in response. Well – he thought it stared – although it didn't exactly have expressive eyes.

Leo frowned, reaching up to curl his fingertips around one of the curled horns on the creature's head, and leading it out of the chamber slowly. "I suppose this will have to do." He glanced at the droid and then up at the back of the Obira beast. A leap, with the help of the Force, landed him gently on the creatures back. It gave a little start, but then settled quite swiftly and threw its head. Leo took a hold of the thick mane and nudged it a little in the side.

"Thank you, Em-Two," Leo called as the creature ambled forwards.

Riding the Obira beast was a lot like riding a horse, except that the stride of the Obira was a bit longer because of its enormous legs. It glided slowly out from under the massive, dome shaped building, and then began to climb one of the massive drift-dunes.

Leo closed his eyes slightly against the sand that blew up in the desert. It wasn't too bad, if he looked in the other direction, but he certainly was envious of the Obira's thick, protective hair. They must have rode for about thirty minutes at that steady pace, but finally the Obira began to climb again, and then dropped down off the edge of one of the protective dunes. They had arrived at the Asinna complex, but Leo hadn't seen it from the ground. There had simply been a sea of sand stretched before them.

The Obira came down into the welcome shelter, and Leo confined it to one of the stables, stretching out his exhausted body before turning to look into the building.

The whole complex was silver, but tainted with age. Large, dull pillars held up the dome shaped roof at regular intervals, and houses, in the shape of boxes stretched back as far as the eye could see, lit by dim lights in the roof.

Leo stepped forwards, and then paused. How would he find Delta Twelve? It was clear once he found it – a mark on each of the closest houses stating what its number was, each marked Alpha One, Beta One, Gamma one, etcetera. So Delta was his column, and now he must find his row.

He plunged ahead, wincing every time he passed a building. Everyone here had lost their memory. They each looked at him from their doorways, as though hoping that he was someone from their past lives, come to jog their memory back. But Leo knew he would know nobody here - nobody except his mother - so he walked on.

As he got further down the row, he slowly became aware of an odd, eerie darkness that rose from further down the column. He slowed his step, and kept his palm cautiously on the base of his lightsaber. To be feeling the darkness here was not a good sign…but with it a strength in the Force – something that wasn't dark. It felt almost like a heart in the process of tumultuous changes – between good and evil.

Wetting his lip, he allowed himself to move forwards a little faster. Whoever this was…they were in the same building as his mother. A fierce protective energy rose in him, burning away the edge of the Dark Side that threatened to poison his soul.

Delta Ten; he passed it, soldiered on. Delta Eleven; he began to slow cautiously. Towards the end of Delta Eleven he reached out with the Force, and had to shudder away the feeling that possessed him. The darkness was there – in the building just ahead of him now. He stepped forwards, inched along the wall and placed his hand tentatively against the door, pushing it open, and then half throwing himself inside, bringing his lightsaber up as he went, and igniting it.

The clash of another blade met his own.