(A/N: Hoo boy, and once again, I return after faking my own death. Sorry about the long wait . . . life got interesting and, er, real writing projects took precedence. But have no fear--this story lives, and will until it's finished, even if that's ten years from now grimaces. Hopefully this excellent and adventurous chapter will compensate for the time it took to write. Enjoy, and as always, let me know you're out there! Reviews, e-mails, whatever, I'll take the lot. Just let me see if I lost all my fans over my extended absence.)

NINETEEN

Of one mind and body, the three girls rushed desperately across the lawn, Annie and Danielle supporting the nearly dead weight of Krista evenly between them. Neither dared even turn when the door slammed shut behind them; they sprinted blindly, knowing their only hope lay in escaping while Laura kept Palpatine distracted.

They encountered no resistance across the neatly kept lawn, but they quickly realized that they didn't know how to open the main gates without Laura. Danielle solved the problem easily enough; handing Krista to Annie, she engaged her lightsaber and sliced through the main locks on the gate. When she and Annie pushed together, the huge doors reluctantly swung open, alarms flashing and wailing all the while.

Their speeder still sat where they had left it, unharmed, and Annie immediately leapt into the pilot's seat as Danielle carried Krista in after her. No discussion was needed; Annie, who remembered the way, drove them straight for the Jedi temple.

It was a nightmarish journey. Danielle sat in the back, her hand pressed over Krista's wound, which had begun to bleed in earnest, trying to stem the flow. At first Krista muttered and thrashed, making little noises of pain, but as the trip lengthened and more and more of her blood made Danielle's hands sticky, her face grew whiter and she spoke less and less. Eventually, she stopped moving entirely.

Despite slight mishap and Danielle frantically crying at Annie to go faster, they reached the Temple mostly without incident, Annie pulling into the parking lot for distinguished visitors and leaping out of the speeder without even turning off the ignition. Together they grabbed Krista and rushed her inside, heading straight for the main doors.

Inside, the Jedi Temple was in an uproar. The normally silent and serene building was packed with Jedi rushing to and fro, standing in huddles and speaking in nervous voices, or even shouting at one another. Adding to the confusion were dozens of unidentifiable strangers and even a few news crews. The vaulted ceilings and towering columns of the main hall echoed back an uncanny din of voices; many of the uninvited guests had even spilled up onto the giant marble stairs that led to the Jedi quarters and training room. It was like a zoo, or a carnival perhaps, but with a tangible aura of fear and uncertainty.

Danielle and Annie stopped short at the sight, dumbfounded. Danielle had never seen so many persons in the Temple all at the same time, and especially not so agitated. For a moment they stood motionless; then, abruptly, Danielle snapped into motion. "Hey!" she bellowed. "I need a Healer here, now!"

The crowds instantly parted and a nearby Jedi came rushing to their side. Looming nearly eight feet tall, his flippered hands moved with astonishing dexterity and multifaceted aqua eyes scrutinized them calmly. "What's the problem?" he asked, his voice buzzing slightly through his tentacled mouth.

Annie lifted Krista's arm to reveal the blaster shot, causing Krista to stir and moan. The Jedi peered at the wound for only a millisecond before bursting into action. "We need a stretcher down here, now!" he snapped to a few padawans hovering behind him. "Summon a healer and tell the ward to make ready for a critical incoming patient."

Instantly the hall was in a flurry of motion. From the disorganized huddles of Jedi several came swarming over to help, others fetching emergency medical equipment. Krista was taken gently from Annie and Danielle and placed on a long repulorlift stretcher, and two padawans hurriedly jogged her to a turbolift that would take her to the healing ward. Halfway across the crowded floor an extremely professional-looking Jedi that could only be a resident Healer took over, following the stretcher and putting various patches and IV's on Krista to stabilize her. Danielle and Annie tried to follow, but the swarms of news cameras blocked their view, and their friend was soon lost to sight.

Frustrated, Danielle grabbed Annie's arm. "This way!" she instructed, leading Annie out of the throng and down a little-used side hallway. As the roar of the throngs grew distant behind them, Danielle located a small stairwell and rushed up it, taking the stairs two at a time with Annie close behind. Several levels up, they emerged into a normally populous hallway now deserted of people and silent as a tomb.

"The medical ward is this way," Danielle said, sprinting off down the corridor; Annie followed easily.

After traversing a few lifeless hallways, they suddenly burst onto a main thoroughfare crowded with Jedi, from ancient masters to crying infants, all as agitated as those in the main hall. Elbowing through them, Danielle finally burst through an elaborate pair of double doors into what was clearly the medical ward. The elegant marble and stylized scrollwork that characterized the rest of the Temple was conspicuously absent here; it was a place of gleaming metal and whitewashed walls, pristine and highly functional.

Now, however, it was a place of controlled chaos, attendants rushing to and fro and senior healers calmly issuing orders. Krista and her entourage had arrived just before them, and she was being taken into treatment even as they stepped inside.

Danielle located the nearest informed-looking Jedi and caught her arm plaintively. "Please, where's my friend? The girl with the blaster shot who was brought in just a minute ago?"

The woman touched Danielle's shoulder comfortingly. "She's already been taken in to see one of the Senior Healers. Don't worry; Khali gets these sort of cases all the time. Your friend will be fine."

"Can we see her?" Annie asked.

"I'm afraid not. You'll have to just wait until she's released. Now, you must excuse me; I have another patient to attend to." The woman bowed to them perfunctorily, then turned and strode into a nearby room.

Annie and Danielle exchanged glances of equal parts bewilderment and defeat. What now? Laura was in danger and Krista near death--they didn't have the slightest idea what to do.

Another nearby Jedi healer who was standing nearby caught Danielle's eye, and she moved up to him hesitantly. "Excuse me?" He turned and gave her a disconcerting stare out of lashless eyes. "Yes?"

"Do you know what's happening?"

"What's happening?"

Danielle fought the urge to groan. "Yes. Downstairs. Everyone's upset about something; do you know what?"

"I," he answered with an air indicating there was no possible reason why he should know of any affairs outside the Healing Ward, "don't have the slightest idea what you young ladies are talking about. Now, I'm going to have to ask you two to leave; this area is restricted to Healing personnel only."

Danielle and Annie allowed themselves to be shooed back into the waiting area with ill grace. Annie looked at Danielle, agitation writ clearly on her face. "Now what?"

"We go back and help Laura," Danielle replied grimly.

Annie stared at her. "Go back? Are you insane?"

"Of course not." Danielle looked at her angrily. "We have to help her! If we wait too long, it will be too late! We have to go back, now!"

"And what? Leave Krista behind, and ignore what's going on all around us?" Annie waved her arms, encompassing the madness that had seized the Jedi Temple. "Danielle, I want to help her, too, but you've got to be reasonable! She did what she did to save us--to get us out of there so Atharca couldn't pull off his plans. Going back in there--you saw what Palpatine did, how easily he could have gotten us all. And Atharca's even worse. Danielle, it would be suicide!"

Danielle couldn't deny the sense of these words, and she felt despair claim her. "But--Laura-- We have to . . . we have to do something . . ."

Annie looked equally downcast for a moment, then determination came into her eyes. "We can do something. Laura let us escape so we could get help--we have to tell the Jedi what's going on! They won't let Atharca finish his plans--Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon will help us, surely. And if I can find Wes and Dru--alone, we don't stand a chance against Atharca. With a team of Jedi on our side, we can defeat him."

"All right," Danielle agreed, relieved. "You're right. We just need to get going quickly, before it's too late."

"Danielle! Annie!"

They turned, shocked, and Danielle felt her heart nearly burst as Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon rushed through the door. "You're all right!" Obi-Wan exclaimed, running to them. "You're here--where have you been?"

"Why did you leave when we went to the Council meeting?" Qui-Gon asked, his brows knit with mixed worry and disapproval. "And where are the others now?"

"Krista's in there," Danielle said, pointing to the healing ward. As they stared, she said quietly, "She took a hit from a blaster in the side--she's in intensive care now."

"A blaster?" Obi-Wan echoed, shocked. Qui-Gon merely asked, grimly, "And--Laura?"

Annie and Danielle exchanged glances of misery. "Laura's . . . gone," Annie said finally, her voice heavy.

"Not gone," Danielle insisted violently. "Not--"

Annie looked at her friend, her face full of sorrow. "Yes, Danielle. She's gone. We have to accept that."

"No," Danielle repeated, her voice low. "We--we can still go back in and get her. If we hurry--"

"No," Annie said, closing her eyes. "Danielle--you saw how powerful Palpatine is. Laura stayed behind so we could go free, and he knew it. Do you really think he'll let her live, after all that? And do you think she stands a chance against him? Atharca would want to start the ritual as soon as possible, to be ready for us." As Danielle shook her head, unwilling to listen, Annie continued in a shaking voice. "You have to accept it, Danielle. Laura is probably already dead."

Danielle opened her mouth to argue, but she was cut off by the shouts of the two Jedi. "Palpatine? Atharca? Ritual? Danielle, what in the Force is going on?" Qui-Gon asked, clearly distraught.

"How did Krista get shot?" Obi-Wan asked. "And where is this suspicious Laura person now?"

Annie rounded on Obi-Wan fiercely. "'Suspicious'? I'll have you know this 'suspicious' person just gave her life so that Danielle and Krista and I could escape. How dare you--?" She broke off, fuming, and clearly very upset. Obi-Wan, who had never imagined such violence from the normally very even-tempered and cheerful Annie, looked stunned.

Putting a comforting hand on Annie's arm, Danielle said, "She's right. I know you don't understand everything, but you have to believe us. Laura is definitely on our side--uh, now. And there's so much going on we don't even have time to explain it all."

"What has Senator Palpatine to do with all this?" Qui-Gon asked again, calmly.

"He's evil!" Annie shouted, before Danielle could stop her. "He's the one who's causing--all this!" She waved her arms wildly.

If anything, the two Jedi now looked even more skeptical. "Senator Palpatine--evil?" Qui-Gon said carefully. "He's always been a great supporter of the Republic and the Jedi. What makes you think he is . . . evil?"

"We saw--we know! He's plotting all this--he shot Krista--well, not him directly, but his droids--"

"Wait a minute," Obi-Wan broke in, expression incredulous. "Palpatine's droid shot Krista? When did this happen?"

"While you were in the Council briefing," Danielle said. "Laura took us to Palpatine's estate--"

At this, both Jedi exclaimed in shock. "That was you?" Qui-Gon asked, expression thunderous. "You four are the thieves who broke into Palpatine's estate and damaged a great deal of his valuable property?"

The two girls' jaws dropped. "How do you know about that?" Danielle asked.

"Palpatine reported the break-in, of course. It was all over the news. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that it might be you!"

"We weren't stealing!" Annie defended herself viciously. At a look from Danielle, however, she grimaced. "Well--ah--I guess in the strictest sense of the word, we were stealing. But Laura led us in. She told us that Palpatine was--planning to betray the Republic, and she wanted us to help her get incriminating documents to take back to the council--"

"These," Danielle said, pulling the papers from where she'd stuffed them in her cloak and thrusting them at the Jedi. "She helped us get these papers, and there's a ton of downloaded information on that disk. It tells you everything you should need to know about Palpatine, his plans, passwords and everything--well, actually, we don't know what's on there, but that's what Laura said."

"Laura helped you get this information," Qui-Gon said slowly.

"Yes."

"But didn't she say she was Palpatine's aide?" Obi-Wan asked, frowning.

"She is. Was. Er, sort of." Danielle and Annie exchanged grimaces.

"So," Qui-Gon said, voice growing darker, "Laura is nothing more than a disgruntled employee who is trying to blackmail her employer to revenge herself, and you three were fools enough to help her?"

Annie's jaw dropped in outrage as Danielle stared, disbelieving, at Qui-Gon. "No," she stammered. "Of course not. Laura's not just an employee--she's his apprentice--well, one of them. She's a Sith!"

Shock was not a powerful enough word for the expression on the Jedi's faces now. "What?" Obi-Wan exclaimed, incredulously.

"Sith," Qui-Gon pronounced, coldly, "do not exist. They were wiped out millennia ago, and have not returned since."

"That's not true!" Annie yelled, as Danielle, face red, said, "Look, Qui-Gon, I know that's what all the Jedi think, but they're wrong. The Sith do exist, and Palpatine is one of them. If he's not stopped, he'll destroy the Jedi and the Republic and everything you've ever fought for!"

"So now Palpatine's the Sith," Obi-Wan said, trying to understand.

"Well, yeah--they both are!"

"But if Laura is also a Sith, why would she wish to betray her master in such a fashion?"

"Because he's evil, and she's not," Annie explained, rather un-helpfully. "So she helped us to get those papers to prove what he's doing--"

"So that is what you were doing, all that time?" Qui-Gon asked. "Snooping around Palpatine's estates with his former aide, looking for incriminating evidence of his Sithliness? Surely you couldn't have done that all night without being caught."

"But we were caught--that's what took so long," Danielle said. "Well, actually, Laura betrayed us and turned us in, but it was just a trick. She helped us escape again, after that."

The two Jedi looked at each other. "So this Laura is a Sith who betrayed you and allowed you to be captured, all to get back at her employer, and now you want to go and rescue her?" Qui-Gon asked, his voice heavily disbelieving.

"No!" Danielle cried, frustrated. "It's--you're not understanding!"

"Clearly."

The two girls looked at each other in anguish. "Look, none of this matters right now," Annie said at last, fiercely. "Last night, Laura told us she could help us get papers that would prove what Palpatine is doing, so we broke into his estate to get them. When we tried to get back out again, Krista was shot and Laura had to stay behind to keep Palpatine from following us. You have to help us stop Atharca and Palpatine--and, if she's still alive, rescue Laura!"

"Stop them from doing what?" Obi-Wan inquired.

"Destroying the galaxy," Annie said breathlessly.

For a moment there was a heavy silence as the two Jedi regarded one another.

"Please," Danielle pleaded, her voice shaking with passion. "Please, Obi, Qui. You have to believe us!"

It seemed ages that the two Jedi simply watched one another. At last, face stormy, Obi-Wan looked away, clearly upset. Qui-Gon, his face carefully emotionless, looked back at the two girls. "I'm sorry, Danielle," he said cordially, "but I do not."

Annie's jaw dropped, and Danielle felt like she'd been kicked in the chest. "What?" she whispered.

Obi-Wan looked at the ground now, hands clenched into fists at his sides, and it was again Qui-Gon who spoke. "From the very first day you arrived, you have lied to me--to us. You claimed to have no memory, yet continually you have proved that there are many details of your past that you remember quite clearly. Through odd--one might almost say incredible--circumstances, you continue to accidentally meet up with old 'friends' who also have implausible background evidence and no explanation of their appearance. Slowly, you have moved almost all these individuals in with us, infiltrating the Temple. Now, at last, the mystery is solved. This entire time, you have been planted here in an attempt to sabotage Senator Palpatine and this--this Atharca person."

Annie made a noise like a teakettle about to bubble over, but Danielle felt as though something inside her were breaking. "You don't believe that," she said, tone almost begging. "You can't."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, but Qui-Gon's were coldly merciless, boring into Danielle's. "In a guise of affection you gained our trust and began to gather your intelligences, lying to us continually about your actions, your friends, and your purpose. Danielle, do you think us stupid? Your conspirators are a girl from no background with no discernible purpose, who arrives via another pair of unsuspecting Jedi--"

"Wes and Dru trust me and owe me their lives," Annie interrupted equally coldly. "Ask them, if you will."

Qui-Gon's eyes flickered to her, but he continued speaking undisturbed. "--a young woman from Naboo, Palpatine's home planet--where you also claim to be from--and now a final young woman who is a disgruntled member of his household. Danielle--if that is really your name . . . I don't know who sent you, what master you truly answer to, but it is time to end the charade."

Danielle staggered a step backward, feeling a vague awareness of agony. It was true, she had lied to them, but only out of a desire to protect them, to keep them from thinking her insane. "Qui-Gon," she said, unsteadily, then had to pause a moment to regain her voice. "It is true, I have . . . lied to you. But not because I'm . . . some political saboteur or spy. I--we knew that if we tried to tell you the truth . . . and we don't fully understand ourselves . . . that you wouldn't believe us."

Qui-Gon made no answer.

Danielle stared at him, trying to detect some compassion or belief in his eyes, but at last gave up. Turning her gaze to the young man standing beside him, she summoned her voice and whispered, "Obi-Wan?"

He raised his head, and Danielle fancied she saw tears brimming in his eyes before Qui-Gon said coldly, "Obi-Wan agrees that there are too many suspicious circumstances surrounding your appearance and actions. Besides, he is under my tutelage, and he answers to my instructions."

Danielle waited. Obi-Wan flashed Qui-Gon a look of something almost like hatred, but then returned his gaze to the ground, unwilling to meet the two girls' eyes. "It is," he said, voice choked, "as my Master says."

"I am afraid," Qui-Gon continued, a thread of unhappiness now in his voice, "that you are no longer welcome here. Your things will be removed from our apartments, and as soon as your friend is recovered sufficiently you will be escorted from the premises."

In that instant, all hope quietly died inside Danielle, and she closed her eyes, willing it all to be untrue. Laura was captured, probably dead--Krista lay severely wounded in the hospital ward behind them--Atharca and Palpatine were poised to take over the galaxy . . . and the only people who could help them no longer believed or trusted them.

Beside her, she heard Annie say, "I don't care what you think about us--well, I care, but right now it doesn't matter. Just read the papers we've given you! Everything we've said--it's all right there! Their plans, their codes, their correspondences--"

Danielle opened her eyes, hope flaring within her again, only to feel it crushed when Qui-Gon shook his head. "These documents and information are the private property of Senator Palpatine, and I will respect his privacy and not read them."

Annie's voice shook with disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"I am quite serious."

"Well, if you won't read them, give them back to us! We'll find someone who isn't so--so thickheaded he won't even bother to look at them!" Annie demanded, holding out her hand. Qui-Gon pulled the papers away from her, shaking his head as he tucked them into his robes. "No. These papers are the property of Palpatine and I'm quite sure he will be wanting them back. As soon as I may, I will see that they are returned to him, unharmed."

Annie's jaw was working soundlessly; she was clearly too incensed to speak.

Qui-Gon stood looking at them for a minute longer, obviously wanting to speak, before he finally did, his voice strangled. "It seems that your plan has worked, at least in part, Danielle. Because Obi-Wan and I are both . . . fond of you, we will not have you taken into custody for breaking and entering Palpatine's estates. If you ever participate in any illegal activity again, however, we will show no such leniency."

"The bug!" Annie cried suddenly, causing them all to look at her in sudden surprise. "Your apartments are bugged, Laura's told us--somewhere in there is a line feeding straight to Palpatine or Atharca, I'm not sure which. They're watching you because they know you're--you're dangerous, you're important--just check, for God's sake!"

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon exchanged another glance, then Qui-Gon gave a stiff nod. "If you have nothing more but these attempts to convince us, then we must be leaving," Qui-Gon said. "We have urgent business elsewhere." He paused for only a moment, clearly struggling with deeply-hidden emotion, before he finished, "I suppose this is goodbye, then, Danielle, Annie."

Danielle couldn't speak through the sorrow in her throat; she simply closed her eyes again, nodding tightly.

As the two Jedi turned to leave, Annie leapt after them. "Wait!" As they turned back around, warily, she pleaded, "Can you at least tell us what all the mess is about? What's got everyone so excited?"

"The Trade Federation has taken control of Naboo. Queen Amidala is captured and perhaps dead, because no assistance was able to reach her in time, and the planet as a whole has surrendered," Obi-Wan said, finally speaking.

"The galaxy has erupted in turmoil," Qui-Gon added. "Several small planets allied with Naboo have declared war on the Trade Federation and are raising armies as we speak. It is war."

With that, the two Jedi swept from the room, leaving Annie and Danielle white with horror.

As Annie stood stock-still, Danielle suddenly felt dizzy and had to brace herself against the wall. "Oh my God," she said, voice trembling. "It's started--and we're only making it worse."

"Amidala is captured," Annie whispered. "Because no assistance . . . my God, we delayed them. We kept them from being sent back to her. It's our fault Naboo has surrendered, and the war has begun ten years ahead of time."

"It's too late," Danielle said, breath hitching. "It's too late, we've lost, Atharca's won."

"No," Annie said, voice desperate. "No, it can't be. We have to do--something! We can't just let Atharca go without trying to stop him! Surely there's someone else we can go to . . ."

Danielle looked up suddenly. "The Jedi Council," she said abruptly. "I've met with them before; I think Yoda understands who I am and what's going on better than anyone else."

"Will he listen to us?" Annie asked, but they both knew she was really asking, Will he believe us?

"I . . . I don't know," Danielle said uncertainly. "But we have to try. Come on." She beckoned urgently, and the two girls took off, Danielle leading the way to the council chambers.

Several minutes later, extremely winded, they arrived at the antechamber to the Council, where two stern guards stopped them. "Who are you, and what is your business?"

"We need to address the council," Danielle panted. "It's urgent."

The guards exchanged glances, then looked at them suspiciously. "Do you have an appointment? Is the Council expecting you?"

"No," Danielle hedged, "but we must speak to them, as soon as possible. We have information about the war."

One of the guards nodded briskly, then turned and vanished into the Council room. Within only a few minutes, he had returned. "The Council is extremely busy with matters concerning the war," he told them. "I'm afraid you'll have to get the permission of an elder Jedi or return later."

"Later?" Annie echoed. "How much later?"

"A few days, at least. It is probable that the Council will have little free time for the duration of the war."

Annie shook her head in mounting frustration as Danielle stepped forward. "Please, just let us speak to Master Yoda. Could you--could you tell him that Qui-Gon's ward is here, and needs to talk to him?"

"I am afraid Master Yoda has been called away on war business."

"When will he be back?"

"That is not known."

Danielle and Annie looked at each other, disbelieving. "Look," Danielle said, her patience deserting her, "you have to let us in to see them. We have news about the war that they MUST KNOW! If they don't see us . . . the fate of the galaxy may change!"

"I'm sorry," the guard said sternly, "but that is not possible. If you would like to schedule an appointment, we can get you in to see them in two or three days' time."

"That's too long!" Annie yelled. "It won't matter by then!"

The guards simply turned their faces away, refusing to answer.

Danielle and Annie waited a moment longer, hopelessly, before they both turned and slowly went back the way they came.

They'd barely made it around the corner before Annie stopped, seemingly frozen midstep. Danielle leaned against the wall and slowly slid down it until she was sitting on the floor, clutching her legs to her chest, eyes huge.

For a long time neither girl could speak. At last, Annie managed, stricken, "They're . . . They won't help us. No one will."

Danielle closed her eyes. "No," she whispered.

"The war's started . . . we're going to have to live through it all, just like you said. All the battles, all the Jedi dying . . . we couldn't stop it. We're going to have to watch it all."

"No," Danielle said, her voice hollow. "We won't." She looked up at Annie then. "Atharca will hunt us down and kill us before it ever comes to that."

Annie went white. "Then it's over," she said at last. "We've lost. There's nothing left to do."

"No," Danielle said, her voice strangely animated once more. "No, there's still something left for us to do. Even if no one will help us, we still know what's going on. We can try and stop them."

Annie looked at her friend like she was insane. "But . . . but you agreed with me. Laura's probably already dead, and facing them would be suicide."

"I know," Danielle agreed heavily. "But we have to try." She hesitated. "I mean . . . if you agree with me."

"We don't stand a chance," Annie whispered. "We'll just be walking back into Palpatine's hands . . ."

"But now we have nowhere else to go," Danielle reminded her heavily.

For a long time, Annie didn't speak. When she did, her voice was strangely emotionless. "Then you're right," she managed, slowly. "There's nothing for us to do but . . . try."

The girls' eyes locked, and in that instant they understood each other perfectly. They would go back and try to stop Atharca, and both of them knew they were going to their own deaths.

"Well," Danielle said briskly, getting to her feet once more. "I think we should go and tell the healers that we're leaving, for when Krista's finished, before . . . we go."

Annie simply nodded, her eyes wide and vacant.

Before either of them could move, however, there was a strange pounding noise . . . followed by a familiar yipping howl. Danielle whirled around, eyes bright, just in time to see the feline monstrosity that flung itself onto her, tackling her to the ground.

"Sweetums!" she exclaimed, breathlessly. "Oh my big boy, my baby, you're here, you're all right! The healers finally fixed you all up!"

"This," Annie said, mixed amusement and apprehension in her voice, "is Sweetums?"

"Yes," Danielle responded, her heart lifting for the first time in ages. "Yes he is, my big sweetums, that's what he is," she baby-talked to her Nexu, who growled louder than ever in affection and began washing her face with his very rough tongue.

Annie yelped and leapt back to avoid a lash of the Nexu's deadly tail. "I thought you said he was cute!"

Danielle gave Annie a death glare. "He is."

Annie eyed the writhing, scaly, prickly monster. "Danielle, I'm as much a cat person as you are, but you've got to admit . . ."

Both Danielle and Sweetums turned to look at her, expressions identical.

Annie gulped. " . . . he may not look much like a cat, but he's just as cute," she said, amending her original statement.

"That's what we thought," Danielle sniffed, returning to fluffing Sweetums' fur.

After a few minutes, she managed to push him off and stand up. "Well, baby, I hate to say this when you just found me again, but I have to leave," she explained gently. "We're going somewhere very dangerous, and . . . you can't come. I'll leave you with Qui and Obi--"

Danielle was suddenly and unexpectedly knocked to the ground as Sweetums butted her emphatically. When she looked up, the Nexu had a determined gleam in his eye Danielle knew meant trouble.

"I mean it," she said warningly, standing back up. "It's going to be very dangerous, and you'd only get in the way. I don't want you to get hurt, so--"

With a whump, she was back on the floor again. Sweetums was now growling so loudly the very floor shook.

"I think he wants to come," Annie said conversationally.

"Well, he can't," Danielle growled, getting to her feet again. "I'm not going to let him come just so he can get killed--"

This time, Sweetums pounced, pinning her to the ground to glare at her from large intelligent eyes. "No," Danielle said emphatically. "You can't come!"

About three minutes passed as Annie watched with great interest. Sweetums was a very large, very heavy object, and resisted Danielle's every attempt to dislodge him.

"All right!" Danielle finally yelled, conceding defeat. "Okay, you can come! It's your own stupid hide!"

Sweetums, for all the world as if he could understand her words, yipped delightedly and gave her a huge lick from his extremely rough tongue. As Danielle spluttered and swiped at her face, Sweetums pulled back, looking supremely content.

"Okay," Danielle repeated after she had thoroughly scrubbed her face, "I guess Sweetums is coming. Now we just have to go and leave a message for Krista."

"Then we go," Annie said, and gloom overtook both of them once more.

The trip back to the healing ward was a silent one, even though Sweetums nudged the two girls occasionally, clearly unhappy with their melancholy air. When they arrived, they managed--barely--to convince Sweetums to wait outside, then went into the ward.

Inside, they found a stark contrast to their earlier arrival. The ward was completely deserted, the lights dimmed, and their footsteps echoed on the tiled floors and whitewashed walls.

"Hello?" Danielle called uncertainly. "Is anyone here?"

When after a moment no one responded, Annie added, "We need to leave a message for a friend of ours. . . . Is anyone here?"

"Annie? Danielle? Is that you?"

The two girls whirled to see Krista--a very pale, gaunt, and weak-looking Krista, but Krista nonetheless--standing in a nearby doorway, clutching the frame. She wore a hospital smock over her still singed pants and a white bandage was wrapped around her waist, but she looked remarkably alert and un-pained. With twin cries of astonishment and joy, they rushed her, and for a moment a sloppy mass hug took place.

"What are you doing out here?" Annie asked at last. "You should be in bed!"

"Funny thing about being in the freakin' Jedi Temple," Krista grinned at them. "They have some badass healers. I'm not completely healed, but I will be soon, and I'm pretty much fine. It's good stuff."

"That's amazing," Annie breathed, and Danielle merely gave a small, pained smile.

Krista beamed for a moment, then her expression turned serious. "So," she said, voice grim, "what the hell is going on? I don't remember anything that happened after my getting shot except Laura putting me down in some hallway and then flying back here. What happened? Where's Laura?"

Together, Annie and Danielle explained what had taken place while Krista was unconscious, filling in different parts of the story according to who knew what. As Krista listened, her expression grew ever darker, and when they reached their arrival at the healing ward she interrupted. "So what was it you came here to tell me?"

Annie and Danielle exchanged a look. "We came to say that we're going back to Atharca's to get Laura."

Krista nodded agreement. "Wait just a sec and I'll grab my stuff."

"What?" Danielle exclaimed, and Annie said, "Krista, no, you can't! You're still injured!"

Krista whirled back to face them, expression black. "Excuse me? Do you mean to tell me that you came to say you were leaving without me? That you don't want me to go? Screw that," she said succinctly. "Laura's my friend, too, and I'm going."

"But you're hurt!"

"I'm not hurt bad, and it doesn't matter." Krista's flat voice brooked no argument. "I'm going."

Danielle and Annie looked at each other again as Krista disappeared back into her room, then shrugged. "The more the merrier, I guess," Annie said morosely as Krista reappeared, her boots back on and the hospital smock replaced with her equally singed shirt.

Krista finished pulling her clothing together and looked at them both with determination. "Damn straight. Come on, let's gather us some Jedi and go."

Danielle closed her eyes as Annie sighed. "Krista, I'm afraid we have some . . . explaining to do."

On the way to the hangar bay, Annie outlined their current situation: the loss of Qui and Obi's trust, their imminent banishment from the Temple, and their blame in causing the war to begin early. When she'd finished, Krista was even paler than before and the determination in her eyes had been replaced by a haunted look.

"So we're screwed, then," she said. It wasn't a question, but Annie responded anyway. "Yeah, but we have to try."

"I know. That's why I'm going with you." In the dimly lit corridor outside the hangar bay, Krista flashed her a wan smile. "We're in this together, right?"

"Right," Danielle agreed. "And this time, no one gets left behind, no matter what. Deal?"

"Deal," the other two chorused their agreement, and Krista added, "Come on, let's go and kick some Sith ass."

Danielle selected the same speeder they'd used on their last excursion since it was so familiar to her, and the three girls and Nexu piled in silently. Not bothering to clear their departure, Danielle simply exited the Temple, flying directly toward Palpatine's. No word was spoken of their departure; security simply let them go without a fuss.

It seemed no one expected them to return.

Outside, it was ironically the brightest part of the day, the sun shining merrily overhead. Danielle by now knew the way to Palpatine's and they navigated the narrow streets in complete silence until they came to a stop on the floating property as far from the main gates as possible. Danielle switched the speeder off, and they sat there, silent.

"So," Annie said at last. "Anybody got a plan?"

"Go in, rescue Laura, kill Palpatine and Atharca, save the day," Krista volunteered.

Danielle hit her head on the steering wheel. "This is not going to work."

"We don't have lots of numbers, good fighting skills, a great weapon . . . any advantage at all, really," Annie said. "If surprise isn't going to work, nothing else will."

"So we're really going to just barge in and see what we can do?" When no one answer, Danielle shook her head morosely. "Well, let's get going, then."

All three girls remembered the path Laura had led them on to enter the mansion by stealth, and as one they crept around the edge of the perfectly manicured lawn and then in through the back door into the kitchen. Sweetums trailed after them, smart enough to keep low and silent as the three girls were, and putting up no fuss.

Inside the actual building, their collective memory was a little fuzzier, and so they simply took whatever hallways felt right, hoping against hope they'd find some clue as to where Laura might be kept captive. For what seemed like ages they wandered an endless trail of dimly lit back halls, emerging occasionally into a larger hall or room, at every moment expecting to be discovered and captured. It never occurred, however, and they didn't so much as encounter a living soul.

Finally, they realized they'd found no trace of Laura and had no idea where she was, but after such a long time of wandering around pointlessly, they had discovered something else: the house was completely deserted. Not even a stray droid could be seen anywhere, and the emptiness was nothing short of spooky.

"Where is everyone?" Krista finally asked, frustrated. "Are they all gone on holiday or something?"

Standing up straight from her stealthy crouch, Danielle pondered the question. "I guess Palpatine's sent them away because of the war," she said. "We just need to keep looking until we find her."

"No," Annie said suddenly, shaking her head. As the other two turned to look at her, she faced them with conviction. "Laura's not here, and neither is Palpatine. They wouldn't stay where they know someone might come to find them."

As Krista asked, "What makes you think that?" Danielle asked, "Where are they, then?"

Annie answered Danielle's question. "The building where Atharca had you," she said. "How far is it from here?"

Instantly Danielle understood. "You're right; of course they're there. To perform the ritual they need Atharca, and I don't think he'd come here." She shook her head, angry at her own failure to realize this sooner. "Come on, let's get out of here!"

Knowing the place to be deserted now, their exit was much more quick than their entrance. Just over an hour had elapsed as they searched the house for signs of inhabitant, so the sun was still bright overhead and traffic was thick as they left the wealthy neighborhood and Danielle struggled to remember how to get to Atharca's. Eventually, she flew back to the Temple and started from there, since that was the route she'd taken with Laura.

It was two hours later and the sun was lower in the sky when Danielle finally hit the brake, stopping them midair. "That," she said with conviction, pointing to a nearby skyscraper that from the outside appeared deserted. "That's it. See that scaffolding, there? That's where Laura parked when she came in to rescue me."

"Do you know how Laura got in without being noticed?" Annie asked.

Danielle frowned, brow furrowing as she tried to remember. "She said . . . she said something about a distraction. She had a friend, helping her, making sure they wouldn't notice her."

"Friend?" Krista asked. "Who?"

"She never said. I . . . I didn't get a chance to ask her again."

"One of us could do that," Annie said, swallowing.

"No." Danielle's voice was flat. "We're not leaving anyone behind, remember? That means no splitting up."

"All right." Annie pointed to the scaffolding. "We might as well park there, too; if it worked for Laura, it can't have been that bad of an idea."

They had no way of knowing if they were observed as Danielle settled the speeder onto the small, rickety platform and turned it off. "They probably saw that," Annie said, leaping out of the speeder, "so the best thing to do now is hurry.

Sweetums was the next out of the speeder, long tail lashing impatiently, and Krista and Danielle followed. They were now presented with a unique problem: how to actually get inside the building.

Their earlier exit, the window they'd shattered in their leap from the building, was no less than two stories overhead, and there were no other conveniently placed windows nearby. "How did Laura get in in the first place?" Annie asked, staring up at the window.

"Well, she's a Sith. I guess she just jumped," Danielle replied.

"Can you do that?"

Danielle fought her irritation. "No. I never learned it. I guess I could try, but I really don't want to mess up." She looked meaningfully over the scaffolding to the near-endless drop below.

"Don't worry," Krista said suddenly. "It's not a problem."

Annie frowned at her. "What do you mean, it's--ahhhh!" Her words dissolved into a shriek, quickly stifled, as she felt her booted feet lift from the scaffolding and rise into the air. Around her, Danielle, Krista, and Sweetums were also levitating, Danielle looking shocked and Sweetums thrashing and growling in obvious displeasure. Krista's eyes were closed and her face was screwed up in obvious effort, but their flight was smooth--the four rose into the air to the appropriate height and, with much less grace, Krista dumped them into the building, sending Sweetums tumbling and knocking Danielle's head against the ceiling.

"Ow!" Danielle exclaimed, rubbing her head as she picked herself up from the ground. "Krista, how did you do that?"

As the others stood up and shook themselves off, Krista remained where she had been, panting and clearly exhausted. "It's . . . my gift, whatever it is," she said, voice somewhat hoarse. "I float things and blast people. Very handy." Slowly, she got to her feet, and Annie leapt to help her. She could stand on her own, but all the blood had drained from her face and she was clutching her side where the blaster shot had hit her.

"Are you all right?" Danielle asked, worried, but Krista waved her off. "I'm fine," she wheezed. "Just . . . let's get moving, all right? We don't have much time before they come after us."

Danielle drew her lightsaber, and the other two girls drew their blasters. They were in the lair of the enemy now, and who knew what could come around the corner at any moment. Danielle's skin was already pricking at the possibility of encountering more of the awful faceless creatures Atharca had created.

"Where now?" Annie finally asked, breaking the silence.

Danielle paused, then realized in horror she had very little idea what the layout of this building was like. She'd only seen the route she'd taken to escape, and she couldn't imagine where out of all that Atharca might keep his prisoners. "I don't know," she said, horrified. "I'd call to Laura through the Force, like I did before, but Palpatine might hear me. He's a Sith, too."

"Shit," Krista said with feeling. "So you mean we just get to do like we did at Palpatine's house, wandering around opening doors until we stumble across her? That's never going to work!"

Behind them, Annie's brow knitted in concern. "Maybe we could--" Her voice cut off with a gasp, and the other two girls could only watch in shock as the clutched at her throat and staggered backward, eyes unfocused. Before they could recover enough to move to help her, Annie's eyes cleared, and she stood back upright, holding her head. "My God, that hurts. It's almost not worth it."

"What happened?" Danielle asked, shocked, but Krista already knew. "She had a premonition! Annie, what's going to happen?"

Still rubbing her head, Annie said, "God, I think that hurts more every time it happens. It's convenient, though. We're going to find Laura, that's what's going to happen. She's here, she's alive, she's all right! I saw her, and I know where she is. Come on!" she said, taking off at a sprint. The three others were left with no choice but to follow.

Annie clearly knew exactly where she was going; she cut through small, less-used halls and bounded up ancient emergency staircases with a cool efficiency, the others scrambling to keep up. At last they emerged into a small but clearly well-trafficked hallway--and stopped dead at the sight of three figures already standing there.

They all skidded to a stop, shocked. Danielle muffled a small scream, Annie gasped, and Krista almost retched at the sight before them: three of the faceless wraiths, clearly on patrol duty of some kind, turned and regarded them from eyeless faces. Behind them, Sweetums whined in obvious distress, shrinking away from the monstrosities and trying to escape.

"I didn't see this happening!" Annie exclaimed, still horrified, as Krista hissed, "Danielle, what the hell are those?"

"Wraiths--people whose souls Atharca's eaten," Danielle said. "But they can morph into anyone they want--warriors, whatever."

"They're leaving," Annie observed in astonishment, for surely enough after their initial moment of surprise the wraiths had turned to scurry away in the opposite direction.

"They're going to call for help! Stop them!" Danielle yelled.

To their credit, the two girls hesitated only a moment before raising their guns. At this close range, there was no chance of missing; their first two shots took down the two nearest wraiths, and they slumped to the floor, motionless except for the restoration of their features.

The other, too quick, dodged their shots, already morphing as it did. When it sprang to its feet again a huge, heavily muscled man faced them, raising a sort of stun-stick with deadly efficiency.

Danielle threw herself forward, ignited lightsaber held aloft, and swung at the behemoth. He dodged, almost effortlessly, and as Danielle danced back to try another lunge he brought the stun stick around in a powerful blow Danielle barely ducked. The next one she instinctively caught on her lightsaber, and the metal parted beneath the glowing laser, the top half tumbling away and the bottom continuing uninhibited to strike Danielle on the arm. As she screamed in pain, staggering back, the giant moved in for the kill . . .

. . . and suddenly stopped, eyes wide, before slumping gracelessly to the floor, expression vacant, two smoldering holes in his chest. Annie and Krista both lowered their guns as Danielle slowly got back to her feet, wincing a little. "Thank you," she said quietly, and they nodded.

Krista finally broke the silence, saying, "There's no way they didn't hear that; now they must know we're here. Annie?"

Annie blinked, but recovered quickly. "Right--this way," she said, and they took off once more. Sweetums, who had slunk nearly to the opposite end of the hall in his terror, bounded to catch up with them as Annie led them around the corner and into another well-lit hallway.

Two halls later, they'd encountered no one else, and Annie finally stopped in front of an innocuous white door. "In there!" she directed, pointing, and Danielle did not hesitate. Knowing the door would be locked, she drew her lightsaber in a slicing motion along the edge of the door, cutting through the locks so that it swung open under her touch. The three girls leapt inside, Sweetums following them into the rather spacious room.

The girls stopped short at what they saw within, for few yards beyond the door the right corner of the room formed a sort of glowing cage of energy. Lines of power like the bars of a jail cell shimmered from floor to ceiling, both beautiful and deadly. In the enclosed space between the lasers and the wall sat Laura.

In the initial moment of surprise, they had a chance to see her clearly. Outwardly, she seemed unharmed, sitting easily on the hard metal floor and gazing up at them. On closer examination, small details began to be discernible. Heavy black circles weighted her eyes, and her lips were scabbed in a way that meant they'd been bleeding very heavily recently. Her palms and fingers were crisscrossed with long, thin burn lines--rather like she'd tried to touch the lasers of her confinement and come off the worse for it. Worse of all, though, a strange scent rather like charred meat hung in the air, and in her clothing they could discern thousands of tiny pinpricks where Dark energy had been pumped into her.

At first, none of them spoke; then, unmoving, Laura said stupidly, "It's . . . it's you." She goggled at them. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"We're rescuing you," Annie said, and Krista added, "That is what friends do, after all."

Laura's shock was instantly gone. "You're WHAT?!" Laura leapt to her feet, and though she was clearly exhausted and weak, her eyes blazed with anger. "You freaking idiots! You--you came back! Here, no less!"

"Of course," Danielle said, shocked at Laura's display. "We thought--"

"You thought what? That you'd come and just make Atharca's day? I sacrificed myself--very nobly, I might add--so that you could escape, and now you all just come back again, like . . . like bloody boomerangs!"

All three stared at her, too astonished to speak.

"Don't you see?" Laura screamed. "It's a trap--he kept me alive to lure you back here so he could perform the ritual--I just never thought you'd be STUPID enough to fall for it! Don't you understand me? IT'S A TRAP! HE'S WAITING FOR YOU!"

Danielle snapped her lightsaber up and whirled to face the doorway as Krista and Annie stepped back in shock. "What?" Annie gasped dumbly.

"What's not to understand? Get the hell out of here, NOW!"

"But what about you?" Krista demanded.

Laura beat her hands against the lasers, forgetting that this would cause them to brand new lines into her flesh. "It's too late for me! That's the choice I made, and you know it! But you still have a chance, if you JUST LEAVE NOW!"

"I'm afraid," a rich voice said from the hall, "that it's rather too late for that, my dears."

Krista and Annie jumped back, whipping up their guns, and Danielle, desperately hoping the element of surprise might aid her, lunged with lightsaber extended. Atharca made a simple gesture and Danielle screamed in pain, dropping her lightsaber and falling to her knees to clutch vainly at her stomach. Another gesture and the lightsaber, along with Krista and Annie's blasters, zoomed behind him into the hall as they fumbled for them.

With a gargantuan roar, Sweetums sprang from the shadows, leaping straight at Atharca with claws extended. For the briefest of moments the little old man's widened in what might have been fear--then, another gesture, and Sweetums checked mid-leap to fall in a motionless heap to the floor.

In less than ten seconds, they were defeated.

Behind them, in the cell, Laura moaned, "Noooo," and sank to her knees, all hope leaving her. Danielle, still doubled over in pain, whispered, "Sweetums!" Extending a hand, she tried to crawl toward him, only to collapse on the floor, wracked with agony from some unknown inner source.

"So," Atharca said cheerfully, surveying his handiwork. "I must admit this is a pleasant surprise. I hadn't looked forward to hunting you down and ferreting you out of the Temple under the nose of all those Jedi, but here you are, right where I wanted you! Thank you so much for all your help, dears!"

As Annie glared at him with utter hatred, Krista told him firmly what he could do to himself. Atharca threw his head back, laughing. "My, my," he said, wiping a tear of mirth from the corner of his eye, "you're a feisty one, aren't you?"

"They all," another voice from the hallway intoned, "are formidable in their own right. You would be best not to underestimate any of them."

As Krista hissed in hatred, Palpatine stepped into the room, surveying the scene coldly. "Excellent. I believe we may now proceed with our plans."

"Indeed." Atharca beamed at all of them. "I see no sense in waiting, or even in putting them in cells. They have an irritating penchant for escape or being rescued. The room is all prepared; I believe we should just begin the ritual immediately."

"I have no problem with that," Palpatine said, nodding his head in deference. "Although," he added, turning to look at the occupant of the energy cage, "I would enjoy a chance to . . . play with them a little more first."

Atharca pondered this. "I can only sacrifice them one at a time. You may amuse yourself as you like with the others while I work on each."

In the cage, Laura pulled herself to her feet again, and there was rage like Annie and Krista had never seen in her eyes. "I'll see you in hell for this," she promised, voice low and shaking with emotion. "The both of you. I swear it."

"That would be more intimidating, perhaps, in other circumstances," Atharca informed her, the light gleaming on his spectacles. "Although you in particular have proved to be quite a nuisance."

"She has been more than a nuisance; she is a traitor and a deceiving wretch who has personally offended me," Palpatine said, walking to the cage and eyeing Laura with equal loathing. "And for that, my dear, you will be the last to go. You will get to watch as we slaughter all your little friends, one by one, until it's your turn. And then," he gave a horrible, soulless smile, "we will rule all."

"Yes, yes," Atharca said pleasantly. "No sense talking about it instead of doing it, though, is there? We mustn't waste any more time." He beckoned, and into the room came six wraiths, all bowing deferentially.

He and Palpatine looked at them one more time, mockingly--Krista clutching her wounded side as Annie fought to help keep her upright, Danielle motionless on the floor from Atharca's attack, Laura battered nearly senseless within the cell--then turned to his wraiths. "Bring them to the sacrifice chamber. We will begin the ritual shortly."