Chapter 8: Clear Paths

Obi-Wan was back at the Galactic Museum, this time with Garen in tow. The pair were outside the room the housed the Jedi exhibit, Garen leaning casually against the wall, Obi-Wan pacing the hallway and nervously wringing his hands.

"Obi-Wan, will you please stop? You're giving me a headache."

Before Obi-Wan could respond, Kaight's voice added, "No kidding, Kenobi. You look like you're awaiting your execution."

The retort brought Obi-Wan up short and he let out a breath he had no idea he was holding. "Kaight! Hi! Um, this is Garen. Garen, this is Kaight."

Garen pushed off the wall and bowed low before the Twi'lek. As he arose, he and Kaight locked gazes. Obi-Wan could see...something...pass between them. Garen turned back to Obi-Wan and smiled. "Shall we, then?"

Obi-Wan stood and watched as Kaight took Garen's proffered arm and raised a brow as the two led the way into the exhibit.

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Obi-Wan rested against the balustrade, looking out over the main gallery of the Museum. He could see Garen and Kaight below laughing and talking. The ease with which they had befriended each other was unexpected and left Obi-Wan more confused than when he had started.

He watched the couple for a few more minutes before he spun around, prompted by the Force. There stood the slavers, each with a murderous glint in his eye. The two humans and three Gamorreans hemmed Obi-Wan in. The passing crowd didn't seem to take any interest in the young Jedi's plight.

"Where is she, Jedi?" the leader said with a sneer.

"I have no idea who you're talking about," the Padawan replied. Easy now, can't give anything away... he admonished himself as he sent a warning to Garen through the Force.

The leader stepped forward and fingered his holstered blaster. "You know very well who, youngling. And we want her back."

Obi-Wan glanced at the group, looking for a way out. He was about to commit himself to jumping over them when one of the Gamorreans shifted, giving Obi-Wan an opening.

"No," he said, smiling as confidence filled him.

With a growl, the slaver drew his blaster and fired. Obi-Wan dodged the bolt and tucked into a roll. He slipped through the opening between the Gamorrean guards and gained his feet behind them. The group turned with a collective howl and began shooting at Obi-Wan again. The screams of the patrons were drowned out by the blaster fire and the roar of the Force in Obi-Wan's ears, as he drew his lightsabre and deflected the bolts, protecting the crowd.

Slowly, he drew the slavers after him, heading for the door to an empty wing. Twice, he almost cornered himself, Force-jumping, or dodging at the last minute to get on the other side of the slavers to try again.

Suddenly, the doorway loomed behind him. Obi-Wan had no idea how he was going to proceed, when all of a sudden Kaight and Garen were at his side.

"There she is, boss!" one of the others said.

"I can see her, stupid! Get her!"

Both Obi-Wan and Garen took the offensive, as Kaight pulled out a holdout blaster and began firing at the slavers. The Jedi and the Twi'lek lured the slavers into the empty wing. Obi-Wan and Garen shared a look before they both reached out and Force-pulled blasters out of hands.

Kaight blasted as many as she could, each dropping, stunned, to the ground as the Museum's Security Force rushed in to take over.