Chapter 7
Salah had luckily found Jyo just outside the Jome, sitting on the ground, leaning against it. She had explained everything that had just happened, and that he needed to contact Zeek immediately.
Without any hesitation or questioning anything Salah had just said, Jyo got Zeek on his combomb and re-relayed the message. He found that Zeek was en route to the Naboo Cruiser as they spoke and would be extra alert for any signs or hints of Cordell.
"I wish I could be there to help you." Jyo said into his combomb. "Be careful and may the Force be with you."
Thanks Jyo. Zeek responded. Zeek out.
"I just don't understand." Yibin walked quickly through their communications building, followed closely by Din Holnt. "He's done nothing but help us."
"I'm not saying this Dax person has any evil intentions in mind." Din responded. "But he is still unauthorized … and unknown for that matter."
"Oh dear, oh dear." Yibin rubbed his hands together nervously.
They entered a room filled with electronic equipment that Din guessed to be the control room. Yibin sat down at one console and flipped a few switches. He then said into the speaker, "Connect me to Particle City immediately, private line."
Yes, sir.
The line stayed open for minutes that seemed like hours. Finally there was a response.
I'm sorry, sir. But the party you are trying to reach doesn't appear to be answering.
"What do you mean? Where is Master Dax?"
Yibin? Is that you?
"Yes, Rolind. But there's no time for pleasantries now. I need to speak with Master Dax immediately! It's urgent!"
Sorry, Yibin. But Master Dax is already aboard his ship.
"What?"
Didn't you hear? He announced his departure earlier today.
"The news didn't make it to me, Rolind."
Sorry again, Yibin. But he's already been cleared for immediate take-off. He just hasn't left yet. It's like he's waiting for something.
Din reached over Yibin with his long arms and broke the connection.
"What'd you do that for?" Yibin protested.
"There's obviously no time to talk, especially when it won't do any good. Now, I need a ship and directions to Particle City."
There! Zeek exclaimed to himself. For the past several minutes, as the ship he had gotten a ride on neared the spaceport where he and Din had landed, Zeek had been searching vigilantly for Cordell's presence. Finally, he had broken through his friend's dark camouflage.
"Sir, if you could land about a mile or so outside the spaceport, I'd like to take the speeder the rest of the way in."
The pilot of the freighter nodded, a little unsure.
"Let me know when we are landing." Zeek said as he left the cockpit and moved toward the hold where the speeder was parked. He got inside and closed his eyes, beginning a calming exercise. He had to prepare for the fight ahead. It was going to take all of his strength just to survive.
Din shot over miles of Duro wasteland in the ship he had appropriated from Sand Grain City. He pushed the speedy little ship's capabilities to the max. I have to get to Particle City before Dax gets away and disappears. He's got a lot to answer for, and I've got a lot of questions.
Zeek was jolted out of his calming exercise when the freighter set down outside the settlement with a spaceport. The hold door opened like a giant mouth, and Zeek fired up the speeder's engines and zoomed out of the freighter's belly. As he passed the front of the ship, Zeek sent a suggestion to the pilot that he should head back to Sand Grain City; that his work was done.
To his relief, the pilot took the bait and soon was just a speck in the distance. Zeek smiled to himself. Now there's no reason for me to hold back. It's just Cordell and me this time.
Zeek had sensed long before he had arrived, that the spaceport was now like so many other settlements on Duro … empty. Thank you, Denz. He must have evacuated it for just this purpose.
Cordell leapt from the A-Wing to the ground. He could have sworn that Denz was here. But now he knew that this town was completely empty. Except for, he noticed, the Naboo Cruiser still sitting in the spaceport. Then he felt it; another familiar presence. Zeek.
Zeek saw him. He was just standing there in the middle of town. Like he's waiting for me. Zeek throttled up the speeder, and as he entered the outskirts he set it on autopilot. He then leaped out of the speeder, sending it careening straight for Cordell.
Cordell chuckled to himself and did not move. When the speeder was within a few feet from Cordell, he whipped his lightsaber out and activated the acid-yellow blade. He held it vertically in front of him, and it sliced through the old, beat up speeder like a knife through butter. The two halves flew off in opposite directions: one crashing into a building, and one exploding in mid-flight.
Cordell deactivated his lightsaber and slid it back into his shoulder holster. All the time this was happening, Zeek had been walking steadily toward him. Cordell just stood there, letting Zeek come to him.
When Zeek came within five feet of Cordell, he stopped. The two friends merely looked at each other for several long moments. Finally, Zeek broke the silence.
"Stop this, Cordell!"
"Stop what, Zeek?"
"Don't give me that! I know all about what happened back on Jedron. How you seriously injured your friends and possibly killed one!"
"And would you like to know how I did it, Zeek?"
"What!"
"I never would have been able to do all those things in my previous state."
"You mean when you didn't go around attacking people for no reason?"
Cordell scowled at the retort. "I mean when I couldn't do THIS!" He gestured at the half of the speeder embedded in a building. It tore up the building as it rose and shot into the sky. The building collapsed, and the speeder landed somewhere behind Zeek.
"You …"
"Yes! I can do all the things you can do and more." Cordell laughed out loud. "And it was so easy, too! All I had to do was give in to the feelings of hate and contempt I had buried within me for so long."
Zeek's expression saddened at this. "Contempt for whom?"
Cordell stopped laughing and looked piercingly at Zeek. "Are you blind, man! You with your Force abilities; Jyo with his intelligence and great knowledge of Jedi history; and … DENZ." He said Zeek's brother's name with such passion, that it seemed like the name itself burned Cordell's lips.
"What did my brother ever do to you?"
"Oh, it's not what he's done to me. It's what he's done for me!"
"O.K., you lost me."
Cordell growled with frustration, like just thinking about it fueled his anger. "Every time I struggled, every time I made a mistake, every time I failed … DENZ WAS THERE TO HELP ME, CORRECT ME, AND ENCOURAGE ME! And I loathe him for that.
"He made me feel inferior! WELL, NO MORE! I WILL DEFEAT HIM! I WILL PROVE THAT I AM SUPERIOR! Even if I have to go through everyone in the entire universe to do so."
Zeek knew that the conversation was over. He could see in Cordell's eyes that he meant every word with all of his being. Zeek knew that Cordell's wishes were completely and utterly selfish; but there would be no explaining that to him.
"Prepare yourself, Zeek." Then he added, "Brother of Denz."
There! Cordell's attention is turned elsewhere. I must go quickly and quietly, but I swear that one day, things will be right between us again, Cordell. It's either that or I'll have to destroy you.
Din saw it. A Jedi Starfighter departing from Particle City. Hey! There's something you don't see every day. I'd bet anything that's the mystery Jedi's ship … wait a minute! Din suddenly remembered something Master Skywalker had told him.
"The boy you'll be taking on as an apprentice has a brother that went missing quite recently." Luke had said. "We're almost positive he made his disappearance in a Jedi Starfighter. But despite the rarity of such ships, we have yet to get any reports on it."
Denz? Dax? The same person? It has to be! But how…? Din shook his head to help him focus. He would worry about that later. Right now, he needed to focus completely on catching that Jedi Starfighter.
Din tried hailing the ship via radio but got no response. And unfortunately the Jedi Starfighter was a lot faster that the ship he had borrowed. Thus, it was able to make it to space relatively quick.
Din hoped to catch him before he was able to plot a hyperspace course, but his hopes sank when the Jedi Starfighter disappeared into the distance in a split second.
This guy planned ahead! Even to the point of pre-programming a hyperspace jump into his navicomputer. Din struck the console with his fist and noticed the comlink on his wrist. It was still flashing yellow, indicating that the message that had been transmitted earlier still had not been accessed.
Zeek had to have gotten to the ship by now! Something must have gone wrong. Din immediately turned his ship around and set a course for the spaceport where they had landed.
Cordell was reaching for his lightsaber, when Zeek got an idea. Perhaps he could make this a little less lethal, while still distracting him. "Hey, Cordell! You said you wanted to prove yourself, right? Well then, how about we do this without lightsabers?"
"A battle based on Force knowledge and ability?" Cordell smiled as he returned his hand to his side. "You're on!"
Zeek tossed his outer cloak to the side and readied himself. Before the cloak even hit the ground, Cordell's face was only inches from his. Zeek had not even sensed him moving and was too surprised to react quick enough.
Cordell grabbed Zeek by the collar and threw him like a baseball, over his head. Zeek righted himself in the air and landed on his feet, sliding a couple yards backward in the dirt.
This time he knew Cordell was coming. He planted himself and took a step forward, bringing his arm up perpendicular to his body just in time to catch Cordell across neck. Zeek's clothesline took Cordell's feet out from under him and dropped him to the ground.
Zeek did not waste any time as he spun quickly around to gain momentum then kicked Cordell squarely in the side, punting him into a building several feet away.
Cordell crashed through the outer wall of the poorly constructed building, cushioning the impact with the Force. He leapt out from the darkness of the building and aimed a kick at Zeek's head.
Zeek's hands came up and grabbed Cordell's foot. He tossed Cordell into the air then leapt after him. Zeek used his upward momentum to grab Cordell's arm, swing him 360 degrees in mid air, and slingshot him back toward the ground.
Cordell struck the ground hard enough to leave an imprint, but got up to face Zeek only a moment later. His face was scratched and dirty, and his shirt was torn, but still he looked like he only just started.
"I see you were holding back last time we fought." Cordell said.
Zeek nodded. "I can tell that you've improved as well. You're reactions are quicker and more instinctive."
"Not as easy as you thought it would be is it?"
"The dark side is fueling you. Fighting the dark side had never been easy for Jedi."
"Enough talk!"
It's working! Cordell has completely forgotten about pursuing Denz. Zeek hoped he had gotten away all right. May the Force be with you, brother.