The Book of News
"I cannot just leave," Padmé said as she pulled away from Bail Organa's grip. Retreating a few steps, she twisted to face Bali's worried face. "I cannot leave now." She tugged at her green cloak seeking warmth. Duty was a great thing but so was love. The next desirable candidate could replace senators in public arenas but loved ones could not be. She could not bring herself to leave without Anakin.
Bali cautiously took a few steps toward her. "But senator—"
"My husband is still here."
"He is a servant of Palpatine," the Alderaan delegate said quickly. "Your husband is a ranking officer in the Republican Army, the one that is now laying siege to galactic center."
Padmé understood this, at least she tried but no matter what he was her husband. She looked to the handsome older senator hoping he would understand. "Anakin may be many things, but I do not believe he would support the mass murder of innocents. He is on the inside. He can help." That was what her heart told her. She was about to say more but a loud crackling sound and small explosion drew her to silence.
Within an instant, Bali was next to her and she was grateful for his protection. All around them conduits exploded from a power surge. "What is happening?" she cried out as the lighting around the diner rained down a shower of sparks and Bali shielded her with his billowing cloak.
"They are cutting into the utilities," Bali Organa called out over sound that was quickly followed by an eerie silence. The only noise that remained was that of air traffic.
Dexter stomped back out the kitchen door of now his darkened diner to where the three were standing. Padmé noted the briefly sorrowful look he offered Bali before speaking. "Before the lights went out, they took out the free networks. Palpatine's got some sort of repeating message telling all worlds to stand down because the Republican Army is there for their protection. He's also placed a bounty on all Jedi."
With Bali's silence, Padmé turned to see the shocked youth staring at the four-armed creature. Her gaze turned upward and watched as troop carriers crossed the blue and murky gray sky above. Most civilian transports were still, fearful of being shot down as so many around the Senate Complex had been.
The Alderaani's voice drew her attention back. "If this is Republican Army protection, I would choose to fight," Bail Organa said.
"Seems many share you sentiment, Senator," Dex replied, chewing on his cigar stump and using one of his lower arms to scratch his backside. "Just before the Holonet was down and turned into the Imperial Network, they reported the Mon Cal navy had engage a destroyer group and the Forthian Navy is blockading the Kenaar Straits, keeping Palpatine's fleet trapped Mid Rim. Even the Itherians are exchanging fire with Palpatine's might."
"They are just openly going into battle?" Padmé asked.
"They are fighting an invading army," Dex growled allowing his gaze to return to the silent padawan.
"But—"
Bail Organa shook his head slowly and placed a hand on Padmé's shoulder, "The Republican Army has marched on Coruscant, no military has done that since the forming of the Republic. It is an act of war."
Seeming to suddenly snap out of his daze, Bali grasped Padmé's cloaked arm. "It is not safe here. You know this. If you will not do this for yourself, do it for your children. This not just your life at stake."
She could see the pain and loss in his eyes and yet, she knew he was speaking the truth. He was protecting her.
In the stresses of the day, the thought had slipped from her, forgetting that she was changing. Forgetting that—
"Children," she asked softly but it was not only her voice that echoed the word but that of Anakin Skywalker's.
Before the young senator knew what was happening she had been pushed back and Bali with his glowing green lightsaber stood defensively facing her husband bearing a red blade.
The Book of Loss
Bant raced over the upper level walkway toward the training section of the temple. Frustration rose in her as she was continuously hampered in her journey. Liril needed her but she kept stopping to help the older, younger and wounded toward the shelter of the ancient Bendu Temple. All the Mon Calamari healer wanted was to quickly get to her padawan, she could feel Liril's pain but little else. Her Force senses were nearly blinded by the powerful emotions filtering through the Force including her own.
Yet, when the little tug on the Force came, she could not ignore it even though a part of her screamed to keep running toward Liril. The healer—the Jedi—in her demanded that she respond.
Breaking off from her journey toward her wounded padawan, Bant raced down a spiraling ramp that was crumbling with every step. Bounding off the structure, she landed easily and sprinted through the corridor toward the grand walkway that separated two of the learning centers deep within the temple.
She quickly approached the gently arching walkway to discover Master Na'tho standing calmly in the center with a small youngling close by. The formerly strong structure wavered dangerously, twisting and struggling to remain in position just a little longer. The strain was heavy on his features and just beyond him stood a youngling looking worriedly at the elder master.
"Master!" Bant called out but careful not to startle him too much.
"Take Mian," the initiate supervisor grunted. "Hurry."
Without pausing to think, Bant obeyed. Racing over the shattered walkway and feeling the stones shift wildly underfoot, she remained focused on the goal. Scooping up the little boy as the walkway began to crumble under her feet, Bant rushed toward the safe platform where the rest of the younglings had gathered.
Calling on the Force, she boosted her steps and bounded the last few meters as the path under her feet collapsed. Mian howled in terror in her ear but all she was aware of was making it to the safe landing.
"Don't look!" she called out the instant she crashed into the landing. She tried to protect the small eyes, tried to herd them away but she knew they had seen Na'tho fall.
The Book of Weariness
Every footfall grew a little heavier, but Obi-Wan refused to be slowed by his faltering strength. He continued his journey up the sloping roof of the Senate Complex. Too much depended on him. Too many lives were at stake.
Bali.
Cold winds whipped at the Jedi as if trying to toss him over the edge to certain doom but still he continued forward. Tugging as his cloak, he tried desperately to hold in the warmth. The stench of devastation and the thick dust in the air pelted him, clogging his senses.
Even thought his other senses were overwhelmed, the Force remained clear and welcoming of all the pain writhing through the eternal energy source. Obi-Wan knew he had to expose himself to it. He needed to aid of the Force to help him because he could not do this alone.
So he would suffer through his open senses.
Spying one of the many maintenance hatches that dotted the roof, Obi-Wan raced across the dark gray surface to the door. Kneeling before it, the Jedi paused, raising his face to the dust clouded sky. Apparently his surviving of the speeder bike explosion had yet to be detected. He also knew that ruse would be lost the instant he opened the hatch door.
Allowing his thoughts to surround the door, he gently probed the circuitry that made up the security system. The breach would trigger an alarm. Reaching a little farther through the Force, he sensed a power source not too far away. If he could shut that section of the structure down it would buy him a little more time.
Chilled fingers brushed over the cold metal surface seeking the lines of the hatch door. Grasping the manual lever, he pulled it up and turned it until a loud hiss escaped through the newly broken seal. Aching muscles raised the door and the Jedi slipped through careful to quickly seal the door again hoping to slow anyone following him.
Racing through the narrow maintenance corridor, the Jedi honed in on the nearest power source. A juncture box for that area of the complex. Blue flashed in the dim lighting and with a few short cuts bright sparks flew and then only the lightsaber blade remained aglow.
Obi-Wan did not know how much of the building's power he took out, probably little and generators were already stirring. Taking the moment of remaining anonymity, the ginger haired Jedi raced through the darkened passage.
Just before reaching the maintenance corridor's exit into a hall, the Jedi paused, deactivating his weapon he gripped the walls for support. A cold sweat beaded his forehead as his strength wavered. Slowly sinking to his knees, Obi-Wan drew the Force close to him seeking its healing energies.
Allowing his eyes to slip closed Obi-Wan slipped into a very light meditation. He knew he needed a deep healing trance but he did not have the time. The longer he waited the more that would die. He had to get to Palpatine.
Breathing deeply, he gathered the Force to him, hoping it would buffer him long enough to do what had to be done.
The Book of Maddening Decisions
Red blazed through the air striking violently against the emerald green of Bali's lightsaber as the apprentice shifted quickly to better defend against the swift attack. For defend was all he could do and not very well against the Anakin Skywalker.
The padawan kept shifting kept putting himself between Padmé and her husband. He dared not take his gaze from red blade but managed to call out to the two politicians and diner owner. "Dex! Get them out of here!" the panic high in his voice.
A sharp cry escaped Bali as fire ripped into his right upper arm. Sloppily he blocked the next blow and was almost knocked from his feet by the power of Anakin's strikes.
"Anakin! No!" Padmé screamed.
The captain turned toward his wife and in that moment of distraction, Bali swung out. The green tip of his saber lashing out and nicking the back of Anakin's calf. Just as Anakin howled and turned to strike the padawan down, Bali dived out of the way, twisting as he moved. The heel of his boot firmly connected with the saber wound. Rolling to his feet, the apprentice struck out again this time sending Anakin on an awkward retreat as he tried to protect his wounded leg.
Bali had fully expected Anakin to make quick work of him but the former Jedi padawan was out of practice but still better than average. Moving again, he placed himself between Padmé and Anakin, the pain in his own arm made it difficult to keep his focus.
Anakin twisted about. Rage and agony cruelly sharpened his handsome features highlighted by the red splash of light. "Step away from my wife," he growled.
Bringing his weapon up defensively, Bali replied. "I will not let you arrest her."
"Why would I do that?" Anakin asked allowing surprise to soften his features.
"Anakin?" Padmé asked softly but made no move to go to him. Horror painted her face. Her brown eyes shifted, allowing the red of the Sith lightsaber to glow in them. Then she pressed a hand to Bali's shoulder just above the lightsaber wound her husband had inflicted. Her gaze remained glued to the red blade in her husband's possession.
Just like the one that the Sith monsters carried.
"I thought you would be aiding Palpatine."
"I came to save you."
"As you can see I am in good hands," she replied making sure to keep her hand on Bali's shoulder. She did not know what was happening but knew that Anakin would not hurt the Jedi if she were so close.
Anakin stepped forward but Bali rebuffed him with a slight warning with the lightsaber forcing Anakin to retreat a few steps. The captain glared at Bali.
"His Excellency said you had been kidnapped by the Jedi."
"Kidnapped? Saved." Fire burned in Padmé's dark brown eyes as she stepped from Bali's protection. "His Excellency and his army has arrested or murdered the whole of the Senate, their staff and anyone else unfortunate to be there." Staring into the eyes of her husband that she had often searched, she sought the familiarity of the man she loved. "Tell me you are not part of that."
"They were traitors and deserved to be punished."
"What about me?" She noted Bali shifting slightly.
"They tried to arrest me too. If it had not been for Jedi Tiro or his master I would more likely be laying on the floor of some corridor with a blaster wound smoldering in my back. Palpatine called an army into Coruscant to seal his power after the vote of no confidence. Tell me you can't be so blind."
"He is protecting—"
"By crushing the freedoms and liberties of the citizens of the Republic?" She was almost screaming. Her heart wished that he told her that he was not the enemy. But in truth, she all ready knew the answer.
"The Republic needs a strong leader," Anakin said as he firmed his grip on the lightsaber hilt.
And Padmé's heart broke.
Dexter Jettster ambled close to the senator and padawan. "Gunships are moving in to blockade the planet, if you want out, you need to go now."
"Padmé," Bail Organa said moving toward the silent young woman.
"Senator Amidala," Bali said softly grasping Padmé's arm.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. Looking to Bali's pained, but worried face, she whispered, "He will kill you if you try to take me away." She twisted slightly to face the tall senator from Alderaan. "You still have the trust and loyalty of the Republic. They will listen to you."
"Padmé," the Alderaani whispered.
Again the young woman reached out to Bali. "Get Senator Organa to safety." Straightening, Padmé offered a weary smile but managed to hold her head up high.
"My husband has great faith in his newly crowned Emperor Palpatine. If he thinks I will be safe under this dictatorship, then I will." Striding passed Bali and the protection of his green lightsaber the Naboo senator walked the short distance to her husband's arm.
The hum of the red blade sickened her, as it had been the weapon of several assassination attempts but she did her best to mask the fear rising up in her. Meeting her husband's bright blue eyes, she announced. "Return me to your master." With that, she surrendered herself to Anakin.
Anakin smiled, showing his relief before turning to the still prepared Bali. "Stand down your weapon. She has chosen her husband."
Bali did not respond.
"Padmé," Senator Organa said softly. "Are you certain—"
"Yes," Padmé replied leaning into her husband. She could see the shock in the other's eyes but knew this was what she had to do. Briefly closing her own, she exhaled deeply wishing desperately that Anakin would deactivate his evil weapon.
"I am certain that my husband, Anakin, will take care of me and the children. After all, I am the wife of the captain of the Praetorian Guard, the chancellor's—no Emperor's—private assassination squad. That should excuse my actions. Anakin will protect me from accusations of conspiring to remove Palpatine from office. For conspiring against the Republic." Leaning into her husband, she noted he had grown tenser. Her calm gaze rose to his emotionless face.
Anakin would not meet her look.
The Book of Help
Moving silently through the empty corridors, Obi-Wan sought one of the entranceways that would lead him up to the level where Palpatine's office was. All of the public access to that level had been shut down by hulking white armored figures carrying blaster rifles.
The thought of the new face of the Republican Army made the Jedi feel ill inside imagining nothing more than mindless, faceless soldiers carrying out mass slaughter at a single command.
Not willing to risk getting caught in a confined area such as a lift, the Jedi slowly approached the protective doors that lead to an emergency staircase that would take him to Palpatine's office.
At the sight of the Senate Guard's red robes, Obi-Wan retreated back to a small lounge a few doors away. Inside, the Jedi pressed himself to the wall and slid to the floor so furniture would immediately disguise his presence from any visual security checks.
Pressing his sweat dampened head back against the wall, Obi-Wan gave a withering sigh as his body shuddered and ached from the misery brought on it by his need to keep going.
He knew it was a mistake to draw on the Force to aid him so because if there was another Force sensitive present they would be aware of him. Although he doubted his proposed attack was a secret, especially considering the amount of guards patrolling the senate corridors. Or that the man who orchestrated the siege would be so blind to think no one will come for him. In the end, Obi-Wan knew he needed the strength found in the ever flowing energies of the Force and was willing to take that risk of exposing himself.
Returning to his last mental picture of the gateway to the staircase and a light Force probe, the Jedi determined there were five guards, which were too many for him to fight. Closing his eyes, he fought back another sigh as his mind raced over potential plans.
A warbled beep sounded behind him and Obi-Wan turned sharply to defend against…Warbler. The tiny, battered droid hovered about eye level with the Jedi and whistled.
"Hush," Obi-Wan said, gently reaching out and snatching the droid from the air. A series of indignant beeps called out but the Jedi muffled the sounds. "You want to give us away?"
Warbler remained silent.
Worried blue eyes studied the little droid and he wondered why Bali had abandoned Warbler.
"Bali is safe," Obi-Wan whispered, hoping the tiny terror would understand. "He is far from here, but I need your help to make sure he stays that way."
A very soft, questioning chirrup sounded.
The Book of Realization
Mace Windu stopped and silently stared out through a dust hazed, gaping wound in the side of the temple. Bright orange blasts flashed at the edges as Republican Army cruisers hovered about intent on destroying everything.
With a powder-covered sleeve, he reached up and tried to wash the blood and dust from his face but the action was futile. There was just too much.
The Jedi's attackers had cut so deep into the temple, destroying so much that soon all that would remain would be the Bendu Temple. Soon, even that would not provide safety for the survivors.
"They are killing us," he whispered as the low rumble of another collapsing wall shook the foundation.
The Book of Surprise
Anakin pulled away from Padmé and stared at her. "Riané is dead," he said without question or inflection.
"She played her part well," the young senator replied.
In that moment of Anakin's confusion, Bali reached out and carefully pulled Padmé beyond the reach of the red lightsaber. "We must go," he whispered. His duty was to protect her.
He would obey.
Padmé looked to him sadly and allowed the apprentice to guide her away from Anakin. Tears glistened on her cheeks and Bali could see that her heart was hurting. When she paused, Bali urged her on. "Think of your children."
The understanding reflected in her eyes when she nodded.
"Get your hands off my wife!" Anakin barked as the red blade flashed driving a wedge between the young Jedi and senator.
Even though his heart raced, Bali acted as he had been taught. Moving as swiftly as the wind, the padawan twisted about placing himself between Padmé and Anakin. His green saber ground against the red. The ache in his arm made blocking difficult.
"Bali, don't!" Padmé begged.
"I will not leave you to this Sith!" the apprentice returned, striking and blocking against Anakin as he drove Padmé back toward Bail Organa and Dexter. "Take her and go!" Bali called moving quickly to head Anakin's approach off. "You will not harm her." He was scared to death but hid it under a mask of serenity.
Anakin growled lashing out. Sabers clashed but Bali managed to hold the former Jedi at bay.
"Go! Go!" Bali barked back to the two senators. A quick glance revealed Bail Organa struggling to hold Padmé back. "Go while you still can!" he screamed just as Anakin's strike nearly knocked him from his feet.
Again, Anakin drew his arm back striking violently at the apprentice, each strike threatening to overcome the younger. Bali was nearly overcome by the powerful sense of darkness that emanated from his opponent.
"Anakin! Stop!" Padmé cried out.
The sabers connected jarring Bali and sent him stumbling back a step. Just as he regained his footing, he saw the flash of the red saber and blur of green. "Padmé!" he cried out bounding forward just as the Sith blade came down.
Deactivating his weapon, Bali threw himself at the senator. "Down!" The word twisted into an agonized cry as Anakin's saber sliced across his back just below his right shoulder blade as he and Padmé fell to the ground.
Unable to control himself, Bali let out another pained sound as his shifted to keep his weight from bearing down on the woman below him. Fire laced through his nerves and muscles from the hand length cut.
"Bali?" Padmé called out, clutching his arm.
Activating his weapon again, Bali was on his feet ready to engage Anakin again but to his surprise, the other had withdrawn. Horror colored Anakin's face as he stared down at his wife on the ground. Moving slowly, Bali carefully reached out and took Padmé's hand. "Are you all right?" he asked softly as he guided her back. Shallow breaths were all he could manage for the pain in his back.
Anakin just stood there. Then, as if in a daze he held his hand out and studied the saber hilt still tightly gripped in it. "I almost killed you." Frightened eyes looked to the young senator.
"I almost—"
Anakin spun sharply about and Bali pushed Padmé behind him raising his saber defensively as blaster rifles clattered into position.
"Stand down!" Anakin ordered with the authority of a captain of the Praetorian Guard.
The half circle of Praetor's did not obey.
"Stand down!" the still stunned captain barked.
Taking a half step forward, the new commander announced, "Captain Skywalker—"
"General Sky—"
"You are under arrest for treason against the state by order of his Excellency the Emperor Palpatine."
The Book of the Field of Red
Obi-Wan released the little PodBot and it zipped about the lounge excitedly as if still searching for its boy before quietly returning to the weary Jedi. The ginger haired man shifted to ease the pain in his back. Unfortunately it did little for the pain that ravaged his muscles.
Brushing fingers over the dampened flesh of his forehead, Obi-Wan gave a tired sigh as he tried to focus. He had no idea what was behind those guards. So even if he fought his way through them, there was little guarantee he would be strong enough to defend against what came next.
Looking to the battered green form that floated before him, the Jedi wondered if Warbler understood what he was saying or even cared. They did not exactly like each other. Leaning forward, he whispered, "There are guards just down the corridor protecting a door. I need a distraction to get by them."
Dutifully chirping, Warbler buzzed out of the room.
Obi-Wan just sat there for a moment, unsure of what had just happened. He half figured the tiny droid just took off. Well, that should be expected, he supposed. The Jedi tried to wait patiently, taking the moment to reinforce his shielding against the rapture of death and destruction flowing through the Force. He just could not close himself to it.
With the barest trace of warning, Obi-Wan was able to brace himself against an explosion that shook the walls and floor. Taking that as his signal he was on his feet and racing down the hall before the heat of the blast had dissipated. The wall behind the five red cloaked figures had been ripped open in a massive power surge to a large conduit. Lights flickered and dimmed briefly before a generator kicked in bringing the lights up at a lower level with the exception of the area around the guards.
Two of them lay on the floor and the other three remained disoriented as sparks rained down over their red cloaked forms from the section of burned out wall.
"Love that little droid," Obi-Wan whispered with a smile to himself as he engaged the closest of the three remaining guards. Cutting down the first figure, he was immediately faced with the purple arc that leapt from the guard's staff. He easily caught the lightning with his saber blade as he advanced on the guard. Twisting slightly, he Force pushed the third figure into the wounded wall and the shower of sparks where he cried out in pain before collapsing to the floor.
More of the false lightning sprang through the air from his last remaining opponent. Bounding forward, the Jedi ducked the next attack, his saber slicing the staff in half. Before the guard could react, the pale blue blade drove through the guard's chest.
Pausing to catch his breath, Obi-Wan glanced about at the red figures strewn about the floor around him. Looking to the door, he took in a deep, calming breath and charged forward.
The Book of Confrontations
Anakin lowered his weapon as he stared at the men in shock. "You know me. This is a mistake—"
Just as the first orange bolt from a Praetor's blaster rifle exploded into the air, Bali Force shoved Padmé backward into Bail Organa's arms. "Get back!" the young Jedi barked. Quickly deflecting the first bolts back at the Praetorians, Bali created a human shield between he and the senators.
There were too many shots being fired and the padawan was easily overwhelmed. "Run!" he yelled back, wishing only the senators and diner owner behind him would obey.
His concentration was briefly disrupted as the dark energies of the Force welled up around them. Retreating as he struggled to defend against the blasts, Bali quickly understood the feeling.
Anakin Skywalker easily deflected orange bolts with his lightsaber with one hand and with his free one allowed those same deadly bolts snap harmlessly out of existence. Powerful tides of the dark side flowed freely from the still figure.
Slowly drawing his hand closed, the group of Praetorian's closest to him stopped firing. Their weapons clattered harmlessly to the ground as each of the dark armored figures sank to their knees, pulling furiously at the material around their necks.
The unaffected Praetor's also stopped firing as their new captain bellowed, "Retreat! Retreat!"
Joining the stunned threesome behind him, Bali said breathlessly, "We must go, now!" He was not a child but the unholy power of the dark side frightened him and all he wanted was to be as far away from the source of it as possible.
The dark blue armored figures retreated, leaving their suffocating brethren behind. They raced back to their ship as it started to lift off.
"Traitors!" Anakin barked as the red saber was viscously swiped through the air. He bounded over the bodies of his former comrades as he chased after the remaining Praetorian's. At the first man he came to, a quick motion of his lightsaber beheaded the man but he did not slow, shoving the new corpse to the side and racing after the others.
"Anakin!" Padmé called out but her words went unheard. "No!" she called when Bali grabbed her arm and kept her from chasing after her husband. The padawan, though, was unable to block the sight of the carnage Anakin was responsible for.
Padmé gripped at the apprentice's cloak, the horror powerful in her brown eyes. "Stop him. Make him stop."
Holding tight to the terror stricken senator, Bali looked to the tall senator and then to Dex. "A ship, we must go now."
"He's slaughtering them," Padmé wept.
A trail of bodies followed the former Jedi as Anakin's fiery red blade sliced deep into the escaping transport's underbelly causing the massive machine to sputter and struggle to gain altitude.
"Na'cosci Station," Dexter said. "Space forty-seven. A light runner." The Besalisk's gaze never left the large cruiser jerking through the air.
Anakin Force leapt up into the open transport and more blaster bolts tore through the craft as it bucked violently out of control. Coming about slowly, the heave cannons fired indiscriminately on anything in range.
"We would be too lucky to have a speeder, I suppose?" Bali asked pushing and pulling the two senators away from Dexter's diner.
"Didn't your master ever teach you how to acquire transportation?" Dex said watching as the cannon fire closed in on the diner. Raising two of his four fists toward the struggling transport and shaking them threateningly, Dexter Jettster barked, "You better not so much a singe my place."
Just then a bright orange blast slammed into the diner. The few customers that remained fled in terror.
The flash of the red blade in the transport briefly caught Bali's eyes before he focused on the small shopping area a short walk from the diner. Knowing transportation would be found there, he tightened his grip on Padmé's wrist. "Come on!"
The transport's engines groaned then cut out completely causing the machinery to pause ever so briefly then dive toward the ground.
"No!" Dexter and Padmé howled at the same time. Bali struggled to hold onto Padmé as Bail Organa bravely, if not stupidly grabbed Dex's arm.
The young senator broke free of the Jedi's grip and raced toward the crashing transport only to be snatched back by Bali once more. "Anakin!" she shrieked.
"No!" Bali called out struggling to keep Padmé back as the roar of the transport's engines passed low overhead. Holding tight to Padmé, the apprentice threw her to the ground and threw himself over her.
The cruiser dove into the diner exploding on impact. The heat from the ensuing explosion blasted the two where they lay.
The Book of No Place to Run
The tiny Togruta girl held tightly to Yoda as he discarded his walking stick and sought the Force to help him over the growing depth of debris. "Hold tight, you will," he grunted bounding the two over fallen beams and into another dust filled corridor.
The little girl held closer as Yoda raced them toward an artery. Still they met with no one living. The diminutive master sensed many extinguished flames about the corridor but could nothing about it.
A low growl filled the charged air and the ancient Jedi froze. Through the Force, he could feel that section of the Temple bowing under damaged supports. They needed to get deeper quickly.
A few steps were all they managed before a mournful shudder shook the corridor a moment before it collapsed. The young Togruta cried out in terror as the walls next to them buckled and roared like a dying rancor before burying the two.