Chapter 10

Trent was stunned beyond words. He had never expected anything like this: to find his own brother still alive, after three years of separation under the most dire of conditions, and to find him in an Imperial facility. It all made sense now: that the person looked familiar to him, the person's age, the sensation he felt that brought Trent back to his brother. It was as if the Force had guided him here and led him to all of this.

"Trent," Mace said turning away from the computer to face Trent. "I know this must be a shock for you, but we cannot deviate from our course. But now that we know what this facility is used for exactly we must stop it at all costs."

"But, Mace," Trent said. "I can't just leave my brother here, I have to rescue him."

"Trent, there is no time," Mace said. "For all we know your brother may already be a pawn of the Empire, and from what we have read from the database he probably already is. It's too late for him."

"No," Trent said with an intense look in his eyes. "I will not leave him again."
"Listen to me," Mace said, close to Trent's face. "You cannot let your personal feelings get in the way; that is one of the first lessons you learned. If let them then you turn your back on the Jedi code."

"Then perhaps the code is wrong."

"There is no time for this," Mace sighed. "I am sure by now that Empire knows we are here and are sending their forces to intercept us. We must hurry if I am to destroy this facility."

"If you are to destroy this facility?" Trent asked.
"Yes, Trent, though it is against my best judgment I will allow you to rescue your brother. But you must be cautious and waste no time. I will set the core to self-destruct, unfortunately I cannot do it from here and must go to the core room. After that I will meet you at the entrance."

"Why there?" Trent asked.

"Because they will not expect it, though the path there will be difficult."

"Okay, I'll meet you there," Trent said. "Mace, thank you for giving me this chance."

"Don't thank me yet, the hardest is yet to come."

Mace and Trent separated, each going there own ways.

Trent knew he did not have much time. Mace would set the core to self-destruct as soon as possible, which would only give Trent enough time to rescue Kirrick and leave. He came to an intersection and was unsure which way to go. Calming himself, Trent called on the Force to guide his path and went in the direction it pointed.

I'm coming, Kirrick. Trent thought.

Trent turned another corner and nearly ran into four marching stormtroopers.

"The intruder! Blast him!" Blaster fire ricocheted off Trent's lightsaber blade, deflected back toward the Imperials.

Have to be more careful. Trent thought. I didn't even sense them. Mace wouldn't have liked that.

Trent ran on, his lightsaber ablaze, his senses more aware. He approached another corner but slowed down and masked his presence. Around the corner were several more Imperials, talking. He reached into the Force and listened in on the conversation.

"Sir, we've lost contact with Squad 113." A monotonous voice said.

"One of the intruder's must have made contact with them," another monotonous voice responded. "We'll have to widen our search. I want everyone stationed at every intersection, and have someone report back to the surveillance center. It was foolish to not have anyone stationed there. Report on any activity. Now, move."

"Yes, sir." Trent heard several groups of footsteps marching in different directions, but one was marching toward him. Several stormtroopers turned the corner and walked right passed Trent, who still remained masked by the Force. After Trent continued on his search.

Eluding more simple minded stormtroopers, Trent finally arrived at the lab where he had seen his brother, only to find the door locked. He inserted his lightsaber blade into the door frame and wove it around the outside of the frame. It fell into the room.

"Sound the alarm!" Someone shouted. One of the scientists attempted to press the alarm only to be picked up and slammed into the wall.

"Please," The scientist who Trent knew to be Dr. Ixit said. "Do not hurt us, we have no weapons.

"I don't want to hurt anyone," Trent said, thought the scientists could not take their eyes off Trent's lightsaber. "I just came to get someone and I will leave. But some stormtroopers will probably be here soon, so I suggest you leave."

The scientists agreed with Trent and began to leave the room. The one who Trent had slammed into the wall got up as well and scampered away. As Dr. Ixit left he approached Trent.

"You're a Jedi, aren't you?" He said.

Trent simply nodded his head.

"It's amazing there are still Jedi alive after all," the doctor continued. "I was only a young man when they were wiped out."

Trent stared intensely into the man's eyes.

"Yes, well, good luck with everything your going to do." Dr. Ixit said and promptly left.

Silently Trent walked up to where his brother floated and, with a wave of his hand, broke the tank. Trent caught his brother as he slid out of the tank, pulling the breathing mask off him. The liquid pooled on the floor.

"Excuse me, sir," the medical droid said in a soothing voice. "I do not think it is a good idea to do that." Trent used the Force to crumple the droid's head in on itself, sparks shooting out of it.

Now that Trent saw his brother up close, he was horrified at what he saw. Across his brother's entire body were tiny laceration marks with pieces of metal sticking from them.

"Oh, Kirrick, what have they done to you?" Trent said as he looked over his brother who was beginning to wake up.

"What's happening? Where am I?" Kirrick asked.

"Kirrick, it's me Trent."

"What, Trent?" Kirrick said still disoriented.

"Kirrick, I should have known it was you when I first saw you." Trent said. "If I had I would have rescued you right then."

"What do you mean rescued me?" Kirrick asked. "The last thing I remember…"

Kirrick gasped as everything came back. "Oh, Trent," Kirrick said crying. "I remember everything now. They found me where you left me. I tried to get away but they wouldn't let me go. They did so many horrible things to me."

"Kirrcik, I'm so sorry," Trent said hugging his brother. "I never should have left you."

"No, you were not wrong," Kirrick said. "if you had stayed the Imperials would have captured you also. But Trent what has happened since then? I remember the fire and screaming and then just all of this."

"There's no time for that now," Trent said supporting Kirrick as he lifted him up. "We have to get out of here, and quickly."

"What's going on?" Kirrick asked.

"I'll explain on the way."

With that the two brothers left together once again.

-

"General Grund," Dr. Ixit said as he approached. "I have much to tell you."

"What is it, Doctor?" the General asked, sitting down at his desk.

"I have information on the intruders, or at least one of them."

"Really?" the General asked, his interest suddenly piqued. "What is it?"

"One of the intruders broke into the lab and-"

"What!" The General said furiously. "You encountered the intruder and did not notify me immediately? Explain yourself!"

"Of course," Ixit said calmly. "The intruder is a Jedi."
"A Jedi? Are you sure?"

"Yes, General."

"Do you know what this means?" The General asked.

"Yes, I do, which is why I thought you would like to know before the stormtroopers dealt with him."

"The sotrmtroopers are just flies to a Jedi," the General said. "They are far superior to them. But perhaps this is the time to finish that little experiment of yours. Did you finish as I told you to?"

"We made more progress but we we're nearly finished when-"

"It will suffice," the General said. "Activate it, immediately."

"It will be done."

"Good, now leave."

"But General I need a terminal to-" Dr. Ixit began.

"There are plenty of other areas to do so at," Grund said. "Now go, I have important business to attend to, with the recent information.

"Yes, sir." Dr. Ixit turned and left.

General Grund stood up and faced the viewscreen behind him and contacted the person he knew would have the most interest the recent turn of events. The person answered.

General Grund bowed. "My Emperor, I have news for you."