Chapter Four
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"What was that?" Bria asked Tona.
"I have no idea." Growled Tona. He was not happy to have been uninformed twice in one day, about a subject he prided himself on being up to date on.
"Yoda's gone too." Moth growled.
"Why would they take Nyla and Yoda?" Bria asked. "What would they want with her and it?"
"I don't feel her through the Force." Moth said searching through the Force for his Padawan. 'Why did I let them give me a female Padawan? I never worried about my male Padawans this much.' He sighed.
"Could it be someone from her family's past?" Bria asked.
"No one knows about her family except the Council and me." Moth answered.
"Past?" Tona asked.
"See." Moth said. "And if they did, how would they know where to find her, even her name has been changed? She doesn't even know who she is."
Tona looked from one Master to the other. "Family?"
"Nyla's family was royalty. They lost their throne when their planet was taken over by a political group that didn't believe in monarchies. The new group vowed to hunt down all the heirs and kill them. Only a friend of the family knows where the twin girls were sent and he died shortly after delivering Nyla to the Council. Even the Council doesn't know where the sister is." Bria said. "Moth was told because he, as her Master, would need to know to protect her."
"We have to go look for her!" Moth said emphatically.
"You already said you couldn't feel her in the Force, how do you expect to find her?" Tona asked.
"We have to trust the Force to lead us to her even though I can't feel her." Moth said.
"I hate to bring up what is going to be a touchy subject but have you considered that 'it' may have something to do with this?" Bria asked. "Poof couldn't even read 'it' and 'it' was an illegal spice trader?"
"No! Yoda did not do this." Moth said flatly. "He wouldn't hurt Nyla."
"He may not consider it as 'hurting' to turn her over to someone else, alive. I hear there is a substantial price on her head." Bria said. "Maybe he got tired of spices."
"No! No! I will never believe that." Moth defended his future Padawan.
"Moth is right about one thing, we have to go look for her. With the assassins gone could you handed things here until reinforcements arrive, while we go look for her a… them?" Tona asked Bria.
"Yes. I'll call the council and tell them what is going on and get help here as soon as possible. I hope for your sake I'm wrong but I'm not holding out much hope on it." Bria told the fuming Moth.
"Let's take my ship it's faster and I don't think you need to be flying just now." Tona said.
Moth, Tona and Evea, Tona's Padawan, ran to Tona's ship. "Pull up the tracking computer and see if you can find any trace of them that way." Tona ordered Evea.
"Nothing, they must have the new model of hyper-drive that we heard about. Where do we set course for?" Evea asked pulling up the local star charts on the nav-computer.
"Try Vereen trade routes then overlay suspected places for Hedeon arms factories." Tona instructed.
"There is one, three parsecs from here." Evea informed the Masters.
"Inform the planetary space officials we're leaving to pick up supplies." Tona instructed. "You never know who is in on this and who's not, so let's not take any chances."
Moth sat in the passenger seat behind the pilot, eyes closed, calling on the Force harder than he had ever called on it. 'Just let me find her alive. A clue, please just one clue.' He thought desperately. 'Calm down Moth, let the Force guide you. Force, I'm waiting, anytime now. Hello? Force!'
"Moth, I think you need to stop and meditate for a few minutes. The Force may not be hearing you but you are broadcasting loudly to everyone else." Tona counseled his friend.
Moth almost blushed when he thought how he must have sounded to Tona. "I a… think I will take your advise before the Force gets ticked off at me."
"Don't worry Nyla's tougher than you think, she has great respect for you and the training you have given her. If I was in trouble I would want her by my side." Evea reassured Master Moth.
"Thank you. I needed to hear that. Now let's try this again." Moth closed his eyes again and concentrated.
oOo
On reaching the star system of the suspected hideout, they dropped out of hyperspace and flew closer only to be met by a military cruiser. "What is your business here, this is restricted air space, authorized personnel only." Came an angry voice over the com-link.
"Friendly little fellow isn't he." Tona called over his shoulder to Moth. "Sense anything?"
"No. Not a thing and I even tried to sense Yoda and the Vereen traders. Nothing." Moth sighed.
Tona turned back to the impatience cruiser's commander on the com-link and said. "We had a companion that had trouble with his hyper-drive and dropped out of hyperspace unexpectedly and we are trying to locate him. Did you have any other arrivals lately?" Tona asked as innocently as possible.
"Our arrivals are not your business. Your friend is not here. This is not a visitor's center leave or you will be fired upon. Now!" Barked the Commander.
"Thank you for your kind assistance. We will try somewhere else, if you see him tell him we are looking for him." Tona said in his most innocent voice, then to Evea. "Set course for the next planet."
"Already charted and set. Engaging now." Evea said deftly turning the ship and setting course for the next planet.
"Well, that was exciting." Tona said to the exasperated Master Moth. "We will find her, don't worry." Tona wanted to say, maybe Bria was right but knew Moth didn't need to hear that now. If it turned out to be true, it would be hard enough on him.
Moth knew what Tona was thinking but wouldn't even contemplate the possibility. Moth didn't answer he just closed his eyes and searched the Force in vain.
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On arriving at the next planet they had a repeat performance except the ship was larger and the voice on the com-link was meaner. "No! Your friend was not here. Now go or be fired upon. Leave now!"
"Thank yo…" Tona started before the com-link went dead and weapons were targeted on them. "Let's g…" Tona started to say when Evea piloted the ship out of their space. "Well I never got that kind of reception anywhere before." Tona said. "Anything back there, Moth?"
Moth didn't even bother to answer. The look on his face answered the question.
"The next planet is about ten parsecs form here." Evea informed the Masters.
"This time let's come out behind the planet in the outer ring and see if we can get more information before we're shot down." Tona instructed his Padawan. Both felt sorry for Moth. "Go get some sleep, you haven't sleep for days, you need rest. If you rest you may have a better chance of reaching her in the Force." Moth didn't believe it anymore than Tona did but he went to the guest compartment anyway without saying a word.
Evea watched Moth leave, then looked at Master Tona. "Yes." Tona said to the unspoken question. "I would be that upset if it were you. Being a Master is worse than being a parent. A parent never takes a child into a dangerous situation intentionally, but a Master has to take his Padawan into danger all the time. He only hopes he has trained them properly and they can handle the situation.
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Finally, they arrived at the next planet and as planed came out of hyperspace behind he last planet in the star system. Moth felt something but wasn't sure what, so they decided to take a closer look. There was a cargo ship coming out of hyperspace nearby so Tona slipped in behind it and played shadow. "I hope no one looks out a window." Evea said.
"When we get to the planet we are going to be in trouble if we can't find a cloud-bank to get lost in." Tona started singing a little ditty to ease the tension. "Cloud-bank, we need a fluffy little cloud-bank." Then he caught sight of Moth's reflection in his instrument panel and decided that wasn't a good idea.
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Earlier
The med-techs working with Nyla frowned and sniffing their underarms, checking the refresher to see if someone forgot to flush and even sniffed Nyla. "There is an unexpected side-effect of this drug on her species, an odor." The med-tech said to his superior.
"It's not coming from her. It's coming from the air-recycling vent, change the filter. Now!" The superior ordered.
"I was about to give her the second dose of the Force Nullifier Drug." The assistant said.
"She isn't going anywhere, change the filter now before I loose my lunch. I'm going to report to the Lord." The superior said gagging as he went out.
The assistant set the vials down and went to the supplies compartment and got the replacement filter. When he got to the vent it was slightly ajar. He was puzzled but thought the superior must have checked it before he left. He changed the filter, disposed of the old one in the trash compactor then gave Nyla the second dose. "Well, we won't have to worry about you interfering in our trade anymore, two doses of this and you will be drooling like an infant the rest of your life. I'm going to lunch now that that smell is gone I'm getting hungry. You won't be going anywhere." The smug med-tech said leaving.
"Never eat new roots again, I will. Six hours stuck in vent, not good for digestion. (Unexplained noise) Relief." Yoda smiled. "Now to check on Nyla." Yoda pushed a rolling chair over to the table Nyla was tied to and climbed up. "Wakey, wakey." He said shaking her. Nyla groaned then went back to sleep. "Wakey, wakey." He said again shaking her harder this time.
"Not now, I'm tryin' to braid my…nose. Why …you are… sittin' on my che…est …I'm not a spe…eder…er …but my toes are ap…ples." Nyla said not quiet awake.
"Mush your brain will be, if not get drug out. Changed vials, I did. So not get second dose. Still bad, very bad. Here drink, wash out of body." Yoda said holding a glass up to her lips. "Drink careful, more." He insisted.
"Not thirs…sty, slee… (snore)"
Slap…"Awake, you will." Slap…
"Git off my chair…chest or I will op…en the dog…on you in purp…ple …space me"
"Spaced enough, you are. Drink!" Yoda ordered hoping she wouldn't remember his slapping her when this was over, if it was ever over. "More… One more sip… Again."
"You sa…id one now…you're eatin' a gun…dar …I like trees don't …there are gre..en skin on you."
"Come on drink more, wash out drugs." Yoda pleaded.
"Now you did, done, do it I 'ave to pa …pee… why do they ca…all it pee.. nottt q or w…." Nyla asked fuzzily.
"Not know, return water to the lake, we call it. Drink again." Yoda coaxed.
" 'ave to we-we… sou..nds bet…ter." Nyla's head swayed as she talked.
"More, … sip, … again, ……again" Yoda got water into his patient slowly.
" 'ave to qu…qu… "Nyla insisted.
"Can not let you up, if caught we are, Trouble we both, will be in." Yoda explained to the unreasoning patient.
"Ex…plo…de on you, I wi….ll" Nyla mimicked. Sti….ink you wi….ill."
Yoda closed his eyes for a second then said. "Hurry, we will have to, Not get caught." Yoda unbuckled Nyla's restraints. He had to use the Force to steady her as she sat up and made her way to the fresher.
"Ou…ut lit…tle fro…og, this is per….ers…on…al." She swayed and slurred.
"Hold you, I have to. Fall, you will." He explained unsuccessfully.
"Ou…ut or I wi…ill flu…sh you, my lit…tle gre…een what 're you any…pla…ce"
"Yendell, Yoda a Yendell." Yoda was desperate enough to tell her the truth.
"Ou…ut Yen Yell…llow one." She ordered emphatically.
"Yes." Yoda said stepping out and trying not completely successfully to keep her balanced on the fresher with the aid of the Force from outside the door.
"No pe…ekin' " Nyla slurred.
Yoda tap taped on the door. "Hurry, get caught."
Just then the door opened and Nyla came out not quiet completely arranged correctly. "Ho…ow do ya exx…pect me to do my bus…sin…ness with you tap tap'n on tha dog…do…oor." Nyla said emphatically.
"Hurry, assistant coming." Yoda Force pushed her toward the table. Shoved her onto it, buckled her restraints quickly, shushed her. "Asleep, pretend you are." He ordered, then ran behind the machine he had hidden behind earlier. "z…z…z…z" Apparently she didn't have to pretend.
The med-tech came in checked on Nyla and smirked. "Gone." As he walking out. "My work is done. That's the last we'll hear from her."
'More water, I need to give her. Not now, I thought she mean before, now worst.' He thought. 'Rest first, water later.' Yoda joined his patient in sleep.
oOo
As the ship got closer to the planet Tona was relieved to see much of the planet covered in clouds. (Big puffy white clouds.) He started to say something to Moth but seeing his face he thought better. He cleared his throat and said in his most serious voice, "Thank the Force, there are clouds."
Moth sensed something, different, something…Yoda. "We are close, ahead and to the left." They dropped below the clouds and saw a large hanger near a factory. "Land behind the trees. Yoda is in the hanger."
Tona raised one eyebrow and looked at Moth this was more than he had said in days. "And Nyla?" Tona asked.
"I don't know, but Yoda is there." Moth was relieved to sense at least one of them.
"I don't want to…" Tona started and was cut off by Moth.
"No! It is not a trap. I trust him." Moth interrupted forcefully.
"Oh! Kay! " Tona said and set the ship down behind the trees. 'You only die once.' He thought. 'This could be it.'
oOo
"Awaken!" Yoda shook Nyla until she started to groan, then unbuckled her restraints.
"No mo…re water. I've drank and pee …ed till I'm sick of peein' and drinkin', I ne…ver want to drink or pee aga…in!" Nyla said emphatically.
"Shush! Must go now, rescuers here. Not get caught." Yoda tried to reason with the still drunken female, before he opened the door.
"Why no…ow?" She asked obstinately. "Why no…ot ear…lier in…ste…ead of dri…nk pee tap tap hur…ry."
"Master Moth arrived, he has, to rescue us." Yoda said motioning to shush her again, sliding her along the wall toward the ships ramp.
"Moth, I like Moth he's like a fath…ther to me. I don't re..mem..ber my farth… fath…er. Do you rem…emb…er my farther. That's silly why would you remem..mber my farth…er."
"Yes, remember Yoda's father. Quiet."
When she saw the ramp she straightened up for a second then noticed she didn't have her lightsaber. "Hey! Where my light…saber be gone?"
"Leave it, make another." Yoda pleaded knowing the outcome.
"Not with…out my lightsa…ber. I'm stayin' right there till I got him …ha … (she snickered) it." She insisted too loudly for Yoda's preference.
"Stay here, get it, I will." Yoda instructed, disappeared into a nearby office for a few minutes then came out running. "Run!" He said lightsaber in hand followed by everyone in the ship.
"Get them! Don't let them escape!" The man in the blue robes called. "The Lord will be angry." Blaster bolts flew all around them; Yoda ignited the lightsaber and batted them back.
"He..ey that' my job." Nyla said trying to get the lightsaber from Yoda.
"Out! Now!" Yoda ordered, opening the ramp and pushing Nyla out. "This way." He pointed toward a side entrance but could see Nyla resisting his efforts to get her out. Just then the door opened and Moth and Tona came in lightsabers ignited. "Help Nyla! Drunk, she is." Yoda called to the Masters. Moth ran over and caught her around the waist with one arm, batting blaster bolts with the other.
"This way Yoda." Tona said batting several bolts quickly and offered cover for Moth and his drunk Padawan as they went out the door they had just entered. "Be careful with that lightsaber!" Tona warned Yoda. "Who said you could use one?"
"Yoda knows, not cut own head off." Yoda said not quite reassuring Tona.
"I was more worried about my knees." Tona said keeping an eye on Yoda and the enemy.
Evea met them at the door, she had been instructed to watch their backs. "That was quick, I thought the object was to get in undetected?" She said as they ran down the street toward the place where they had hidden the ship.
"Yoda star…ted it." Nyla said accusingly. "Be…hind you!" Several security guards came around the corner blaster in hand and started firing.
"This way!" Moth said pointing toward an alley to the left. They all ran down the alley then turned back at the next corner, being chased all the way by blaster bolts. Tona and Evea shielded Moth and Nyla as they ran.
"Yoda, I wan's my ligh..saber back. Now!" Nyla said more confused than ever because of the commotion.
"Cut your head off, you will." Yoda tried to warn her.
"What's wrong with her?" Evea asked.
"Drugged, new drug." Yoda explained trying to stay out of Nyla's reach. "Stops ability to use Force." Yoda said as they got to the ship.
Moth used the Force to open the ramp as they approached, and Tona batted the last of the blaster bolts away as the ramp closed. Evea ran to the cockpit and started the ship.
"Setting course out of here and gone." Evea said as soon as the ramp was up. Tona ran to the cockpit to assist Evea. She navigated through the cruisers that were coming in from all sides. The ship weaved from side to side to avoid the turbolaser fire.
Moth got Nyla to the guest quarters, put her on the bed and told her. "Stay there."
"I'm not a ca…nine. I di…n't STAY." Nyla said mocking her Master.
"Keep her in here." He told Yoda taking Nyla's lightsaber away from him and hooked it in his belt. "I'll take that, if she gets it away from you, she could be dangerous with it. I'm going to see if I can help." Moth ordered, closing the door behind him.
"Where do you need me?" Moth asked as he ran toward the cockpit.
"Left gun-turret." Tona said as he headed toward the right gun-turret. Both fired furiously at the cruisers using the Force to aid their aim, lights flashed, as they struck one, then two.
"Watch out!" Evea called out, as she had to weave violently to avoid a cruiser that came around the moon she was using for cover. They were hit a glancing blow that made more noise than the damage it did. "Just one more minute and we are out of here." Evea said. "There!" She said as they went into hyperspace. "Well, that was fun." She said sarcastically as they entered the quiet of hyperspace.
Tona headed to the cockpit to call the Council and tell them about Nyla's rescue, while Moth went to check on his Padawan and future Padawan. "Well, what have you two been up to lately?" He asked as he came in.
"Take Nyla, saw them, I did. Hid on ship." Yoda explained. "Tried to save her. Needed rescuing from Nyla, I did."
"I'va be…en tied to a table whi…ile Mr. Tap Tap forced…ed me to drink wat…ter." Nyla complained. "Then he star…ted a space bat…tle."
"Drugged, she was. Washing out with water, only way I knew to get it out." Yoda sighed.
"You said something about it inhibited her ability to use the Force?" Moth asked concerned.
"Yes, gave her one dose, they did. Said, two doses fry her brain. Yoda switched vials, second dose was harmless." Yoda said as he pulled the vial out of his pocket. "Drunk it made her, mean drunk, she is."
Moth smiled at Yoda apparent troubles with Nyla. "Did they say why they took Nyla and not one of the others."
"No, only said, 'Fry her brain, not need her anymore'."
"I am going to analyze this and contact the Council. They will be interested in this new anti-Force drug. Can you watch her for a few more minutes?" Moth asked Yoda.
"Yes, danger less than before, she is. Need vacation, Yoda does." Yoda said putting up his guard again.
Moth ran a compound analysis on the drug. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before, it seamed to bond with the neurotransmitters that focused the Force and block their ability to connect with it. He gave Nyla a blood purifier to help clear out the effects of the drug. It was the only thing he could give her without further test now he wished he had taken his ship. He headed to the cockpit where Tona was still on the holo-link to the Council. He added the information he had to what Tona had already reported. The Council informed them that Bria had not called in to request back up and was not answering his holo-link. The Council had sent someone to check but they were to far away and hadn't arrived yet. They asked Moth and Tona to check on him since they were closer.
Evea changed course and headed back to Lidio at top speed.
"Did he know why they took Nyla?" Tona asked Moth.
"No. They only said they didn't need her brain anymore, and they intended to fry it with the new drug." Moth explained. "Yoda heard nothing about why they took her specifically."
"Could it have been a ruse to get us off the planet for some reason?" Tona asked. "Could they have been after Bria because he is a Council member and just wanted us out of the way?"
"How would they know who we would leave behind?" Moth asked.
"If they are after Jedi, they may not have cared who was left, just that they could get to someone." Tona reasoned.
"Then Bria is in extreme danger and we have been blind-sided." Moth said concerned for his friend's safety. "We need to go faster!"
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