Chapter 6 Trapped

Obi-Wan pulled himself up to another ledge, breathing hard, his side aching. The air up here was thin and he dared a moment to finally pull his own breather out. He inserted it in his mouth and breathed deeply as the breather concentrated the air passing through it letting the richer oxygen penetrate his lungs. Then he continued climbing. Zak had connected with him to tell him that Boba had been hit; but from what Zak had told him, it did not seem to be too bad. It now appeared that the shooter, probably the hunting guide they were after, was deliberately targeting them. He knew he was a sitting duck while he was climbing and it was this sense of urgency that forced him to get to the summit as quickly as he could. "I am nearly there, Zak; where are you?" "In the cave." "Alright, hang tight I will be there momentarily." "Yes, Master."

He no sooner broke the connection when a single shot rang out followed by a low rumbling. Snow began to flow from the top of the summit and he had to stop and hug the wall to prevent being carrying down with it. It only lasted a few moments and then he continued his ascent. When he at last reached the top and pulled himself up, he could see only snow; a mini avalanche had covered everything and there was no cave in sight. The shot, he realized now, had triggered it. The one shooting must have seen the boys go into the cave. He reached out to Zak again. "Zak?" "Master." The voice was muffled. "Were you injured when the snow came down?" "No, Master; but it is becoming difficult to breathe." "Can you move; can you reach your breather?" "I can move, yes, but I have lost my breather." "Then use your training, Padawan; slow your breathing and relax." "Yes, Master, but what about Boba?" "Can you see him?" "He is under me." "Alright, is he awake?" "No; he fainted when he…I mean he passed out." "Well, that is a good thing; as long as he is unconscious, he cannot panic and use up so much oxygen. I can find you through the Force. Just be patient…" "And wait, yes, Master."

Using the Force as his guide, Obi-Wan located the buried cave entrance and begins to dig.

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Zak had thrown himself on top of his friend when he first heard the rumble of the snow slide and sensed the impending danger. His concern had been that the entire tunnel where he had dragged Boba would collapse; this had not been the case, but the entrance had been sealed off leaving both of them trapped. Instinctively, he had reached for his breather only to find that he no longer had it and realized it must have been lost during the shooting when they had first reached the summit. He rolled off Boba and prepared himself to shut down until his master reached them. He touched Boba on the forehead, took a breath, exhaled slowly and went deep.

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Obi-Wan called on the strength of the Force to move the mound of snow blocking the cave. His gloves were stiff from the pack of snow on them; his beard rimed with frost from the condensation formed when his warm breath hit the cold mountain air. Oblivious to the pain in his side, he worked feverishly to clear an opening large enough to squeeze through. His senses, in tune with the Force, warned him of the next attack, giving him time to leap clear just before a detonator hit the wall of snow he had been working on. He threw himself on the ground and covered his head and seconds later, the explosion blew the snow from the entrance of the cave; unwittingly, their attacker may had done him a favor….that is, if his apprentice and Boba Fett had been far enough from the entrance to have escaped the impact of the blast. Hoping to fool his assailant into thinking they were all dead, Obi-Wan remained motionless. "Zak?" "Yes, Master….the explosion, was that you?" "No, I believe it was the one who was shooting as you. Are you both alright?" "Yes, I dragged Boba down the tunnel and around the corner; we are not hurt." "Good, stay put for now; I am hoping our friend thinks he has taken care of us and leaves. How is Boba?" "Well, he is awake now; but he wants to leave." "Don't let him go anywhere, is that understood?" "Yes, Master." "You stay right where you are until I come in to get you." "Yes, Master."

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"Master Obi-Wan said that the one who was shooting at us caused that explosion." Zak said when he had broken the contact with his master.

"Oh, well, what are we supposed to do now?" Boba asked.

"Wait; Master Obi-Wan thinks the man is still out there watching to see if any of us are still alive." Zak answered.

"How long have we been up here?" Boba asked.

"I don't know; a few hours anyway." Zak answered.

"Well, if we aren't back by dark, Bail will send Clones to look for us." Boba replied, "It wouldn't surprise me if he came along with them."

"He's the Supreme Chancellor; I don't think he would take that big of a risk." Zak told him.

"Well, I think he would." Boba said, putting a hand to his bandaged upper arm. "'Don't tell anyone that I fainted."

"I won't, I promise." Zak vowed.

"Good, because it's embarrassing." Boba answered.

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Obi-Wan remained motionless as he heard the tell tale crunch of snow nearby. The hunter had come to check on his handy work. He came closer until Obi-Wan could sense that he was right next to him. He felt the toe of the man's boot nudge him in the ribs and then turn him over. Instantly, Obi-Wan's lightsaber was in his hand, "Have you come to finish what you started?" He asked as he sat up holding his ignited lightsaber to the man's throat.

"Easy there, friend; I don't know what you're talking about. I don't even know who you are." The man answered, holding both hands out away from his body and backing up slightly.

"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi; who are you?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No one that you need to be pointing that laser sword at." The man answered.

"Really? Well considering someone has just tried to kill me for the second time and you are the only one about, I think I will just keep pointing it at you." Obi-Wan replied.

"Look I told you, I don't know what you're talking about. I just heard the explosion and came to see what happened, that's all." The man claimed.

"Right; well you've seen it and now I think you should just go back the way you came." Obi-Wan told him.

"Well, you're going to need some help, aren't you?" The man questioned.

"Help? With what?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Well, er…getting down." The man answered.

"No, I found my own way up here; I think I can get down just fine without your help." Obi-Wan replied.

"Alright, if that's the way you want it." The man shrugged and turned around and started to backtrack his route, "What about those boys? You'll need some help getting them down, won't you?" He started to turn slowly back.

"What boys?" Obi-Wan asked, knowing now this man knew more than he was letting on.

"The ones in the cave." The man answered as he continued to turn, reaching into his coat.

"Well, since you only heard the explosion, I do not think you would know anything about a cave or anyone who might have gone in." Obi-Wan answered, holding his lightsaber defensively, "unless you had something to do with it."

"Why, Master Kenobi; I do believe you are accusing me of foul play." The man replied, pulling something slowly from his coat and turning just a little more.

"Don't try it." Obi-Wan warned as the man's hand appeared grasping a blaster.

"You have been too nosey, Jedi; you and those two meddling boys." The man said turning the blaster toward Obi-Wan.

"Who are you working for?" Obi-Wan asked.

"You ask too many questions, Kenobi; I'm afraid I will have to put a stop to that." The man threatened as he took aim.

"Don't try it." Obi-Wan warned again, "I do not want to hurt you."

"You fool, do you really think that sword of yours can protect you from this?" He taunted as he squeezed the trigger.

"Oh yes." Obi-Wan answered, deflecting the bolts and taking off the hand holding the gun.

The man screamed in pain and dropped to his knees, clutching his wrist. Obi-Wan shook his head and called the discarded blaster to him, "I warned you twice. Now, you will tell me who ordered you to try to kill us." He said.

The man continued to whimper, kneeling in the snow and rocking back and forth, "I tried to warn you off first, but you didn't take the hint; you sent those boys up here…" He began to explain.

"Warn us off? I fell because of what you did, you tried to kill me." Obi-Wan countered.

The man cradled his wrist against his chest, "We thought getting rid of you would stop those boys." He explained.

"And when it didn't you tried to get rid of them too." Obi-Wan surmised.

"Yes, as a last resort." The man confirmed.

"Who are you working for?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I can't tell you that, he'll kill me." The man told him.

"Well, you will have to talk eventually; you will come down with us and face the authorities." Obi-Wan told him.

The man began to laugh, "You will never make it off the Heights." He said.

"We will just have to see about that." Obi-Wan replied as he grabbed the man's collar, hauled him to his feet and shoved him toward the mouth of the cave.

The man laughed again, "Yes, we wi…." He ended abruptly as he turned his head to look at Obi-Wan before his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed as the shooting began again.

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"It's started again." Boba said.

"I…I have to help Master Obi-Wan." Zak stated as he started to rise.

"No; you're the one who told me we have to stay put." Boba reminded him.

Zak shook him off, "That was before; now he might be hurt, I have to go see." Zak replied.

"Look, I know you're worried; why don't you try that connecting thing you do." Boba suggested.

Zak nodded, seeing the logic in Boba's suggestion; he closed his eyes and reached out. "Master?" "It's alright, Zak; stay right where you are." "Yes, Master; you're not hurt?" "No, just stay put." "Yes, Master."

Zak opened his eyes, "I guess you were right. He says to stay put." He admitted as he sat back down.

"If he doesn't come in five minutes then we should go get him." Boba decided.

"Let's make it ten." Zak replied.

"Ten it is." Boba agreed.

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Holding his lightsaber before him, Obi-Wan dragged the man to the cave entrance. A slug buried itself into the snow at his feet and another bounced off one side of the cave; a third one whizzed over his head. He had just managed to drag the man's body into the shelter of the cave when another shot rang out barely missing his head. He leaned over and touched the hunter who had not moved since the attack had begun; the touch was enough to tell him that his life force had left. "Well, I guess you're not going to tell us anything." He inched his way to the bend in the tunnel.

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"That's it; it's been too long." Boba said as he stood up.

"Right." Zak replied, pulling his lightsaber from his belt and rising to join him.

They had not gone two feet when Obi-Wan appeared from around the corner, "Where do you two think you're going?" He asked.

"We were getting tired of waiting." Boba answered.

"Well, you may just as well sit down, because we are not going anywhere for a while." Obi-Wan told him.

"We can't stay here all night, Master Kenobi, we'll freeze." Boba protested.

"Yes, and that is just what our friend is planning on. He knows we have no where to go; he will just sit out there and wait." Obi-Wan replied.

"Great, so we sit here and freeze to death." Boba said sarcastically, "I don't think I like that plan."

"That is not the plan, Boba." Obi-Wan assured him as he eased himself down against the wall.

"Well, if we can't leave, then what ARE we going to do?" Boba asked.

"The Chancellor knows we are up here; when we do not come back, he will send people to look for us." Obi-Wan told him.

"So we wait; it's going to get very cold until then." Boba said.

"Well, we may be able to do something about that." Obi-Wan replied, "Find some smaller rocks and bring them here."

"What are you going to do?" Boba asked.

"I know; you'll see in a minute, come on." Zak said as he began to gather rocks and pile them on the floor in the middle of the tunnel.

When Obi-Wan thought they had gathered enough, he pulled his lightsaber out, ignited it and touched the pile with the end of it. In moments, the rocks began to give off heat and Boba wasted no time in removing his gloves and warming his hands over them. Obi-Wan removed the cloth from around his forehead and gingerly touched the gash above his eye. It was sore and swollen, but the bleeding had stopped.

"Master, are you alright?" Obi-Wan looked up to see Zak standing over him looking concerned.

"Yes, Padawan; I don't look that bad, do I?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No, it's just that you fell a long way." Zak replied.

"Well, I used the Force to break my fall." Obi-Wan explained, "How is Boba?"

"I don't know; alright, I guess." Zak answered. "Could you check his arm? Just to be sure I cleaned it right?"

"Don't you trust yourself?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I never treated a slug wound before; I want to be sure." Zak replied.

"Ah, I see; bring him over then." Obi-Wan told him.

"Thank you, Master." Zak said and then waved Boba over.

Boba walked around the hot rocks and stood next to Zak, "What is it, Master Kenobi." He asked.

"Sit down here, Boba; let me take a look at your arm." Obi-Wan instructed.

Boba eyed him suspiciously, "Why?" He asked.

"Zak just wants to make sure he treated it correctly." Obi-Wan answered, "Now, come on; sit down."

Boba shrugged, "Alright." He replied and sat down next to Obi-Wan.

As Obi-Wan unwound the bandage Zak had wrapped around Boba's arm and removed the bacta dressing pad, Boba looked elsewhere. The slug had taken a good size chunk of flesh when it hit, but fortunately had not lodged in his arm. Zak had done a very good job of cleaning it, "Well, this looks very good, Zak. I will just change the bacta pad and wrap it back up. Did you want to see it, Boba?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Umm…no, I think I'll pass." Boba answered.

"Alright, I'll just put a fresh pad on it and the wrap it back up." Obi-Wan replied as he did just that.

When he had finished, Boba looked over at him, "Thank you, sir." He said, unwittingly catching a glimpse of the pad that Obi-Wan had removed from his arm, "Oh, that's not….no…I can't…not again."

He slumped boneless forward onto Obi-Wan's lap, "Oh dear." Obi-Wan declared.