Chapter 9 The Effects of Ysalamiri
Ferri burst out of the woods into the clearing, "I've found him!" He announced triumphantly.
"Ferri, you were told not to go into the woods; we were very concerned about you." Clive scolded.
"I'm sorry, I just felt pulled in this direction; I was in the trees before I realized it, and then I lost the Force. But I found your bounty hunter; I've left a trail so I can lead you back there." Ferri said eagerly.
"Why didn't you just bring him out yourself?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I couldn't get to him; he's in some kind of pit." Ferri explained.
"And it didn't bother you when you could not feel the Force?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Well, yes; I felt as if I were blind, but I can stand it a little longer so I can show you where he is." Ferri insisted, "Oh yes, and I found this."
Ferri brought out the canister containing the data chip, "I thought it was strange that this thing was just lying on the path, so I figured maybe it has something to do with what's happening." He explained.
Obi-Wan took the canister and opened it, "Yes, it looks as if you've found another bread crumb, Ferri; good work. Let's see what's on this one." He said as he inserted the chip into the viewer.
This time, only Kien and the unfortunate Boba appeared at the beginning with Devan making one last threat at the end, "Well, that settles it; you and Ferri have to remain here, Clive. Wait for the Chancellor's ship and direct his men into the wood when they arrive if Zak and I have not returned by that time." Obi-Wan instructed, "You have done very well, Ferri; is the way well marked?"
"Yes, I think so, I tore up the bandaging out of my med kit and when that ran out, I tore off pieces of my cloak, see?" Ferri said, holding up the ragged edges of his cloak, "You shouldn't have any trouble finding him."
"Alright; good boy. You wait here then with Master Maru." Obi-Wan replied, "Come, Padawan."
"Well, this is against my better judgment, Master Kenobi. May the Force be with you." Clive said.
"Thank you, Clive." Obi-Wan said as he entered the woods.
Zak looked at Ferri with uncertainty for a moment before following his master.
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Anakin stopped pacing for a moment and leaned up against the bulkhead of the ship, "Anakin? Are you alright?" Bail asked.
"What? Oh, yes." Anakin answered and then smiled, "I've just lost Obi-Wan; he must have entered one of the voids."
"Are you sure you are alright?" Bail asked.
"Yes, it's difficult to explain; I can always feel Obi-Wan, especially now; he is a constant presence. It's just disconcerting when I can't feel him; like something is missing." Anakin explained, smiling again.
"And you are still worried that it is more than that; are you not?" Bail asked.
"Yes, there is that; because of my nightmares." Anakin admitted, "How much longer?"
"Still another two and a half hours, Anakin." Bail answered, "I am sorry."
"It's alright; I know you want to get there as quickly as I do. We must now both be patient." Anakin replied.
Bail nodded and patted Anakin on the shoulder.
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Banyon sat back after entering hyperspace on his way to Myrkr; he had been reluctant to continue working for Weston Carlyle under the lord's investigator, Aang, but the additional award offered by Aang, convinced him to take on the additional job of chasing Carlyle's daughter across the galaxy to Myrkr. He wondered if he would find her there, or was he just too far behind and she would be gone before he even arrived as she had been on Nar Shaddaa. He still worried about running into the Jedi; how could he ever explain to them what he had been hired to do? No matter, he would leave that to Aang; the investigator told him Carlyle demanded he handle the girl's apprehension personally. He, Banyon, was only supposed to locate the girl and then wait for Aang; the challenge would be trying to find a place to land close enough to the ship Devan Carlyle had fled in and yet still remain hidden from the Jedi he knew must have arrived before him. Well, that's what he was getting paid for, wasn't it. He smiled and relaxed, there was little else to do for the next few hours.
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Viral licked his lips nervously as he went through his preflight check before leaving Nar Shaddaa. Cardl's last words and that final look before he left his palace bothered him. He wondered what Devan and Kien would tell Cardl if the ugly slug ever got the opportunity to question them about how they came up with the idea about going to Myrkr. Maybe the pair would have to have an unfortunate accident somewhere between Myrkr and Nar Shaddaa after he caught them. Yes, that was something he was going to have to think long and hard about. An accident would certainly shut them up.
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Aang was not happy; he was not accustomed to being dictated to by anyone and he had never had any problems dealing with Weston Carlyle until now. And it was Carlyle's own doing; he had been warned by Aang himself that she was playing him the first time she was arrested. But would Carlyle listen? No, the rich sot had let Devan go then and the time after that and now look what a mess she had made; one that Aang now had to somehow clean up. Was it his fault Banyon had missed Devan? No again, if Aang himself had gone, he would have missed her as well. Now here he was being forced to travel halfway across the galaxy to do something that Banyon was perfectly capable of handling himself. He hoped that when all this was over, Carlyle would lock his crazy daughter and her boyfriend up and throw away the lock code. Carlyle was not paying him enough to have to put up with this kind of trouble.
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Boba was still lying in the corner in a feverish daze when Kien returned to the bunker, "Well, get ready because it won't be long before Kenobi will be ours to do what we please with." He announced, grinning from ear to ear.
"What? Already?" Devan asked, "Tell us what happened, Kien."
"I was waiting like you told me to when this other kid wandered by….and he…" Kien began.
"Other kid? Didn't they get that last chip? I warned them to come alone or we…get him; get him now, I'll teach Kenobi to mess with me." Devan ordered.
"No, Devan; the boy wandered in the wood before they found the chip; and the thing is, he doesn't even like the cub." Kien explained.
"And he agreed to help you just like that? You're such an idiot, Kien; it was a trick." Devan said.
"I don't think so; I told him that if he helped me, I wouldn't kill him and he told me he had no love for Zak. If you had seen the boy's face when he said that, you'd know he was telling the truth. Anyway, I showed him one of our pits and helped him flag a trail to it; then I gave him the canister with the chip and sent him back. I'm telling you, Devan; Kenobi is ours." Kien insisted.
"Alright, alright; go back out there then and wait. Contact me if he comes and I'll come out to meet you; but if he doesn't come right away, we kill our little friend and high-tail out of here." Devan replied.
"You got it, Devan." Kien promised and then left quickly.
Devan walked over and squatted down next to Boba, "Well, it's almost over for you, kid." She said and patted him on the arm.
Boba turned his head and glared at her for a moment, "Go rot, Devan." He mumbled and looked away.
"Defiant to the end; that's what I love about you, bounty hunter." Devan told him as she stood up.
"Shall we put him down below now?" Tyrien asked.
"We'll wait until we hear from Kien." Devan answered.
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They were able to walk several meters into the woods before losing the Force. Obi-Wan looked up and spotted an ysalamiri almost immediately; then he looked down at Zak and noticed that he too had spotted the reptile, "Are you alright, Padawan?" He asked.
"Yes, I was expecting it; but it makes me nervous, let's get Boba and get out of here." Zak answered.
"I'm with you there, Zak; I don't like this feeling either." Obi-Wan replied, putting a hand on Zak's shoulder, "Not to mention how Master Anakin is taking this."
Zak smiled at that, "Not well at all, I would think." He said.
Obi-Wan smiled back at him, "Probably not." He answered, "At least Ferri marked the trail well; this should not take long."
"There's something…no, I'm probably wrong." Zak started and then quit.
"Tell me, Zak." Obi-Wan prompted.
"Well, it's Ferri; I got the sense that he was hiding something." Zak told him.
"That concerns me; what would he be hiding?" Obi-Wan replied.
"I don't know; maybe just his hostility towards me." Zak speculated with a dismissive shrug.
"That could be it; come on, let's just get this done, shall we?" Obi-Wan answered.
They walked a couple of kilometers further; looking up every once in a while to see the ysalamiri scattered throughout the trees, effectively pushing back the Force and creating a large bubble where the powerful entity did not exist. Obi-Wan focused on watching for movement and listening to the sounds around him; without the Force, those were the only senses he could rely on. Zak did the same, constantly looking behind him and to the side; and when the vornskr attacked, he was ready for it…almost. The animal leaped at him just as he pulled his lightsaber from his belt, knocking him to the ground. Obi-Wan turned, lightsaber ignited in his hand and bisected it before any damage could be done.
"Thank you, Master." Zak said with relief.
"Are you alright?" Obi-Wan asked as he pulled his apprentice to his feet.
"Yes, I think so; he came out of nowhere." Zak answered.
"I know; I guess we're just going to have to be more careful." Obi-Wan replied, as he gave Zak a cursory once over just be sure he was not injured, "And these things hunt in packs, so the rest of his pack is probably very close."
"Yes, Master." Zak said, weapon in hand.
They walked another half meter when another vornskr appeared in front of them. Obi-Wan continued toward it and the vornskr growled and bared its teeth at him. Zak, meanwhile, noticed another one coming out of the trees on his right and turned his attention to it just as a third animal appeared to his left. Obi-Wan swung his ignited weapon at the creature before him, taking its head off, "Run, Padawan." He instructed, as he heard the hum of Zak's lightsaber swinging at one of the vornskrs coming toward him.
Zak didn't hesitate and sprinted ahead, following Ferri's markers. If he had to run, better that he be running in the right direction. Obi-Wan took out the third vornskr before following his apprentice; at that moment, it occurred to him that they were now acting out Anakin's nightmare….
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Anakin's nightmare invaded his meditation, and he cried out involuntarily as he watched his friend, his brother disappear in front of him again.
"Anakin?" He heard Bail's voice say as he disengaged himself from the vision.
Anakin gasped for air as he opened his eyes to see a very concerned Bail squatting down in front of him.
"Anakin?" Bail repeated, placing his hand on Anakin's shoulder.
Anakin wiped perspiration from his face, "Fine, I'm fine; it was that damnable nightmare again." He said and then tried to smile; "Now it's invading my meditation; how long before we get to Myrkr?"
"Not long, maybe another hour or so; what does it mean, when a nightmare invades your meditation?" Bail asked.
"The last time….was when Obi-Wan was abducted by Mas Amedda's hired thugs. Master Yoda told me then that it actually happened at the same time I had the vision; I'm afraid that's what happened this time too." Anakin answered. "I have a very bad feeling about this."
"What did you see, Anakin?" Bail asked.
"Not much really; he and Zak were running and then they just disappear." Anakin told him.
"And that is enough for you to be worried?" Bail asked.
"Yes; that and the sense that something has gone very wrong." Anakin replied.
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Ferri walked back to the starcruiser; the idea that he had just betrayed two of his own was beginning to bother him. It had seemed so simple when he agreed to help Valier; but now guilt over what he had done was creeping up on him. Although he still held no love for Zak, Ferri began to wonder what kind of Jedi he was if he could turn another Jedi over to the enemy regardless of his personal feelings; not to mention the fact that he had also betrayed Master Kenobi whom he had always respected. Now, however, it was done and he could do nothing about it. And once everything was over with, no one would be able to tell about it; he certainly never would. He couldn't; it would be the end of his life as a Jedi if he did.
"Ferri, are you alright?" Clive asked, interrupting Ferri's train of thought.
"What? Oh, yes; I was just thinking about how strange it felt being without the Force. I hope Zak and Master Kenobi can deal with that." Ferri answered.
"I'm sure they will be just fine; and as soon as Boba Fett is safe, we can send in the Clone troopers to round up the hunters." Clive replied, "They should be here in about an hour; the timing couldn't be any better."
Ferri smiled, "You're right, Master; everything will be alright." He said.
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Zak raced through the trees, following Ferri's markers as they turned from the color of the Padawan's brown cloak to the white of the bandages he had taken from his med kit. He could hear his master running behind him and the sound of growling vornskrs, telling him that the surviving members of the pack had not given up.
Obi-Wan ran behind Zak, knowing that Anakin's nightmare was becoming reality, but realizing that there was nothing he could do to stop it. He pulled even with his apprentice, chancing a look back at the vornskrs pursuing them and suddenly felt the ground beneath his feet give way. Unable to use the Force to break his fall, Obi-Wan tried instead to soften his landing by rolling with it and then Zak landed on top of him.
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Kien could hear them coming before he saw them and quickly concealed himself behind a tree just as Kenobi and his cub appeared, running. He saw Kenobi look back and realized what the pair had been running from; at that moment, he watched as Kenobi and the boy disappeared into the pit as the cover broke under their feet. The vornskrs stared down into the pit for a moment as if trying to decide what to do and then one by one retreated back into the trees. Kien smiled in satisfaction and pulled out his comlink.
"Kenobi is ours, Devan; I told you the kid wouldn't let us down." He announced.
"So you were right about him; good work, Kien. I'll join you as soon as I've taken care of the bounty hunter." Devan answered.
"No, he can wait; let's take care of Kenobi first." Kien suggested.
"Alright; I'll have Tyrien throw him in one of those cells and we can deal with him later." Devan agreed, "I'm ready to hunt again."
"Bring the weapons." Kien said.
"Now? I think it's better if we use blasters at least until we have the cub locked up." Devan countered.
"Yeah, you're probably right; Kenobi is more likely to behave if we give him a little incentive." Kien conceded.
"Exactly, give me a few minutes to stow Boba Fett and I'll join you." Devan said, "Oh, Kien, he isn't dead, is he? That would put a damper on things."
"I don't know; let me check." Kien answered, then walked to the edge of the pit and looked down.
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"Well, it's nearly over now, bounty hunter." Devan said as she waited for Kien to get back to her, "But you've got a little longer to think about what Kien and I plan to do with you."
"You have no idea….what…you've done." Boba replied.
Devan smiled, "Don't I? Take him down now, Tyrien; when I've finished with the Jedi I'll deal with him." She said.
"Don't try anything, kid; or you'll regret it." Tyrien warned bending down to unfasten the straps on the leg restraints.
"You're…you're going…to kill me…anyway; I…I have nothing…to lose." Boba answered as he tensed to kick.
"I can make this real painful for you; kick me, and I'll break your leg." Tyrien threatened and placed his hands on one of Boba's legs.
Boba sighed in resignation and relaxed his legs, "You win." He said; squeezing his eyes closed against the indignant tears forming there.
"Yeah, I thought you'd see it that way." Tyrien replied as he took Boba by the arm and hauled him to his feet and shoved him forward, "Trigger the lift, Devan."
Devan complied and the lift door slid open; Tyrien pushed Boba into the lift and pinned him against the far wall, "Don't move." He ordered as Devan entered the lift behind them.
"He's alive, Devan; get out here so we can secure them both." Kien's voice informed them from Devan's comlink as the door slid closed.
"Yes, alright; we're taking the bounty hunter down now. I'll be with you shortly." Devan replied.
The lift started and stopped; and the door slid open to reveal a dim corridor. Tyrien took Boba by the arm and dragged him down the corridor a short distance, "That's far enough." Devan decided and triggered the door to one of the cells.
Tyrien pulled the boy in and forced him to the ground, holding him there as Devan fastened the restraint straps to secure his ankles together, "There, that will hold you until we're ready." She said and then stood up.
"You'll pay….you'll…all pay." Boba vowed.
They only laughed at him; then left the cell and triggered the door behind them. In the dim light coming through his cell door, as he heard their retreating footsteps and the sound of the lift door closing, Boba gave in to the hopelessness of his situation. He rolled over on his side and brought his legs up. Thoughts of how violently his father's life had ended and how differently his own life could have been with Bail and Breha and little Gemma; and his Jedi friend, Zak haunted him. Now, his life would end just as violently as Jango's had. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi once told him that he had made a difference when he had turned his life around. The only difference he had made this time was to lure that Jedi to his death. Tears formed and slid down over the bridge of his nose and down his cheek; this wasn't how things were supposed to turn out, "I'm so sorry." He whispered.